7th issue

GPLUS AUG 10 - AUG 16, 2013 7
PATRONISE
ASSAMESE FILMS
– Tom Alter
Padma Shri recipient, noted thespian and Bollywood
actor Tom Alter visited Guwahati to participate in the 8 th
Nastasurjya Drama Festival held at the Rabindra Bhawan.
He performed in a play named ‘Teesvin Shatabdi’ and in
spite of his busy schedule, he managed to spare some time to
exclusively talk to GPlus.
raHUL CHanDa
What do you like about Guwahati?
We usually come here for work and hardly get time for anything else. My
friends Biju Phukan, Pranjal Saikia, his wife Poornima and Jahnu Baruah
are good and straightforward people. They might be big names but yet so
simple. I love to come here because you can have honest talks with people
and there is no politics or ‘nakhras’. People connected with art here are very
nice. I did a film with Dr. Santana Bordoloi in the year 1997 called Adajya
and it won a National Award.
The Assamese film industry has gone through a very bad
phase but due to the advent of digital filmmaking, people are
beginning to make films again. Your thoughts on this...
I have watched one or two Jahnu’s films and Adajya in which I had
acted. I have not seen too many Assamese movies so I can’t comment. I
had done another film with Biju long time back, Pahari Kanya which was
a commercial venture. I am not an expert in Assamese films but yes, these
new cameras and new techniques have made films more viable for young
people. I, myself have done two films on 5D and you can take all types of
shots with these cameras.
Why don’t Hindi filmmakers make films in Assam?
There was a time when a lot of films were being shot in the Northeast.
Now though, people may feel that the political situation here is uncertain.
I have done one Bengali film called Gajamukta and a Hindi one called
Chameli Memsaab for which Bhupen Da composed the music. Films have
been made in Northeast but yes, in recent times people are going abroad
rather than coming here because they get subsidies from the government
there. The Governments of Switzerland and Great Britain provide subsidies
if you shoot in their countries. So, if the Government of Assam provide
such kind of subsidies and approach the film makers, the trend might start
again. People like Jahnu can become an ambassador to convince people to
shoot their films here.
When can the Assamese film industry reach a level where it can
be compared to Bollywood, Tollywood or other film industries?
It is impossible, because the base for the Assamese language is very small.
You cannot compete with the Hindi film industry in Mumbai, but you can
prepare young people, who can make future films for a budget of 20-25
lakh. You will require cinema halls in Guwahati and other places where
these films can be screened. Moreover, you will have to convince the people
of Assam to patronise these films because in the end, it’s their responsibility.
Being a thespian, do you think Guwahati has enough audience
for plays?
I have just come to Guwahati and seen two plays. The audience response
was amazing. I see that there is a good audience here.
Will you be directing films?
I have just directed a television serial for the DD Urdu channel called Ikfursateh-gunaah,
which should be on air by the next one or two months.
in COnVERSATiOn: Tom Alter shares his views on Assamese Cinema.
Regarding films, let see what happens.
Do you think that the youngsters of Guwahati
are interested in theatre?
The last two plays I saw, were performed by actors who
were just 22 to 23 years old and they all were fantastic.
Even in the audience, there were people not only of
my age, but a lot of youth as well. I see tremendous
enthusiasm from the people of Guwahati. Media should
support such festivals which can be held at least three
times a year and people would still come. In the last
three months, we have performed the same play twice
in Guwahati – a play called ‘When God Said Cheers’.
We performed it at the Guwahati Club and at Terra
Mayaa. So, this is my third play in the city in the last
four months. I hope we can keep coming here again and
again.
Are you doing any Hindi films?
Yes, I am doing many films. There are three or four very
interesting films that are in the pipeline and I hope at
least two of them will be released by next year. One
is a very interesting film produced by me, Cheekha
directed by Adiya Rajan. There is another one which is
set to be released, directed by Raja Bundela called ‘Alex
Hindustani’
City
What is your take on women exposing
themselves on screen?
My only comment is that a section of women are very
upset about it but the people who are dancing are
also women. They are doing it according to their own
freewill. The issue is not the directors but these women
who are dancing. If other women don’t like what they
are doing then why not get them to stop? But they
won’t do that. They will criticise the directors and the
audience, but they will never criticise the women who
are dancing. They will say that it is their right. So, if it is
their right then let them do it and leave the issue alone.
Personally, I have never liked item numbers and the
other things that I don’t like on screen is violence for the
sake of selling a
film. But
then, I am not
against them if
it’s a part of the
story.
Hobbies?
Sports and
reading are
my two main
hobbies.
PHOTO: Rahul Chanda