A divine connect

By Namita Niwas

Amol Palekar is back, this time with an English film. Titled And Once Again it has been shot, for the first time ever, in the magnificient monasteries of Sikkim
How did you manage to obtain permission to shoot inside the monasteries of Sikkim, a sacred place where no one except the inmates are allowed entry?

It was wonderful that we had no problems shooting all over Sikkim especially inside the holy place. This was possible because Pawan Kumar Chamling, the Chief Minister of Sikkim was so helpful. Surprisingly anyone can just pick up the phone and talk to him, he is that accessible. Shooting inside the monastery is strictly not allowed but since my script demanded it, the Sikkim government heeded to my request and supported my film.

Even the monks helped us a lot. Since this is the first film to be shot inside the monastery, we promised them that we would not disturb their rituals or disrupt their daily lives.

What were the scenes that you shot inside?
The monks perform a beautiful prayer early every morning. We went there the previous evening one day to set up things and came back the next morning to shoot it very quietly, without disturbing them. It’s very authentic and we are proud of it.

Another breathtaking thing about their life in the monastery is a dance that they perform. The costumes are so regal. I had seen the dance in one of the documentaries on the state. When I asked them about it, they actually performed it for us and I have incorporated it in the film. Also there are some more relevant sequences.

Was there any special reason to shoot inside the monastery?
That was the demand of the script. Antara Mali plays a female monk based there and to show authenticity, the rituals, the prayers, their way of living, we thought of this place.

Why do you think the local authorities went out of their way to accommodate your film? Was it because you were the film’s director?
I think it was primarily because of two factors. Firstly, since I was the director and secondly the script was very strong. They realised that authenticity was deeply ingrained in the script and the film had a definite meaning and a purpose that we wanted to depict.

What is the film all about?
It’s about the violence that affects Antara’s life without any reason. And how an innocent has to pay for the crime committed by someone else thus affecting her life. For this my wife, writer Sandhya Gokhale and I thought of shooting the film in a very peaceful place with a serene background.

How did you think of shooting in Sikkim?
Actually Sandhya and I were holidaying there about a year and a half ago and enjoying ourselves. Looking at the surroundings, she suddenly remembered a story that she had penned many years ago.

When she narrated it to me, I told her that this is the place where it has to be shot. Then she starting writing the script.

How would you describe Sikkim since you stayed there for a longer period of time while shooting for the film?
The rotating prayer bells, the holy flags around the monasteries, the overwhelming peace in the valleys, the silence of the snow peaks, everything about Sikkim is so beautiful. I genuinely think that it is one of the most serene and peaceful states in our country. We shot there for an entire month but before that Sandhya and I went scouting locations. But during my five trips, I saw the police personnel only twice. That’s because it is such a peace loving place that there is no need of the police. I am so overwhelmed with the people of Sikkim for their simplicity and loving nature. They not only opened their doors but also their hearts to us. I hope it remains like that forever.

Was it tough shooting there?
I shot the entire film in Sikkim. And yes, it was quite tough shooting there for two major reasons. One was the difficult terrain. For the first few days, we never realised how far the location was. We would be guided by the locals who would point out and say it is just here but it would take us one-and-a-half hours to reach there, the narrow roads went up and down the hills. Then we got smart and started asking people how long would it take us to reach a certain place.

Secondly the climate was quite different. For the first six days, we did not see the sun. As it is, the sun rises very early in the North East. So we would start shooting at 6 am but to reach the location we had to start from the hotel at 4 am and reach the location and get ready. We could shoot only latest till 2 pm. But it was all worth it.

Why did you select Antara to play the role of a monk?
When Sandhya and I had seen Antara in Naach, we not only loved her performance but we also felt that there is so much to this girl which is not explored. We had then decided to cast her in one of our future films. So when we thought of making And Once Again, we called her up and she agreed. I admire her for two things. Firstly, when I told her that she would have to shave her hair, she agreed immediately. Secondly, I told her that she has very few lines in the film and the challenge would be to perform through her gestures. That really excited her. She has given a very fine performance.

Before we started shooting, Antara stayed there for about four days and picked up their ways of living. There were five female monks who taught her everything right from kneeling down and bowing before the Lord to draping the outfit. She spent a lot of time with them. That was very touching.

What about Rajat Kapoor and Rituparna Sengupta, the other actors in the film?
Rajat is a lovely actor and has performed well. As for Rituparna, very few people have actually seen her work. She is a well-known actor in West Bengal. I have known her for a very long time. Gerson D’Cunha who plays her father, a psychiatrist, too has given a good performance. The surprise package is the little girl Yudene Zongtenpa, who is a local. We needed a girl like her. We had auditioned many girls. During one of our trips, we found her after screen testing her. This is her debut. But she stands up equally tall with the other performers.

What do you think is the USP of the film?
Definitely, Sandhya’s script. It is very emotional and touches the heart. Secondly it is the performances by all the artistes. And thirdly every frame of the film is beautiful. My cinematographer Asim Bose has captured the scenic view of Sikkim wonderfully.

Aren’t you apprehensive that your film And Once Again is releasing with Aamir Khan Productions’ Peepli [Live]?
No. I have no apprehensions. Any film that has Aamir’s involvement in it has to do wonders at the box-office. Aamir is known to go all out to promote his movies. Promotion generally depends on the budget of the film and my movies are mostly small-budget that leave no scope for wide-scale advertisement. My films are generally watched by my fans, those who have followed my work all along. That is my strength. I am confident of my film.

Why did you make this film in English?
The film’s subject demanded that it should be made in English. Rajat plays an Indian based in Yugoslavia and is constantly communicating in English. Ritu is an architect who speaks the language at work. And since it is in Sikkim, the language that one would use there is English. Moreover, I consider English as one of the regional languages of India as everyone is communicating in this language.