Acclaimed actor-filmmaker Rajat Kapoor, who will soon be seen in a crowd-funded film titled "Mantra", says the changing trend of Indian cinema is more focussed on presentation and projection of realism, which he finds quite cosmetic.
Rajat is known for his work in films like "Bheja Fry", "Dil Chahta Hai", "Monsoon Wedding", "Midnight's Children", "Corporate" and "Ankhon Dekhi".
Asked about how he looks at the changing scenario of Indian cinema that is constantly trying to blur the line between commercial and arthouse cinema, Rajat told IANS here: "In my humble opinion, it is a very cosmetic change in current mainstream cinema. Some consciousness has come in terms of production designing, projecting realism, and presentation. However, the real change comes from a bigger belief.
"Though we are making films which are better than those of 1980s, 1990s, but are we making films as good as of the 1950s era? Back then, we could make films like 'Pyaasa', 'Devdas', 'Bandini' and 'Ganga Jamuna' at an absolute commercial space. Are we making films as good as that," questioned Rajat.
In "Mantra", releasing on March 17, Rajat plays an industrialist. Kalki Koechlin, Shiv Pandit, Adil Hussain and Lushin Dubey too are part of the film.
Giving an insight into his character, Rajat said: "As the film is set in the 1990s during the time of liberalisation, this man has a business which is in danger of going bankrupt. On the other hand, he keeps everything inside him bottled up.
"That creates a lot of emotional turmoil for him as well as people around him. So it is an emotional journey of how he keeps the family and his business together."
More From This Section
Born and brought up in Delhi, Rajat started his career in theatre and slowly moved in to cinema. He begum his acting with the film "Khayal Gatha" in 1989, followed by his first 26-minute documentary "Tarana", which he directed.
In 2003, Rajat made a film named "Raghu Romeo", which bagged a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.
He has achieved a lot via cinema, but theatre remains his first love.
How has he managed to handle two different mediums with complete different discipline and temperament, he said: "I think that (theatre) keeps me going. I keep writing and travelling with my plays to various theatre festivals. In the last three years, I wrote three scripts and produced plays.
"This process keeps me sane I guess, otherwise I would have shot myself long time back (laughs)."
--IANS
aru/rb/vm