SVF

What inspired Aparna Sen to make ‘Ghawre Bairey Aaj’?

Aparna Sen says the idea for her latest directorial ‘Ghawre Bairey Aaj’ struck her after celebrated journalist Gauri’s Lankesh’s murder in September 2017.

“The day Lankesh died (on September 5, 2017), I could not sleep the whole night. I was disturbed. I knew I wanted to make a film on the present-day society and what better than Tagore’s Ghare Baire for a premise,” explains the National-Award winning director.

Lankesh, a journalist-turned-activist, became a well-known face with her criticism of right-wing Hindu extremism and caste system. She was brutally married outside her home in Bangalore.

‘Ghawre Bairey Aaj’, featuring Jisshu Sengupta, Anirban Bhattacharya and Tuhina Das in the lead and produced by SVF, will hit the theatres on November 15.

Aparna Sen also wants the story to have a contemporary touch for the audience to make it relatable to the present scenario in the country.
“In Tagore’s novel, Bimala, the female protagonist, is an upper caste Hindu woman. In my film, she is a Dalit woman. We usually show urban societies in our films, talk about upper and middle class people. The Dalits and tribals remain largely unrepresented,” she explained.

Aparna who has been vocal about many socio-political issues, also asserts it’s necessary to shed light on politics at play at different levels and how it’s affecting the common people.