India Today Conclave 2017: Bollywood is not an NGO, we’re all responsible: Kalki Koechlin
There have been bans on Pakistani actors in Bollywood and Fawad Khan became the bone of contention between creativity and national identity. Bollywood has been vertically divided; “going to Pakistan” became the choicest verbal punishment for those who begged to differ.
Kalki Koechlin, powerful actress known for her offbeat forays, spoke to India Today’s editor-at-large Kaveree Bamzai on what the India-Pakistan equation and national identity mean for those from the creative fraternity. Kalki, who has partnered with Pakistani filmmaker Sabiha Sumar on a documentary, Azmaish, read out a powerful statement sent by Sabiha, who couldn’t get a visa and participate in #Conclave17.
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| Photo: Indiatoday.in |
On the experience of going to Pakistan, literally, Kalki makes the following observation: “I wanted to see Pakistan from a neutral, human aspect. My neutrality on this issue made Sabiha interested in me. I definitely saw parts of India, in Haryana and Punjab, having so many similarities with rural Pakistan – women not having a voice, power and religion working very closely together, conservatism is strong.”
#Conclave17 I only knew India & Pak through conflict, I wanted to see more human aspect:@kalkikanmani LIVE https://t.co/VHffbecDJh pic.twitter.com/QkwpOPPhRV
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 17, 2017
The punishment became a gift, as surprises sprang up too.
“Lots of things surprised me. I loved their curiosity towards the outsider. Pakistan is less open to the West, they met me with a curiosity that baffled me,” Kalki said.
Kalki said she and Sabiha organised a truck adda full of Pathani men who enjoyed a fashion show, but they did not want their wives to take that up. “Our leaders will slit throats”, they said. Kalki pointed out the strong links between politics and religion, which she saw in Pakistan and increasingly in India as well.
An actor par excellence @kalkikanmani speaks about her latest movie 'Azmaish' #Conclave17 Watch more at https://t.co/VHffbdV2RJ pic.twitter.com/DkVGnzqT03
— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 17, 2017
But there were nicer, lighter takes as well. Kalki said Bollywood is a huge unifying factor. “Bollywood is huge [in Pakistan]. People knew me from Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani. But Bollywood isn’t an NGO. We are all responsible, and have businesses to keep running,” she frankly admitted.
“But I’m here and talking about it and that’s what matters,” she said, adding that individuals with different views always exist in every sphere. As far as Pakistan is concerned, there are parallels and differences and a dialogue is the only way forward, because the people there too are as mortified and affected by the scourge of terrorism as we are in India.
“I am a participant and an observer, not a collaborator in the film. Sabiha’s story this is. And she found it halfway through. There are things I don’t agree with, but it’s her story”, Kalki said about the film itself.