Sanskrita Bharadwaj (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 23, 2020)

Filmmaker Rima Das, whose film Village Rockstars (2017) was India’s official entry to the 91st Academy Awards, has been staying alone in Mumbai during the lockdown. “I was working on an untitled film with Tillotama Shome. More than 50% of the film was supposed to be shot in Mumbai and the rest in Assam. But now, the film is going to be on an indefinite halt. We would have had a crew with us. It looks very unlikely that shoots will begin anytime soon,” she says.

Talking about spending time on her own, Das says, she used to always like her own space “but this lockdown and Coronavirus pandemic are ‘forcing’ people to stay at home, which is increasing my anxieties about the uncertainty of things even more. How many movies can one watch now, it is getting a bit too much.”

Das wishes she was at her native place in Assam right now, but she is hopeful that she will be able to head back home soon. “We have to be hopeful in these times. That’s all we can do,” says the maker of films such as Bulbul Can Sing (2018) and Man With The Binoculars (2016).

Initially, Das who wanted to become an actor, says making her award winning film Village Rockstars was a journey of sorts for her. “I have heard people say negative things about it. But there will always be people who will say both positive and negative things. One has to be sensible enough to take something from both. When Man With The Binoculars didn’t do well, I was devastated, and I cried one day in the middle of the road, but I did not give up. I kept trying. Filmmaking is a journey. Some people are lucky, they get instant success but for others it’s a process, it’s not something that can be achieved in a day. You might even get success overnight but the effort, the dedication, the passion and the love for making films are a continuous process,” says Das who enjoys watching Majid Majidi and Andrei Tarkovsky films, and wishes to make more “realistic and experimental” films.

Saptaparna Biswas (BOMBAY TIMES; February 24, 2019)

With an enviable record of three acclaimed films to her name, National Award winner Rima Das is the toast of the international filmmaking community. Her film Village Rockstars brought the Assam girl critical recognition and fame, but few know that direction was not always on her radar. Rima went from Chhaygaon to Mumbai with dreams of becoming an actress. However, rejection and a chance encounter with works of Satyajit Ray, Majid Majidi and Abbas Kiarostami gave her a new direction in life, quite literally. After making waves with Village Rockstars, which was India’s official entry to the Oscars 2018, and Bulbul Can Sing, which is currently earning praises at multiple film festivals, Rima has overcome gender disparity and language barriers to emerge as an influential name in the field of filmmaking. In a chat with us, she speaks about breaking the glass ceiling, why women should believe in themselves and what can be done to make Indian films Oscar-worthy. Excerpts:

‘MANY PEOPLE DIDN’T BELIEVE IN MY METHOD AND QUESTIONED MY APPROACH’
At the Berlin International Film Festival aka Berlinale, festival director Dieter Kosslick pledged for gender equality in film submissions by 2020, in addition to ensuring better gender representation. Speaking about the same, Rima says, “I can happily state that India was well represented by Zoya Akhtar, Udita Bhargava and my films. These were screened with other big names of international cinema. I think this pledge shows that there is a conscious movement to decrease the gender gap in the field of cinema. It will certainly encourage women to tell the stories they want to.”

For Rima, the journey to her first directorial was not a bed of roses. She hit a low point in her life before taking things in her hands. She shares, “Women must put more faith in themselves than others. In my school and college, I was always the best actress. But in Mumbai, the story was different. I was not accepted because of things like my accent, no film school background etc. I slipped into depression and resorted to watching world movies alone. However, that proved to be a turning point as it opened a whole new world to me. The films mesmerised me and direction took over. I realised that I wanted to create my own world, rather than being restricted to that of others. That is when I decided to tell stories from my native village through my characters.”

With her cousin Mallika Das’ support and a new DSLR camera, Rima ventured into filmmaking. “When I started my first film, Man With The Binoculars, there were many who did not believe in my methods and questioned my approach towards topics. By the second film, I decided to overlook all these hiccups and stuck to my stories that spoke of a dreamy-eyed village girl Dhunu (Village Rockstars) or the free-spirited Bulbul (Bulbul Can Sing), despite the lack of faith from people in my craft.” Agreeing that it takes a lot more for a female filmmaker to prove their worth, especially if the film is speaking about women from their perspective, Rima says, “See, I’m a woman who has grown up observing things around her. So, when I tell stories, the issues that women face in India naturally get highlighted. Having said that, I don’t believe in shoving feminist issues in anyone’s face. I’d rather present them subtly, through organic visuals, for better understanding. Things have to be believable to be taken seriously.”

‘THE WORLD NOTICED THAT A WOMAN CAN SINGLE-HANDEDLY MAKE GOOD FILMS’
Rima doesn’t regret the struggle and, in fact, calls it her ‘film school education’. “Since I do not have any professional training, I have had to pretty much learn everything through the process of filmmaking. I was handling multiple departments at the same time. It was tough yet liberating. With Village Rockstars and Bulbul Can Sing getting international recognition, I finally found my footing, and the world noticed that a woman can also single-handedly make good films. Going ahead, I will collaborate with big production houses, mainstream filmmakers and more. In a way, the real struggle will begin when I do that,” says Rima.

‘VISIBILITY IN THE US IS KEY FOR AN OSCAR NOMINATION’
Though Village Rockstars couldn’t make it to the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars, Rima refuses to get bogged down by the setback. Instead, she focuses on what more could’ve been done. “I think we need more time to market and promote our films. Visibility in the US is necessary. Members of the guild need to watch the movie. There are around 5000 members who vote for the top nominations after that. A total of 87 films from all over the world were in the category, including films like Roma and Shoplifters, which had ample visibility. We got only two months to campaign and promote Village Rockstars and that’s not enough,” says Rima, adding that support from the government and private firms is essential for any Indian film to make it to the Oscar nomination list.

‘SATYAJIT RAY SHOWED ME THE WAY’
When people drew parallels between Village Rockstars and Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali at a film festival, Rima was overwhelmed. “They said that I have a realistic and organic approach, just like Ray. I would say that Ray is the master who showed me the way. And there’s still a long way for me to go,” she concludes, hoping for better collaborations and stories to come forth in the near future, and this time, not just from Assam.

Bulbul Can Sing is the third film of Rima Das, the filmmaker whose previous film Village Rockstars is India's official entry to the Oscars. Just like her earlier works, this film too moves slowly just like the laidback village life. However the film takes a shocking turn in the second half. Rima has handled this part exceptionally. Performances of the actors (none of them are professional) are superb. Despite the slightly uninteresting first 20 minutes, the film works and would definitely will make a lot of noise in the days to come!

My rating - *** ½ out of 5!

Top of the line talent and a robust #MeToo programme at the fest which runs from October 25 to November 1
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 25, 2018)

With Jio MAMI 20th Mumbai Film Festival with Star celebrating a milestone, it’s hardly a surprise that this year the festival will rise beyond anything it has done before. From the vast selection of films that will screen to the talent that will attend, Mumbai will play host to India’s most exciting and leading film festival. While the festival celebrates films from India and across the world, MAMI Mumbai Film Festival is not just about the films but the discussions and conversations that surround it. So, while you are planning your week’s itinerary, here’s our top 5 reasons to make the festival a part of your week!

Smriti Kiran, Creative Director, said, “It is a very difficult time. We move into a celebration of cinema with a broken heart but with a resolve to keep the conversation going. The lineup this year is the best we have managed both in terms of talent and films. We are hoping that this 20-year milestone is the starting point to a new chapter both for MAMI and for the industry.”

Incredible line-up of films…
The ‘World Cinema’ category will screen 64 films from 43 countries in 37 languages and include 14 female directors, ranging from Chile, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Canada and Poland to some closer to home from the subcontinent such as Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Singapore, in languages like Azeri, Icelandic, Hebrew and Guizhou Dialect to Sinhala, Swahili, Tagalog and Wayunikee. While the category is known to feature some true masters of cinema like Lee Chang-dong, Paweł Pawlikowski, Jafar Panahi, Jean-Luc Godard, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Jia Zhangke, Alfonso Cuarón, Hong Sang-soo and Hirokazu Kore-eda, the festival will also celebrate favourites like BlacKkKlansman (Cannes Film Festival), Sorry to Bother You (Sundance Film Festival), Rafiki (the first Kenyan film to be selected at Cannes Film Festival), Berlinale winner Mug by Małgorzata Szumowska and Sundance winner The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Desiree Akhavan.

Local heroes: Indian filmmakers
The selection this year is a cauldron filled with India’s delicious cultural diversity. It spans multiple states and languages including Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Gaddi. This special edition of the festival marks the return of a host of creators from the Jio MAMI with Star family. Aadish Keluskar (his film Kaul won the Young Critics Choice Award in 2015) returns to the competition section with his latest Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil and Rima Das returns with her third feature Bulbul Can Sing — a coming of age tale and her third consecutive feature at the festival after Man With The Binoculars (2016) and Village Rockstars (2017).

#MeToo Programme at the Festival….
The #Metoo movement has taken the country by storm and is fast gaining momentum. Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star stands in solidarity with the movement and with the complainants. The festival not only supports the movement but would like it to continue to evolve into a more nuanced discussion that brings clarity and solutions.

The #MeToo programme at the festival is curated by filmmaker Ruchi Narain. There are 3 conversations and one workshop planned as part of the programme. The speakers include Aamir Khan, Parvathy, Kabir Khan, Anjali Menon, Shonali Bose, Renuka Shahane. The workshop on Sexual Harrassment at the workshop will be conducted by Anusha Khan and Asiya Shervani. The discussions will be moderated by Ruchi Narain and journalist Deepanjana Pal.

Masters and masterclasses…
While the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) will screen over 200 films in the coming week, one of the biggest highlights of the festival this year are the Masterclasses by some of the world’s most renowned and accomplished personalities in film. Filmmakers Darren Aronofsky, Sean Baker and Lucrecia Martel will talk about their work and interact with the legions of fans they have in the country.

Experience India gold and world premieres…
The prestigious India Gold section is the exclusive competition category for the latest Indian films from across the country. Jio MAMI with Star will premiere 8 top of the line Indian Films in competition this year. This includes three world premieres with Ridham Janve’s The Gold-Laden Sheep and The Sacred Mountain, Aadish Keluskar’s Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil and Vinit Chandrasekharan’s Buddha. Watched by a Jury of esteemed film personalities from around the world, the India Gold Selection is a platform that has premiered breakout films like Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court, Gurvinder Singh’s Chauthi Koot, Raam Reddy’s Thithi, Rima Das’ Village Rockstars, Shlok Sharma’s Haraamkhor and Avinash Arun’s Killa.

Filmmaker Shlok Sharma receiving an award in 2015 for his film Haraamkhor

MUMBAI MIRROR (September 19, 2018)

India’s biggest film festival, the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Slowly becoming the world’s gateway to the best of Indian cinema, the festival announced its line-up for the prestigious India Gold section — the exclusive competition category for latest Indian films from across the country.

A platform that premiered breakout films like Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court, Gurvinder Singh’s Chauthi Koot, Raam Reddy’s Thithi, Rima Das’ Village Rockstars, Shlok Sharma’s Haraamkhor and Avinash Arun’s Killa, Jio MAMI with Star will premiere nine top-of-the-line Indian Films in competition this year. This includes three world premieres with Ridham Janve’s The Gold-Laden Sheep And The Sacred Mountain, Aadish Keluskar’s Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil and Vinit Chandrasekharan’s Buddha. One Indian title, Dominic Sagma’s MA•AMA, is also in the International Competition section that focuses on debut filmmakers from across the world.

The selection this year spans multiple states and languages including Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Gaddi. The edition also marks the return of a host of creators from the Jio MAMI with Star family. Kannada drama Balekempa is the directorial debut of Ere Gowda (co-writer of Raam Reddy’s Thithi which played in the International Competition section in 2015), Aadish Keluskar (his Kaul won the Young Critics Choice Award in 2015) returns to the competition section with his latest Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil and Rima Das returns with her third feature Bulbul Can Sing — a coming of age tale and her third consecutive feature at the festival after Man With The Binoculars (2016) and Village Rockstars (2017).

Apart from world premieres and latest films from MAMI alumni creators, the selection also has current festival favourites (Indian titles that have travelled far and wide, making waves at festivals around the world this year) — Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s (Labour Of Love) — new film Jonaki (World Premiered at IFFR this year) and filmmaker Ivan Ayr’s Soni (World Premiered at Venice International Film Festival this year).

Kerala State Film Award winner Light In The Room from Rahul Riji Nair is also in the selection as is Kabir Chowdhry’s quasi-documentary Mehsampur.

The India Gold films will be watched by a Jury of esteemed film personalities from around the world. The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star this year will take place between October 25 to November 1.

Films in INDIA GOLD

Balekempa | Dir Ere Gowda | India | 2018| 103 mins

Buddha | Dir Vinit Chandrasekharan | India | 2018 | 100 mins

Bulbul Can Sing | Dir Rima Das | India | 2018 | 90 mins

Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil | Dir Aadish Keluskar | India | 2018 | 105 mins

Jonaki | Dir Aditya Vikram Sengupta | India | 2018 | 95 mins

Light In The Room | Dir Rahul Riji Nair | Malayalam | 97 mins

Mehsampur | Dir Kabir Chowdhry | Indian | 2018 | 99 mins

Soni | Dir Ivan Ayr | India | 2018 | 97 mins

The Gold-Laden Sheep and The Sacred Mountain | Dir Ridham Janve | India | 2018 | 97 mins


Filmmaker Rima Das won the top prize in India Gold section last year for Village Rockstars, presented by Deepika Padukone, who is a member of the festival board


A still from Das’s Bulbul Can Sing, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this month. Its India premiere is slated for Jio MAMI with Star 201