Indian Female Talent Impresses at Berlinale 2019
Representing Indian cinema on an international platform certainly makes the Indian masses proud of the ‘Luck By Chance’ director. Akhtar can easily be classified as one of the most influential and contemporary female directors of today’s times.
At the Berlin Film Festival, India can boast of an impressive line up of female talent including directors like Zoya Akhtar for ‘Gully Boy’, Rima Das for ‘Bulbul Can Sing’, Udita Bhargava for ‘Dust’ and the list goes on. To begin with, Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Gully Boy’ was well received by critics and fans at the world premiere on 9 February. Akhtar’s ‘Gully Boy’ is based on the lives of real-time rappers Divine and Naezy. Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh would be portraying their personal journeys.
The influential director was beaming with happiness when the film was welcomed at the premiere. Zoya said that it was “beyond expectations.” ‘Gully Boy’ was viewed and projected in a very big screen almost 70 to 80 feet and the experience was “crazy” according to the talented director.
Representing Indian cinema on an international platform certainly makes the Indian masses proud of the ‘Luck By Chance’ director. Akhtar can easily be classified as one of the most influential and contemporary female directors of today’s times. She is known for presenting Indian cinema with the typical Bollywood touch coupled with a realistic twist. So masses can entertain themselves with the ‘desi’ plots mixed with reality. Through her movies, Akhtar has touched on topics like love, friendships, relationships and work through various perspectives.
Next, we have Rima Das’ ‘Bulbul Can Sing.’ This Assamese film was premiered on February 12 at Berlinale. With a rustic Assam village in the backdrop, the movie revolves around the life of three teenagers who are coming to terms with their own sexual identities. The film touches upon feminism and patriarchy too. Rima Das’ directorial skills have been immensely appreciated by critics worldwide and many believe that Das has matured as a director since her last directorial debut with ‘Village Rockstars.’ ‘Village Rockstars’ is about a young girl who dreams of forming a rock band despite growing up in a family infused with hardships. The movie received both national and international accolades.
Rima has successfully carved a niche for herself in the world of contemporary cinema. What sets her apart is she is a self-taught filmmaker who has no training in film making whatsoever. Her career was taking her nowhere until a colleague presented her with a pair of binoculars that he had bought for his retired father. This gave Rima an idea for a script. The plot for Antardrishti (Man with the binoculars) was about a middle-aged man who was obsessed with the binoculars as it helped him see the world from a different light. Rima Das’s career skyrocketed after ‘Antardrishti.’
Next, we have Udita Bhargava whose movie ‘Dust’ is being screened at the New German Cinema category. ‘Dust’ would be Udita Bhargava’s first feature film. The movie stars Danish actor Morten Holst, Vinay Pathak, Kalyanee Mulay and Amrita Bagchi. With the Maoist Insurgency set as a backdrop, the film follows the journey of a young German man who visits Indore after his photojournalist girlfriend Mumtaz (Amrita Bagchi) passes away. During his journey, he discovers Mumtaz’s documentation and begins to discover a tragical past. This rising director has also worked on high profile movies such as Slumdog Millionaire and Mira Nair’s ‘The Migration.’
Hats off to all the female directors who were able to make a mark on a massive global platform with their directorial skills. Needless to say, that their journeys were not without obstacles such as gender barriers and patriarchy. They are inspiring and influential women indeed who have come a long way.