Deepa Mehta completes her trilogy with Water
After being mired in controversy for several years, filmmaker Deepa Mehta's Water is finally done and being readied for release. The new film completes the last of the elemental trilogy after Fire and Earth. Speaking to the film magazine Filmfare, Deepa enthused, "I'm so glad I've got it out of my system. Now I feel I can just retire. I'm that satisfied with Water! All those who have seen the film have told me that it's my best work, though I like all three parts of my trilogy equally. But since Water is a baby that underwent such a painful gestation period, I guess it will always remain my favourite."Deepa is all praise for the new cast of the film. She terms Seema Biswas as "outstanding" and John Abraham and Lisa Ray as actors who will "stun audiences". These central characters replace the original threesome of Shabana Azmi, Akshay Kumar and Nandita Das. The locale too is different--from the original shooting spot of Varanasi, the action has shifted to Sri Lanka. Music composer AR Rahman has added his might to the film with a powerful and melodious score. In the process, says Deepa, he has given Water " a whole new dimension." Deepa has reason to be overjoyed with her latest work. The film has had a nightmarish history. Five years ago Water was shelved when Hindu fundamentalists barred her from shooting in Varanasi. This fringe group, ill informed about the script and the film, made negative comments about the work. With Water on the roll, Deepa reminisces that it has been an "ordeal by fire--no pun intended--to make Water. In fact Pakistan litterateur Bapsi Sidhwa has written a book on the making of Water, which will be published when the film is released." Compiled by Cultural Correspondent
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Deepa Mehta |
