Exploring the true face of humanity

by ASJAD NAZIR

A REMARKABLE career has seen master filmmaker Goutam Ghose deliver marvellously meaningful movies that have won a massive number of awards.

A deep interest in literature, music, theatre, magic shows and photography in childhood, along with an alchemy of different mediums of expressions brought him to cinema. The starting point was a Kodak box camera he received as a birthday gift. “The camera became my favourite pastime. Even when there was no film inside, I used to look at the world through viewfinder. The framing became a choice of my space. What you love to see and what you don’t. That was the beginning, I guess,” explained Goutam Ghose.

That early step started a journey, which resulted in award-winning films like Dakhal, Paar, Padma Nadir Majhi, Patang, Dekha and Abar Aranye. His latest film Raahgir - The Wayfarers will open this year’s UK Asian Film Festival, which runs from May 26 until June 6.

The story of a man and woman driven by hunger to search for work in the nearest town but showing compassion despite their struggle is another wonderful human story from the writer-director. He says the need for humanity in a world in deep crisis led him towards making the film. “A large section of human beings have become selfish animals. That is why I thought of a subject on love and compassion.”

The artistic film wasn’t able to release in cinemas due to the pandemic, so the filmmaker is happy it will open this year’s UK Asian Film Festival and says the entire team is excited about it. “The film is a journey of ordinary people in cinematic time and space to reveal the true face of humanity. The film explores human feelings and camaraderie of the poor, who can easily surrender their own fragile existence to save another human life. The indomitable spirit that can enthuse even the marginalised lies at the core of this story, which describes another India that remains hidden deep in the recesses of this vast sub-continent,” he explained.

Ghose is unable to select a favourite moment in the movie and says the structure of Raahgir - The Wayfarers is like a musical composition, with each note being a favourite. “I hope to connect all sensible human beings with this film. Covid-19 has broken our togetherness, but we are born to help each other. We shall overcome this crisis to save humanity.”

The creative genius is working on an Indo-Italian movie and hoping to complete it when the restrictions are lifted. Meanwhile, he has made a short film on his personal experience of the pandemic time, which is currently in post-production stages and like so many of his works, explores hope. When the acclaimed director was asked, who his own filmmaking hero was, he said: “That is a difficult question indeed. There are many great filmmakers around the world I love and adore. Out of a vast choice let me pick up one icon, Akira Kurosawa.”

The superb storyteller finishes off by revealing what inspires him as a filmmaker. “Positive emotions over the negative ones inspire me to make films. Another element is pulsating time. Time as a metaphor for history.”

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