We need family-based films: Nafisa

She's a woman driven by passion, whether it be promoting the cause of the AIDS affected, standing beside earthquake victims in Gujarat, or making her voice heard against communalism.
The chairperson of the Children's Film Society of India (CFSI), in town for the 15th International Children's Film Festival, talks about children cinema and more:

Children today grow up much faster. Has children's cinema in India been able to grow up with them?
Children today are very smart, and they have the exposure to every type of cinema.

Here, we tend to wrongly categorise children's films. They don't mean documentaries, low-budget films with only children acting in them. What we need is family-based movies, like a Chak De , which I think is a children's film.

Unfortunately, movies like Iqbal, Blue Umbrella, or Hanuman have not even been sent to compete in the festival. Good directors and producers need to make a commitment towards children's films Movies like Spiderman and Shrek are huge hits outside, and appeal even to grownups. I still cry more than my children in sad scenes!

How much headway has the CISF made in reaching children?

Our aim is to develop children's interest in films at the grassroots level, in municipal schools all over the country.

The team at CISF is hard working. It's they who travel in trains, carrying the films to villages where children don't have cable or television. Earlier, we would charge Rs 3 per ticket, but Priyaranjan Das Munshi (Information and Broadcast minister) helped make it free.

Now, our shows are always packed! We've even asked Doordarshan to give the CISF two hour's primetime every day. I am speaking loudly... hope they listen!

What's the status of the long-proposed children's film complex in Hyderabad?

I've visited the 10-acre plot, a lovely hillock near the Ramanaidu studio, studied the plan and submitted our proposal to the government.

Even this time, I'm meeting Rajashekhar Reddy for it. I hope something positive comes out and then it can come up in two years. I want the complex to be of international standard, replete with a small theatre, museum and library.

Coming to your own film career, why were your Bollywood appearances so sporadic?

I'm happy they were sporadic! I did Junoon when I was young, and was really happy with it. The opportunity for that type of serious cinema didn't come after that, and I didn't want to be glamourised on screen. So, I decided not to act at all.

Eighteen years later, Major Sa'ab was completely due to my wish to work with Amitabh. But, I have to say, the industry, which tends to forget people fast, manages to find small roles for me even in my greying years. You see, I am not a star, I am a comet...I make my appearances!

You've had your stint in politics. What led you to it?

When I saw the way religion was being manipulated in politics, I wanted to fight the communal bias. It was necessary to break the communalism at the helm of affairs. Even now with the Tehelka sting on Godhra riots, it is heartbreaking to see that nobody seems to be doing anything.

So, will you ever go back?

Given the right opportunity, I'd definitely go back! A political platform enhances my goal of social service as well.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com