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'I'm always ready to innovate'

Ismail Merchant

Last week, Bombay witnessed a virtual smorgasbord of good entertainment in the form of the week-long Merchant-Ivory film festival that culminated with the premiere of their latest offering, Cotton Mary.

The tall, distinguished-looking Ismail Merchant was busy running around and finalising the 101 and more things that need to be tuned if a such a festival is to succeed. He has, in the process, developed a sore throat, despite which he talked to V Gangadhar for nearly an hour about books and films.

Film people are supposed to be whimsical and egoistic. Yet you, James Ivory and writer Ruth Prawar Jhabvala had been together for nearly 30 years. What is the secret of this unity?

We are together because of friendship and mutual respect. We share the same vision and the same philosophy which says, 'We are proud of our roots.' In the process, we have also made 44 highly-acclaimed films.

How do you choose your scripts? What do you look for in your films?

For us, the story and the writer come first. The characters must be interesting and must be able to propel the story forward. That is why we are lucky to have Ruth with us. Our characters must tell the story in a most amazing manner. The story must set the mood for the film, it must have a beginning, a middle and an end.

You are partial towards E M Forster and Henry James. Any particular reasons?

Yes. We have made three films each of these great authors. They are amazing story tellers, the dialogues and writing are splendid. Take Howard's End for instance. It is so gripping as a novel and Ruth has adapted it marvellously for the screen.

Cotton Mary

Weren't you tempted to film A Passage To India, Forster's most famous novel?

Not really. Satyajit Ray wanted to direct Passage To India. I would not have minded producing it. But then, David Lean made the movie. I liked it, though I thought it was a bit 'overblown.'

We did make Maurice, adapted from Forster's last novel. The film has not been released in India yet, but I am arranging to get it for our next film festival.

The reason for the delay was not because of any kind of the ban on the film because of its references to homosexuality. It's just that I want my films to be screened in theatres with Dolby Sound and other facilities. The video and television screenings do not satisfy me.

You seem to be partial to 'period films.'

Do you think so? We had made some movies covering the Edwardian era (1850-1920), but Howard's End, In Custody and Shakespearewalla represented the modern era. Jefferson In Paris, of course, chronicled 1784-89. But the eras were not important to us. We have always been interested in stories which have an eternal appeal.

Several of your films have an Indian background. Did you, as a result, have problems with the censors and other government officials?

Well, we made 14 films in India. Savages and Bombay Talkies had problems with the censors, mainly on the issue of the 'A' and 'U' certificates.

I guess that is part of the job. But there were no problems of any other kind with the Indian government. Our scripts were readily okayed by the Information & Broadcasting ministry. Our movies never dealt with themes which would have offended any particular religion or community.

The ministry also okayed the script for Deepa Mehta's Water, yet the films was mired in controversy. Are we are becoming more intolerant?

Howard's End

I am sorry about what is happening to Water. India is changing and I am afraid people are becoming more reactionary. One of the reasons could be political instability. I mean, the country is being ruled by a government which is made up of different political parties who have nothing in common.

It was nothing like this when the government at the centre was strong. Yes, I am sorry that, over the years, the level of intolerance had gone up. Small groups of people are challenging tolerance, secularism and the assimilation of different cultures and the government is unable to take any action.

There should be artistic freedom in a democracy. Yet, what if this freedom is used to wound local feelings and religions sentiments?

The main problem in India, according to me, is the caste system which is still used in many states to put down the poor and defenceless. We accept the fact that people are kept suppressed by the system. This is more serious than some film which may wound religious sentiments.

Religious books like the Bhagavad Gita and those from other religions preach only religious tolerance. This message had not reached the people. In the film, Water, the most important issues are the pollution of the river Ganga and the plight of the Hindu widows. But these are lost in this unseemly controversy.

Despite the new millennium and all that, so much of India lives in the distant past. How can you resurrect some kind of a Ram Rajya?

This is a difficult situation. The only solution is education and better economic conditions. I have never thought of making a film on the present turmoil in India.

Shashi Kapoor starred in your films. Did you ever try featuring other stars like Amitabh Bachchan or Shah Rukh Khan?

In Custody

Besides Shashi Kapoor, we have cast Naseerudin Shah, Om Puri and some other actors and actresses in our films. I do watch Hindi films. Shah Rukh Khan is a wonderful actor. If I had a suitable script, I would definitely offer a role to him.

More than 90 per cent of the Hindi commercial films crash at the box office. Yet, the industry thrives. What did this indicate, resilience?

Films are the only source of entertainment in India. People worship the stars, they will do anything to be in their shoes. Look at how Indians imitate the stars. Movies are so much part of the Indian life that, despite all these flops, the film industry will survive. Also, these days, films make a lot of money from the sale of music cassettes.

How would you define the audience for a Merchant-Ivory film?

They are intelligent and sophisticated. The audiences in the West appreciate our films a lot. Our films tell a story and the casting is near-perfect.

How did one explain the craze for sci-fi films in the US?

Why not? Audiences all over the world want to explore new avenues. Today, the special effects are stunning. Did you see The Sixth Sense? It is such an unusual, well-made film.

In our own film, Picasso there is a scene where an eagle swoops down, snatches a small cat and zooms away. The scene was stunning because of the available special effects. The modern computer graphics are astounding.

What kind of a director are you? Who are some of your favourite movie directors?

I am an active director who wants things to happen. I'm always ready to innovate. I welcome suggestions by the cast and other members of the unit. You see, film-making is essentially team work.

The directors I admire most are Ray, De Sica, Renoir, Hitchcock, Martin Scorcese and Billy Wilder. Have you seen his great comedy, Some Like It Hot? I have not directed a pure comedy so far and would like to do one.

Jefferson In Paris

Jefferson In Paris was an interesting film. How was it received in the US?

Well, it certainly created a controversy because we showed that Jefferson had a relationship with a black, slave girl and had a child from her. The Americans could not believe that a two-term president, who was respected for his contribution towards drafting of the Declaration of Independence, could do something like that. But later, when newspaper reports published details of the DNA tests which confirmed the theme of my film, it was acknowledged that I had scored a scoop.

The cost of making movies are mounting all over the world. In the US, the stars are demanding and getting several millions per film. How do you cope up with this situation?

I agree that production costs have shot up. But actors and actresses are keen to be a part of my films, because of the excellent scripts and the challenging roles. Even today, stars are happy to do good roles. If they get an opportunity like that, they do not bother with money. Many times, they fight with one another to get these roles.

Do you follow a particular strategy for the release of your films?

My films are released in select theatres. Soon, word gets around about the quality of the film. One hundreds prints of Cotton Mary were released across seven US cities.

What was it like working with Paul Newman and his wife, Joanne Woodward, in Mr And Mrs Bridge.

James directed that film. But it was a wonderful experience for all of us. The Newman couple are like royalty in this field. They were so professional, friendly and co-operative. In fact, Joanne was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in our film. We will bring this film to Bombay for our next festival.

Ismail Merchant

Do you think every book can be made into a film? Or does it need to have certain special qualities?

Any well written book that has interesting characters can be made into a good film. Much depends on how intelligently it had been adapted for the screen. And, of course, the casting had to be perfect.

Look at how successful the screen adaptations of Jane Austen's novels like Emma and Sense And Sensibility were. The makers of these films were clearly following the pattern of our films!

First it was Shekhar Kapur, now it is Shyamalan. Indians are making waves in Hollywood.

Why not? They fully deserved these honours. I am delighted at their success. Let more Indians come forward into the international arena.

RELATED FEATURE
The Cotton Mary review