‘I’m still the son from Mylapore’ After packaging patriotism in slick music albums, Bharat Bala now brings world cinema to Indian screens. T. KRITHIKA REDDYtalks to the ad-man-film-maker Hey, come on, I’m not a star,” laughs Bharat Bala as the photographer goes clickety-click. Obviously, the ad-man-film-maker who cans his shots frame-by-beautiful frame is not comfortable facing the camera. So, we straight away settle for the interview at Tower’s Lounge on the 16th floor of ITC Park Sheraton. While the rays of the sweltering sun play peek-a-boo through the sheer blinds, the city’s jagged skyline forms a blurry backdrop. In the city on his mission to bring world cinema to local theatres, Bharat is in a buoyant mood. “I want to showcase the best of international cinema in India. Good cinema must reach the masses – not just the English-speaking, so-called intelligentsia. That’s why, our strategy for “The Lives of Others” has been local. We did not opt for a simultaneous national release of the Oscar-winning German film. Instead, we are taking the film city by city, working with local radio and television channels and theatres to reach more people. We need to expose film makers and the public to such amazing works. Only then can we make cinema that can compete internationally. We have the core capacity to make films of such scale.” The man known for smart thinking and slick execution (think A.R. Rahman’s ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Pray for me Brother’ or ‘Jana Gana Mana’) is too individualistic to wilt under the pressure of an industry that’s fed on formula. “I think film makers have to take the risk. Look at Chinese or Korean films. They are deep-rooted in their local sensibility, yet capable of travelling across the world. That’s why, while on the one side Bharat Bala Productions is bringing world cinema to local theatres, we also hope to make films that can travel seamlessly outside India. Our Indo-Japanese film “ The 19th step” is in that direction. It’s an all-new angle to a martial arts film. Kalari will meet samurai in an interesting way. The script is by Vasudevan Nair and music is by A.R. Rahman. We are going to do everything to surprise the audience,” smiles the director enigmatically.“Gurus of Peace” That’s not all. Bharat has already rolled out “Gurus of Peace”, an ambitious English film on violence and non-violence in today’s world. “The film is a dialogue between the common man and Nobel Peace Prize winners. We have finished the portions involving Arafat, Mandela, Gorbachev et al. Then there’s India’s first IMAX film ‘Taj Mahal’ starring Aishwarya Rai, that’s already in progress. Besides, I’m also working with Gulzar on one of Kalidas’ works. I’m not in a hurry to start or wrap up my projects. Every work needs some incubation time.” Post his debut film “Hari Om”, that won several awards at international film festivals, the hype around Bharat’s films takes off even before the camera rolls out. A man with many ideas buzzing in his head, Bharat says, “Yes, I’m turned on by ideas. My dad taught me the importance of thinking out of the box. ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jana Gana Mana’ were spurred by small, original ideas with a big reach. But the challenge is to sustain – develop on the idea and ensure it makes a wide impact. Today, we have ‘Jana Gana Mana’ playing in over 400 cinemas across the country – immaterial of whether it’s a Hollywood, Bollywood or Kollywood film that’s being screened. It’s a big thing, isn’t it?” So what after ‘Jana Gana Mana’ in his patriotism series? “Well, we are looking at a fresh stream of ideas. Today, there’s so much we can do with the talent and technology that’s available. It all depends on the idea. If an idea has merit, everything will fall in place. Just the way all the famed musicians with varied styles synchronised for the patriotism-based music albums.” Free world A dreamer and an adventurer since childhood, Bharat started off as an ad man. Today, his company has created about 500 commercials, including the one for the Incredible India campaign. “Advertisement teaches you brevity and discipline. An ad has to be simple and direct. It’s not a big thing to make stylish ads. Though we have evolved technically, today, we have lost our local stories and humour,” he muses. Talking about the youth of today, this Padma Seshadri School and Vivekananda College student says, “I wish I was 20 years younger. Now, there are fantastic opportunities for our youth. It’s such a free world for them to succeed in whatever they wish to do. People are more open-minded and the entrepreneurial spirit has set in. There’s a sense of pride among Indians today. Thanks to globalisation —instead of merging into something else, we have strengthened what we are. Today, I criss-cross the globe. But I’m still me. The son from Mylapore. That hasn’t changed. It won’t. I’d rather bring the world to Mylapore,” he concludes with confidence.
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/05/10/stories/2008051052281200.htm
