Posted by Shoma A. Chatterji in Bollywood, Databazaar,
Featured SHARMILA TAGORE talks about LIFE GOES ON
November 13, 2010 (Calcutta Tube) Sharmila Tagore’s name evokes a sense of dignity, poise and elegance perhaps with little parallel in the world of glamour and chutzpah she belongs to. In nostalgic mode, she brings back fond memories of the beautiful child-bride in Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sansar. She has made the smooth transition from leading lady to character actress in Bengali and Hindi films after a hiatus for some years committed to being wife and mother. In her graying years, she has made a mark in Rituparno Ghosh’s Shubha Muhurt, Aniruddha Roy Choudhury’s Antaheen, Mahesh Manjrekar’s Viruddh and so on. Her latest film, to be premiered in UK and USA is Life Goes On in English directed by UK-based filmmaker-singer-curator Sangeeta Datta. Tagore opens out in a forthright interview about her career, about contemporary Indian cinema, and about the experience of having worked in Life Goes On.
You were invited to attend a 24-day long retrospective of the films of Satyajit Ray in Singapore recently. What was the experience like?
Brilliant. They screened all his films. Shyam Benegal and Dhritiman Chatterjee were present for the inauguration. They screened restored prints which made the technical side flawless. The retrospective was organised by the High Commissioner of India in Singapore, Directorate of Film Festivals and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. The theatre was packed for the opening but not that packed for the closing ceremony. I enjoyed the enthusiasm the audience revealed, continuously flooding us, special Shyam with questions. Pather Panchali was the inaugural film and as I watched it, I felt it had not aged at all. The cinematography is brilliant and has not been outdated either by time or by technology. The romance of Apur Sansar is still moving and unforgettable. I do not know whether my nostalgic fondness for these films is because I am a Bengali and my love for my language or something else. I can connect very well with these films even now.
What memories do you associate with being born into a Tagore family?
The Tagores were a blend of tradition and modernity. As children, we learnt to recognise our rich heritage. Our mother was supreme in the inner quarters of the house. She made the decisions about how we should be brought up. Her entire life revolved around us. She taught us how to take care of our skin with grandmother’s recipes from the kitchen rather than from marketed cosmetics that were rare in those days. We were not permitted to use manufactured items of beauty care. Jewellery was not a priority. We learnt quite early in life that inner beauty was more important than outward appearance. My upbringing taught me to be proud of my Bengali identity. I am proud to be a Bengali. I love to come to Calcutta from time to time. It is wonderful to come home. I studied in a Bengali medium school till I was 13 so my Bengali is quite strong. I am very happy to be a part of the Bengali film industry once more.
http://calcuttatube.com/sharmi...on-interview/130855/
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