Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; September 20, 2018)

Nandita Das and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are teaming up for the second time as director and actor for Manto, the biopic on writer Saadat Hasan Manto. The director reveals that through his works, Manto encouraged people to be fearless and his story is relevant even today. Nawazuddin admits that his thoughts are identical to that of Manto’s and that’s a rarity. In a candid chat with BT, Nandita and Nawazuddin speak about making an honest film, about an earnest man. Excerpts...

There are so many modern writers, but you chose to tell the story of Saadat Hasan Manto. What were your reasons?
NANDITA: When I was researching for the film, I wasn’t looking at nationality or religion or any specific identity. I just felt that he is relevant today. He speaks to us in so many ways, especially with the way he struggled, what he stood for and what he represents in a way. In fact, we often say that the film is not just about Manto, but it’s about wanting to invoke the Mantoiyat in all of us. Manto-ness is about the desire to be more honest, free-spirited, fearless and that’s why I decided to tell this story. I wasn’t trying to do an anthology of a writer. I was just taken in by his writings and I actually rediscovered him in 2012, the year of his centenary celebrations. I first read his short stories in college and his stories were so powerful that I was fascinated by them. I was then drawn to his life. He is modern and progressive in the way he thinks. He is beyond the identities that pull us down, whether it is religion, nationality, race or caste. I felt that we needed to introduce Manto to the younger generation and we need to invoke the spirit of the honesty and the courage that he stood for.
NAWAZUDDIN: I had worked in Nandita’s directorial debut Firaaq, 10 years back. At that time, it was one of the biggest roles of my career. When we met, she mentioned that she was working on Manto’s story. I was familiar with his work, thanks to my theatre background. I had read his stories and he was popular in the theatre circuit. I was quite excited about being part of his journey.

Do actors and directors have different processes, when delving into a story like this?
NAWAZUDDIN: The actor’s job is to execute the vision of the director. One has to be honest in the portrayal and that’s what I concentrate on. Nandita researched Manto for almost five years and she clearly knows more about the subject than me. My job was to surrender to her. Having said that, there’s no real guarantee whether the actor can manage to give an honest performance. It may or may not happen.
NANDITA: A director has to look at every aspect. From what you want to see through the lens, to the performance, what is the context you want to create, the production design and even the sound. When you collaborate with different technicians, they help in realising your vision. The collaborations of various people lead to the emergence of something new. When Nawaz teams up with Anurag Kashyap, you see him performing according to that director’s vision. It’s like an orchestra and every person is playing their part. I am the conductor without whom, things can go haywire.

Since Manto was in the making for a long time, did it become tough to maintain focus and continuity for an extended period?
NANDITA: We were both committed to the film, but it took us a while to get it out there. The writing took a long time, because everything was taken from the written word and that’s not easy. You can’t just copy-paste things. One has to internalise the material and weave it into the script. Then one has to raise funds and find the right locations, too. Had I known that it was going to be so difficult, I would have never done it.

But you have directed a film before. Surely you must have been aware of the effort that goes into making a feature film...
NANDITA: Yeah, but that was 10 years ago. Firaaq was a comparatively smaller film and yet, it was difficult to make. I have never really assisted anyone before and neither have I been to a film school. I am not from the industry and I don’t even know how to put a team together. I went about the process by asking people who they thought were right to hire for different departments. I made some right decisions, some maybe not, but it’s a learning process, a difficult one, nonetheless.

Manto didn’t believe in being politically correct and through his writings and life, he questioned everything. Often, actors don’t want to take the risk of playing a character who was anti-establishment. What were your thoughts?
NAWAZUDDIN: I have never thought or pondered over these things. If I had to examine every character I play, to determine if it could be controversial, I would rather do only love stories.
NANDITA: Manto might seem like a controversial character given the current political climate, but his character also has strength. In fact, Nawaz says that Manto and his thoughts match and seldom does it happen that an actor and the character he plays are on the same page, in terms of their ideas and thoughts. When they are in sync, it must be liberating as well.
NAWAZUDDIN: I feel, Manto and I have similar sensibilities. I guess that happens once in a lifetime.

Of late, Hindi films have faced a lot of opposition from political establishments over their content. Did that ever deter you from telling this story, which clearly makes a political statement, too?
NANDITA: If you are making a Manto, there is no holding back (laughs!). The story is relevant to our times and that’s the reason it needs to be told honestly. That also doesn’t mean that I am courting controversy. Manto was controversial 70 years ago, but today, he is a celebrated writer. In fact, I am taking refuge in history to respond to what is happening today. We are taking a page out of our history and telling the story of a man who had many problems and yet, he spoke the truth. He fought for it even in bad times. Even when he was on a downward spiral, he continued to write, believing that there was some redemptive power in the written word. Similarly, I want to make the film even though I know that it’s a drop in the ocean, but it is worth the effort.

Criticism of the government often leads to people being termed anti-national. Words like sickular and libtard are bandied about…
NANDITA: (Cuts in...) Manto also witnessed opposition to what he was doing. Many of his own people opposed him. In fact, he used to say that anything that is worth speaking about is provocative. He also used to say, ‘If you cannot bear my stories, that’s because we live in unbearable times’. That’s true for our times as well. Manto was not an activist. He said that his stories held up a mirror to society. We are saying that it is a reflection of not just that time, but even today. We are still grappling with issues of identity, freedom of expression and we are still asking ourselves where we really belong. Whether it was Firaaq or it’s Manto, for me, the effort has been about holding up a mirror.