BENGALURU: Women make men look more handsome in films, said actor-writer-director Suhasini Maniratnam. Interacting with the audience at the 8th Bengaluru International Film Festival here on Monday, the versatile actress, who has acted in all South Indian language movies apart from Hindi and English, shared her experiences as an actress and script writer. Suhasini, who is the wife of ace director Mani Ratnam, even gave short exercises for budding artistes and filmmakers.
She said that it is important for women to come out and raise their voice. “Of all the different language movies that I have acted in, Kannada is more close to life as it does not have any frills like other languages,” she said.
Revealing that she has been asked to write the script for the remake of Bollywood hit film Queen in both Tamil and Telugu, she said that remakes should be avoided. “Filmmakers who are scared of failures resort to remakes. Mani (Ratnam) strictly never likes any of his movies to be remade,” she said.
On more women-oriented roles, she said that if women start writing scripts, they will get better roles for themselves. “Even men have been writing good roles for women. In fact, it is always men who have been an inspiration to women. They understand women more than ourselves, but if more women get involved in the process, there is always a good chance of better roles," she said, adding that it's just how men look at women that has to be changed. “The men should also listen more to women.”
She said that her mentor K. Balachander, her inspiration Kamal Hassan and her husband Mani Ratnam made her a better human being. She also stressed that too much technology has spoiled the fun for actors, as everyone pokes their noses in the film-making process. Wrapping it up with her unique practice session, involving budding actors, she taught them various aspects of film-making.
Organisers spoil fun for cinema lovers
While organisers of the 8th Bengaluru International Film Festival are celebrating the “success” of the week-long festival, being held for the first time both in Bengaluru and Mysuru, cinema lovers are not too happy with the confusion and last minute changes, which have played a spoiler.
The catalogue announcing details of movies, schedules, workshops and seminars has empty boxes. Also, real cinema lovers have been losing out as they have been struggling to gain entry to screens showing movies. With more than 2,500 passes given to VIPs, film fraternity, film schools, delegates and others, the cinema lovers have access only to very few tickets.
“I came all the way from Hyderabad to watch some of my favourite movies. But I was disappointed when I learnt that there are no more passes for the day for the public, and I had to come early in the morning for the daily passes and if I am in luck I might get it," said Srilatha.
One of the senior organisers said, “Over 2,500 passes have been issued to VIPs, film fraternity and institutes. It was only after witnessing the crowd on weekdays that we started issuing daily passes for Rs 100 with the upper limit of 60 to 70 passes per day."
On the shoddy, first-come-first-seated arrangement too has angered the audience, with some of them even getting into arguments with the volunteers. “I wanted to watch Thithi, but I was disappointed when I could not make it despite standing in the queue for half-an-hour. I understand that it is an International film festival, but the organisers should also understand that it is for movie lovers and that they have to plan it well. I was told that the movie will be screened again. As a diehard movie lover, I will come again but what is the guarantee that I will not miss it again. Do I need to sleep next to the entrance till the next show of Thithi,” asks Venkatesh, a cinema lover.
Smith Rao, who recently attended the Goa International Film Festival, says, “They could have issued advance tickets to avoid the last minute rush. In Goa, it appeared more systematic because of the ticketing system.”
