<i>Nishabd</i>- undercurrent of sexuality
Features
oi-Staff
By Super Admin
By:
Subhash
K.
Jha,
IndiaFM
Wednesday,
August
30,
2006
Why
this
sudden
decision
to
make
Nishabd
with
Mr
Bachchan?
It
wasn't
a
sudden
decision.
I
had
been
talking
to
Mr
Bachchan
about
several
projects.
In
fact
I
had
sounded
him
out
about
Nishabd
a
year
back
when
the
idea
came
to
me.
Now
when
we're
both
ready
to
work
together
again
we
were
wondering
which
script
to
start.
Unfortunately
all
my
plans
with
Mr
Bachchan
went
haywrire
because
of
his
illness.
Now
I
have
his
dates
for
Sholay
.
But
that's
been
delayed
for
various
reasons.
We
used
those
dates
for
Nishabd.
Why
has
Sholay
been
delayed?
Because
it's
a
straight-on
action
film.
I
wouldn't
want
Mr
Bachchan
to
do
anything
strenuous
right
now.
I
would
never
expect
a
film
titled
Nishabd
from
you.
See,
it
isn't
a
question
of
suddenly
trying
to
prove
I
can
do
an
intense
love
story.
It
was
an
idea
I
was
sleeping
with
for
a
long
time.
When
people
seem
to
think
I'm
doing
an
adaptation
of
Lolita
which
is
about
a
middleaged
man's
obsession
with
a
14-year
old
girl.
What
fascinates
me
is,
how
would
it
seem
to
place
a
a
man
of
Mr
Bachchan's
character,
demeanour,
grace
and
image
in
such
a
position?
The
relationship
with
a
young
girl
will
look
even
more
effective.
I
feel
emotions
have
nothing
to
do
with
age.
What
stops
a
man
in
that
position
of
supreme
success
and
respect
from
indulging
in
his
feelings?
Is
it
a
sense
of
responsibility
towards
society
and
family?
I
wanted
to
look
beyond
those
responsibilities.
I
want
to
film
a
love
story
between
a
man
of
Mr
Bachchan's
age
and
a
very
young
girl,
in
an
intense
stylized
way
in
a
completely
new
narrative
language.
I
want
to
create
a
language
of
love-expression
that's
never
been
tried
before.
You've
shied
away
from
sex,
even
love
in
most
of
your
films...
Ummmmm...Yeah
it's
possible.
But
that
could
also
have
something
to
do
with
the
genre
of
films
I
generally
do.
Nishabd
allowed
me
to
go
into
areas
I
haven't
visited
before.
But
I
wouldn't
like
to
give
it
a
pompous
terminology
like
'soul-searching'.
I'm
not
equipped
for
that
sort
of
an
exercise.
I
just
like
to
capture
feelings.
For
all
my
cynical
talk
I
feel
I
portray
feelings
and
emotions
in
a
way
that's
entirely
mine.
In
Nishabd
I'm
basically
interested
in
capturing
a
conflict
within
a
man
between
his
feelings
and
his
responsibilities.
The
girl
is
only
a
device
to
trigger
off
that
conflict.
You've
chosen
a
new
girl?
Her
name
is
Jiya
Khan.
And
please
don't
ask
a
stupid
question
like,
where
did
I
find
her.
I
didn't
go
on
a
girl
hunt
or
something.
I
keep
collecting
pictures
of
actors
and
actresses
who
come
to
meet
me.
And
then
a
particular
face
comes
back
to
me
when
I'm
scripting
a
character.
Jiya
is
right
for
this
part.
To
my
knowledge
she
has
no
experience
in
modeling
or
acting.
I
had
met
her
a
couple
of
years
back.
In
fact
I
was
planning
to
cast
her
in
a
later
production.
Then
Nishabd
came
along.
Is
there
a
strong
undercurrent
of
sexuality
in
Nishabd?
No
love
story
can
be
complete
without
an
undercurrent
of
sexuality.
Because
of
the
nature
of
the
subject
and
its
requirements
I'm
excited
about
capturing
Mr
Bachchan's
expressions
as
never
seen
before.
Amit
Roy
who
shot
Sarkar
is
the
cinematographer.
There
are
no
songs
this
time.
We
completed
Nishabd
in
one
schedule.
You've
just
finished
directing
Shiva
and
then
Nishabd.
That's
not
really
unusual.
I
never
sit
idle.
The
minute
I
finish
a
project
I
immediately
start
something
else.
The
moment
Sarkar
finished
I
started
Shiva.
And
now
after
Nishabd
I'll
immediately
start
the
film
with
Shah
Rukh
in
August
.
You
and
Mr
Bachchan
are
doing
a
series
of
films
together.
I
think
we're
addicted
to
each
other.
And
we're
both
in
the
mood
to
create
poetry
in
Nishabd.
Are
getting
mellower?
Nooo.
This
is
my
once-in-while
moment
of
seriousness.
I'll
quickly
go
back
to
making
Bhoot
andKaun
before
people
start
taking
me
seriously
and
start
giving
me
awards.