Goa, a good venue for IFFI, says Gautam Ghose

Panaji, Dec 1 (UNI) Noted filmmaker Gautam Ghose today asked the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) organisers to create an experts team to understand cinema and overcome the teething problems of lack of coordination between different agencies involved.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Ghose, whose latest film 'Yatra' was premiered here yesterday, said Goa was a good venue for holding the IFFI. "Criticism is a negative approach. But the organisers should get over the problems facing at present. I understand the need for glamour in such events. But there should be a healthy mix of glamour and independent cinema. If you do not want to combine both, you better have a tourism festival where you can promote only glamour," he added.

Mr Ghose cautioned that if the problems of co-ordination were not resolved early, the International Federation of Film Societies may also cancel its recognition for IFFI.

Speaking about 'Yatra', the filmmaker said it was a journey between fact and fiction. Rekha suited her character of a courtesan perfectly because of her age and looks. "Her role in this film has nothing to do with Umrao Jaan. It is a different character all together," he added.

He promised that his next film will be a celebration of life.

Mr Ghose plans to complete his Bengali film before taking over the direction of an Indo-Italian production about a little Indian boy who goes from a village to the city.

He said he yearned to make a musical film. But opera type movies were not acceptable in India and it will be very difficult to convince producers. "Songs in present day films are just item numbers," he added.

Mr Ghose said Yatra will be released in January. "I know it is not a mass film but will do well with the niche audience," he added.

Lauding Malayalam cinema, Ghose said he wanted to make a film in Kerala because the state had great actors.

The filmmaker dreams of making a documentary on rural India.

"It has been alienated from the mainstream after globalisation. The gap between the rich and poor is growing. There is civic disorder and rise in sectarianism. My documentary will be a type of investigative journalism to find out why there is an unrest," he added.

Asked how he manages jobs like direction, music composition and cinematography while working on a single film, Mr Ghose replied, "I am used to doing all these jobs. I was the cinematographer for Aparna Sen's Mr and Mrs Iyer and I started giving directions to the cast and crew. Director of the film Aparna Sen had to gently remind me that it was she and not me who was the director of the film." Replying to another question, He said he had learnt humility and modesty from Ustad Bismillah Khan. His documentary on the maestro was screened as part of the homage to the Ustad who passed away this year.

UNI MR NK HS1759