Kolkata :
A film made by a couple from Salt Lake is on its way to the prestigious Venice Film Festival in the next couple of months.
The film, ‘Asha Jaoar Majhe’ (Labour of Love), is devoid of dialogues, though thoughts are communicated through expressions and music. “It’s a positive, simple, easy-going film on love. We’ve shown communication without words. I want people to come to see how love can be expressed by two people without having to speak at all,” said director Aditya Vikram Sengupta.
“In the film, the love is expressed through the most mundane things. In life, I have received love in several forms, from my mother, family members… It wasn’t like they pointed out and exhibited every day how much they loved me. But little actions showed me how much thought and care went behind each,” said Sengupta.
The film features actors Ritwick Chakraborty and Basabdutta Chatterjee. It’s in the race for not one but three awards at Venice – Luigi De Laurentiis Award (Lion of the Future (best debut)), Venice Days Jury Award and Venice Days Public Award.
“We haven’t been able to run it in Kolkata yet as films can’t be screened before the festival in order to be eligible. It’s a non- dialogue film as we felt there was no reason for dialogue just to fill up a silent moment,” said his wife Jonaki, who is executive producer and art director.
The couple, currently settled in Mumbai, produce and make ad-films for a living. “Half of the film was shot by Mahindra J Shetty, who was the cinematographer for ‘Udaan’ and ‘Lootera’. The other half was shot by me. The movie was made with a very small production crew of around 10, and on a very low budget,” added Sengupta.
On the cast, he said: “I took many auditions, but couldn’t find the right face for the role. Basabdatta fit in perfectly. She has a very classic look. Ritwik didn’t complain even if I kept calling for retakes. Some shots were taken 20-30 times. I’m grateful to the actors for their patience. Just because it’s a non-dialogue film doesn’t mean it’s a silent film or an art-house film. I think even 15-year-olds, who have some concept of love, will appreciate and enjoy it.”
The film, primarily set in the city, was extensively shot in north Kolkata. “That’s because my characters live in north Kolkata,” Sengupta explained.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / TNN / July 28th, 2014