'Europe Loved Aranyer Din Ratri'

'I am glad Aranyer Din Ratri is being shown at Cannes.'
'The film was better appreciated outside India even when released originally.'

Sharmila Tagore is in Cannes for the screening of the restored version of Satyajit Ray's film Aranyer Din Ratri.

Apart from Sharmila the Ray classic starred Soumitra Chatterjee, Subhendu Chatterjee, Samit Bhanja, Rabi Ghosh, Kaberi Bose, Aparna Sen and Simi Garewal in key roles.

"The film is very contemporary, very nice, relevant even today. And the black and white looked so good, you know, the sharpness of the forest," Sharmila Tagore tells Subhash K Jha.

You are in Cannes for the restored screening of Satyajit Ray's Aranyer Din Ratri.

Thank God the war situation did not escalate. I wouldn't have gone if it had.

I am glad Aranyer Din Ratri is being shown at Cannes.

The film was better appreciated outside India even when released originally. Entire Europe loved it.

It was a big hit in Paris. When I saw the film with an international audience, every time Rabi Ghosh came on the screen, they clapped and they enjoyed the film so much.

Simi Garewal was cast as a tribal.

Wasn't that rather unusual?

It was rather unusual because, the Santhals are short people whereas Simi was tall.

Also very sophisticated and very urban?

She didn't look that in the film... the makeup worked very well, but she was tall.

But nobody really noticed that her height wasn't of any concern.

But in India, in Kolkata particularly, they obviously criticised it a little bit.

But her performance was very good, the entire cast was impeccable.

You mentioned that it was more appreciated outside India.

They understood this alienation of a certain section of society from the mainstream, like the class difference, so to speak.

They feel a little superior than the others, they would insert English words, to prove that they are better than others.

Ashim, the character that Soumitra plays, is more like that.

What about your character?

I'm again the conscience of the plot. I'm the agent of change, really. You have to see the film, otherwise I cannot explain.

The other characters become slightly better after meeting me.

Soumitra Chatterjee has a little relationship with me.

His arrogance is a little bruised by my attitude.

I don't say much, but he knows that I'm a little bit more clever than him.

So they all change because of these two women in different ways.

It's a very subtle film, I can't really tell you the story of it.

Where do you place this one in your astonishing oeuvre?

Of course, Devi is at the top of my list. Then Apur Sansar. Aranyer Din Ratri I would place it as number three.

As far as the character and the experience of working in a film, the joy of working in a film, definitely Aranyer Din Ratri. The fun bit with all the co-actors.

Also the place, Palamu was a very challenging place.

The film is very contemporary, very nice, relevant even today.

And the black and white looked so good, you know, the sharpness of the forest and everything worked very good.

Ray shot the film himself?

With that film, Manikda, went solo. There was no Subrata Mitra in that film.

But there was, I think, Soumendu Roy?

Soumendu Roy was there, but Subrata Mitra for the first time wasn't there.

Soumendu did the lights but the camera was operated by Manikda for the first time.

Oh, nobody knows this?

After this he went solo, he was doing everything himself.

Soumendu was just doing the lights, but Ray operated the camera.

Then the dialogues, then the clothes, the wardrobe.

Would you say Ray in terms of his versatility, the most significant filmmaker we've ever had?

Absolutely. Maybe because he didn't have much money to make the films with. That prompted him to take charge of every department.

Many years later, Goutam Ghose remade Aranyer Din Ratri as Abar Aranye.

Yes, that's a tribute to Manikda, yes.

I got the Best Supporting Actress National Award for that. And it was well received.

Did you play the same character that you had played in the original?

Yes, we had all the same names.

Tabu was new, but otherwise Soumitra Chatterjee, Shubhendu Chatterjee. Samit Bhanja although he had cancer. He was not well at all, but he was part of our cast.

He was very happy to work despite being very ill, to be with all of us.

Who does these things these days? It's amazing. That was his last film. He made an effort because he wanted to be part of this film.