Shekar Kapur, who was appointed as the director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), shares that he accepted the position because of his love for films. “How could I not support the Indian film industry? However, I think we have a way to go,” he says. In this exclusive conversation, the veteran filmmaker speaks about creative freedom, business side of the film industry, and moreExcerpts:Today, there is a lot of criticism of vulgar, violent, and abusive content/films. Does this impact creativity and creative freedom?A filmmaker should have a belief system. If it’s because of abusive content, then what is it? There is nothing like that. I don’t put anything in the abusive content category. Didn’t I make Bandit? We fought censorship. Then it was released. Then there was a case in the High Court. The film was banned. Subsequently, we went to the Supreme Court, where we won. We succeeded because of the Indian Constitution. It was written in the Constitution that nothing can be pornographic if it is good for the Government and society. We were accused of pornography. We were accused of everything. If I could make it then, I would make it now. But then you have to fight. You can’t just keep grudging. You have to fight. I’ll join you. You go ahead.What is your take on politics over films; frequent agitations, cases being filed in courts and seeking bans on movies?We are a country in the throes of change. How many people do we have? 1.3 billion. How many cultures? How many states? We are still forming as a nation. There is turmoil and chaos in formation. We are a democracy. Otherwise, the country would have fallen apart. If we don’t protest, how will we think ahead? I am now making a film called ‘Paani’. Before that, I made ‘Masoom’.Art is like that. That’s how it grows. Rebellion causes art. It is an artist’s right to rebel. How will you do it? My parents didn’t tell me to make a film. They told me to get a job. First, there was rebellion. Then there was art. Then the rebellion kept on going.We are seeing that the films—in terms of business—are not doing well. So what can we expect from the Government to support the industry?Every film cannot become a business proposition. But that’s the problem with our industry. Every film is looked upon in terms of the money it has made. That’s not a film. That’s an industry. Filmmaking or film industry? It’s a different thing.Reason for making ‘Masoom 2’?When I made Masoon, I knew nothing. I was a chartered accountant. I was naive and knew nothing about filmmaking. It was a simple human story. I want to bring back that experience. I don’t know what is happening. I don’t know how to do it. I am looking for new ways to make the film. It took me ten years to write the script. We will start shooting in March next year.
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