‘I feel empathy for Deepika’

Speaking to us about her latest project Beeba Boys based on Indo-Canadian criminal Bindy Johal, Deepa clarifies, “Actually, this is not true. Sometimes, I read things that make me say ‘This is not true, where did they get this from?’ Somebody said to me the other day, ‘So you did a film on Bindy Johal?’ and I said absolutely not. The film is about gangsters, but it’s not about Bindy Johal at all. It is inspired by true life. There’s a whole tradition of Indo-Canadian gangsters and I’ve come from the thought of immigrants in Canada are doctors, lawyers and even taxi drivers, but I’ve never heard of gangsters. So I was very intrigued by what makes an Indian turn into a gangster.”

Talking about the project which stars actor Randeep Hooda, Deepa says, “It’s a relationship between not only society and man, it’s about violence, identity, about a brown person in a white country and what that means most importantly, it’s about a relationship between mothers and sons and I’ve never really explored that in my films. We finished shooting last week and I am here in Delhi to meet my mom and Anita’s book launch.”

She can’t stop praising her lead actor Randeep, who she says he fit the character completely. “I saw him in Highway and he is an amazing, fabulous actor. The film is in English and is shot in Vancouver and Toronto, the crew couldn’t get enough of him, he was blowing everyone away by how talented and disciplined he is. Not one day he came on the sets and not surprised me with his passion, his dedication with his focus. He’s a lovely guy who must get his due in the industry.”

Her film Fire in many ways is seen as the first movie that explored relationship between women. She is however, bowled over Shonali Bose’s Margarita, with a Straw starring Kalki Koechlin. Deepa doesn’t agree that Fire was a one of its kind cinema. “Fire was not ahead of its time. The film was made when it had to be made. I recently saw Margarita, with a Straw and it’s a lovely film, but it’s not just about sexuality, it’s about disability and desires of people who are disabled. And Fire also wasn’t a film about lesbians, it was about lack of choices Indian women had and still do.”

Deepa agrees that the audience is mature today and are open to new stories. She says though she doesn’t make films keeping her audience in mind, there are young filmmakers in Bollywood who’re doing a wonderful job. “There’s Sonali Bose who’s admirable, Vikramaditya Motwane is a brilliant filmmaker who has a way of looking at things and Anurag and Dibakar are both fabulous. These filmmakers are exploring stories,” says Deepa, who loves watching films besides cooking and gardening. She says, “I love films, whether it’s Hollywood or an independent movie, I watch them all. I watched Kick recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so funny and a real entertainer. I am a big Salman Khan fan, I even loved his Dabangg.”

When asked for her views on the recent controversy involving actress Deepika Padukone and a leading publication, Deepa confessed she’s isn’t aware about it. Briefed on the same and upon asking if media needs to step away from an actor’s on screen persona and personal life, Deepa says, “It’s not journalism, this is yellow journalism and I am absolutely against this, let’s not call it the media. Invasion of somebody’s privacy is a terrible thing to do. She’s (Deepika) not your property. I wasn’t aware about this yet I feel empathy for her. It’s not right in any way. How can you justify yellow journalism?”