November 26, 2017
At a time when artistes in India are fighting for freedom of
expression, actress Rasika Dugal says her upcoming film "Manto", which traces
the life of Urdu short story writer Sadat Hassan Manto, "unfortunately"
resonates with the current wave of dissent and emotions.
Sanjay Leela
Bhansali's historical drama "Padmavati" has been facing protests from Hindu
groups backed by the BJP and some critics have even issued violent threats.
Another row has erupted over the films "S Durga" and "Nude".
Rasika told
IANS on the sidelines of the Film Bazaar here: "I think there is threat for
freedom of speech in every aspect, not just in cinema. Therefore, 'Manto' is
more relevant today than ever unfortunately. I wish it wasn't like this.
"We are struggling with the same issue in a big way. Death of freedom of speech
is one thing that I am worried about and worried that it will affect cinema and
other art forms."
Manto, who died in 1955 at age 43, had penned an
impressive body of work touching various genres.
He churned out 22
collections of stories comprising a novel, essays, personal sketches and movie
scripts. One of his literary gems was a story on Mirza Ghalib, a poet often
compared with William Shakespeare.
Manto's work also gained attention for
stories around the ordeal of India's partition as well as sexuality.
Nandita Das is directing "Manto", which features Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the
title role. Rasika will be seen as Safia Manto, wife of Manto, in the movie.
Talking about "Manto" on the sidelines of the Indian Panorama section of the
International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Rasika said: "It is a very special
film for me. This project has given me a lot of recognition by just being
associated with the project because of the kind of reputation that Nandita comes
with and also Nawaz.
"Manto has been the writer who has influenced me a
lot since my college days. I am so happy to be associated with the project and
to be able to delve into his writing more and be able to get into his life
more."
Rasika says she had fun working with Nandita and Nawazuddin.
"I thought they are very serious... That is the kind of impression people
have about them. But they are a lot of fun and they are quite crazy. We shared a
common sense of humour... We had a lot of fun. It was a good relief from the
seriousness of the script," said the actress, who has projects like "Hamid" and
"Reincarnation" in her kitty.
The film will be in theatres by the middle
of next year. Rasika hopes "Manto" gets the "release it deserves".
On the
Film Bazaar, organised by the National Film Development Corp, she said: "It is
one of a kind. It is very encouraging to see somebody is taking an initiative
seriously and putting everything into it so that good projects get the kind of
support they should... I hope it continues."