“Mine is an entertaining comedy and not a preachy film” Sarovar Banka, Director, A Decent Arrangement
A one-on-one with the Director of the much acclaimed film.
How would you describe your film A Decent Arrangement?
I’d say that it is a small film about Adam, an Indian American who comes to India and seeks the help and guidance of his elder cousin played by Shabana Azmi in search of an arranged marriage. The film deals with the dilemma of today’s youth who are unable to decide whether they want to opt for an arranged marriage or a love marriage and the extent to which they are ready to walk the extra mile to get what they want.
How did you zero in on an actress like Shabana Azmi ?
I should say that it was pure luck that led me to Shabana as I knew some one who knew her. I sent my script to India to her and I was pleasantly surprised when Shabana called me back to say that she would be happy to be part of my film as an actress. Shabana Azmi surprises you as an actress every minute on the sets and you can be sure of getting your shot in the first take itself with her 99% as she was ready with her lines and fully prepared
How was your leading man Adam as an actor?
Not many either in India or abroad know Adam, who ism playing the lead in my film. What I like about Adam is that he is an incredible actor who was not at all in awe of Shabana Azmi when he was pitted in my film.
In how many days did you shoot your film?
I shot my film in 29 days in Chandigarh. Though my film is in English, if it does spectacularly well at the box office in India, I have plans to dub the film in Hindi and release it all over the country. I made it6 a point to send my film to different festivals all over the world, because I feel that it is very necessary to build your own audience by word of mouth publicity by participating in various international film festivals, before you release your film, as festivals also give your film a lot of momentum by fetching you key contacts at grass root levels.
How tough was it for you to get a distributor?
Though even today you need a star if you want to sell your film, whether in India or abroad, times are changing and there are small films which succeed at the box office even if they are introducing new actors. Of course there are also big films with big stars and small films with big stars which do well in India. Luckily in Manoj Nandwana, I have a distributor, who knows exactly how to market a film.
How would you describe yourself as an NRI?
The term NRI does not at all resonate with me as I like to call myself not an NRI but an Indian Ameican. My roots belong to India but I am an American, though my parents are NRI’s in the right sense of the term as they were born and brought up in India before they chose to live in USA.
What next, after A Decent Arrangement?
I am now planning to make not only a serial in English but also a film. I’d like to make my film in English, as I am much more comfortable with the language when I set out to make my film in English
