India Habitat Centre’s 10th Annual Habitat Film Festival kicked off today in the city with the opening screening of “Margarita, With A Straw” directed by Shonali Bose and starring Kalki Koechlin. An exhibition titled ‘Rhythm, Raga and Melody’ in collaboration with National Film Archive of India, Pune was also inaugurated by Ms. Kalki Koechilin, Mr. Bauddhayan Mukherji – Director of Bengali movie Teen Kahon, Mr. Rakesh Kacker – Director, India Habitat Centre, and Ms. Vidyun Singh – Programme Director, India Habitat Centre at the Convention Centre Foyer just before the opening screening.
Actress Kalki Koechiln lightining the lamp on 10th Habitat Film Festival
As the screening got over, the audience was filled with joy and emotions and was ready to ask questions to Kalki about her journey of being Laila and how difficult was to own and disown this role. In exclusive conversation with us, she spoke a lot about her experience off and on the screen during the movie:
How was being ‘Laila’?
It was a very long journey and it started with me being terrified about how I would be able to pull this role off. It took about 6 months for me to do research, rehearsal of living in that chair and then 2 months of actual shooting wherein I stayed in the chair as much as possible. It was a big journey as an actor also since we got to know the value of rehearsals, of studying the character inside out, what effect does the character’s owning has on your personality and so on. The character takes on to you so much that you forget about the physicality part because it sort of comes naturally but it is only the emotion you have to take up.
Actress Kalki Koechiln inaugrating,the Exhibition ‘Rhythm Raga and Melody at 10th Habitat Film Festival
Has your perspective on disability changed after working in this movie?
Absolutely! My perspective of disability has changed. I knew nothing about it nor did I grow up around someone who is disabled. I didn’t even know about the cerebral palsy but as I researched, it opened my eyes and my director’s cousin Malini has helped me a lot with understanding the character and the disability. It broke a lot of taboos as well of disabled people not drinking, not having sex, not married etc.
How hard was it to disown this role?
Being an actor when you take up such project, it is so exhausting mentally and physically that you are actually relieved when you get over with it. You work 16 hours a day, so by the end of this, you tend to take out all the emotions off you and move on. However, as an actor one should be prepared to take up any sort of role, no matter what it is. But yes, I would like to see more people coming from the field taking up such roles. For example- a gay portraying a role of a gay or a disabled taking up a role of a disabled character.
Actress Kalki during interaction session at Habitat Film Festival
Lastly, do you think India is lagging behind western countries when it comes to anything related to disability?
Shonali was very clear about making movie about a teenager and her problems who happens to be disabled. So, we didn’t really focus on the problems of infrastructure or problems we often talk about but through the entire journey I learnt that the west has more information and knowledge about disability, advanced infrastructure and they are an independent people but you will not find the warmth one feels in India. So, both the sides are equipped with good and bad. This movie touches a huge section of our society. We live in a space where teenagers have no one to talk about their sexuality; sex is still a taboo, so yes it has been an emotional journey.
Apart from ‘Margarita With A Straw’, ‘Teen Kahon’ directed by Mr. Bauddhayan Mukherji was also screened today. This year the Film Festival will feature 48 films in 13 languages, presenting some fresh and innovative storylines, stunning cinematography, veteran actors and directors, rising stars and award winning performances of 2014-2015 apart from 19 National Award Winning Films.
A major attraction of this edition of the Habitat Film Festival is the Kamal Haasan retrospective. Kamal Haasan’s retrospective showcase his amazing multifaceted talent with Vishwaroopam, Ek Duje Ke Liye, Sadma, Chachi 420and Saagar, Hey Ram (in Hindi) and (in Tamil) and opens tomorrow i.e. 9th May with an interaction with the star followed by the screening of Vishwaroopam.
Over the next 10 days, Habitat Film Festival will see the screening of several outstanding films including Marana Dandane (Kannada), Bey Yaar (Gujarati), Lajwanti and Gour Hari Dastaan (Hindi), Kuttaram Kadhithal (Tamil),Labour of Love and Chatushkone (Bengali), Quolf (Kashmiri), Shukha Asuchi (Oriya), Elizabeth Ekadasi & Ek Hazarachi Note (Marathi), Ottal (Malayalam), Qissa, Punjab 1984 and Chaar Sahibzaade (Punjabi), Pallepfam(Manipuri), Boraxhat Aranya (Assamese) Eenadu (Telugu) among a host of other wonderful films from various regions and languages. For schedule, you can check website www.habitatfilmclub.com.
