Amol Palekar, on Indian Premier Cinema during the 40th IFFI-2009

Amol Palekar, on Indian Premier Cinema during the 40th IFFI-2009

Amol Palekar, usually restrained and understated, was at his effusive best when he praised his actors for putting in extra efforts in his movies. ‘I find myself in a privileged position. May be I also goad, cajole or sometime scold but by the time film is complete we have such a beautiful bond. With completion of every movie I get that satisfied feeling’ said the veteran filmmaker. He further said that a note should be taken of the phase that Marathi Cinema is passing through. He said due to its location Marathi cinema has borne the brunt of Bollywood most directly and he expressed happiness that Marathi Cinema has come out of that struggle and there are many young filmmakers who are doing exceptional work. “ I would like to compare it with the Bengali scene few years ago and Malayalam Cinema as spearhead of meaningful Indian Cinema” Amol Palekar added whose film ….And Once Again has been premiered in IFFI-Goa,2009.

The Actor Rajat Kapoor who is a noted director in his own right, said that as an actor he likes to submit to the director completely as film is a director’s medium and an actor’s job is a very small part of the director’s vision. ‘When I am on set as an actor I leave the director at home’ said the actor. Rituparna Sengupta also echoed the sentiment and said that she was very charged to work with Amol Palekar. Emotional turbulence of the role and fact that the movie was in English stoked her interest. Amol Palekar expressed his admiration for dedication and efforts that Rituparna and other actors put in for the film. He recounted how Antara Mali kept on working even in the face of her medical problems and Rituparna traveled from Kolkata throughout the night to be present for morning shoot despite cancellation of her flight.

Amol Palekar praised Sandhya Gokhle for providing him with rich stories and scripts which are multilayered and allow nonlinearity in narration. ‘Whatever questions I feel like raising about myself and my society I raise through my films’ said Palekar.