BySukant Deepak

August 13, 2021 (IANSlife) He talks about his relationship with Kolkata -- a place of comfort, a space that can be distressing, a metropolis that can hold a wide range of emotions. A city that engulfs every meaning of the word home.

But that is not the only reason why filmmaker Aditya Vikram Sengupta's third feature 'Once Upon A Time In Calcutta' which is the only Indian film in this year's edition of Venice International Film Festival, competing in the Orizzonti section is named after the city.

"Over the past ten years, Kolkata has witnessed a sea change -- from political to social. Globalisation is the buzzword. The film in fact is a tale of every city in the world. Just that I know Kolkata best and it affects me the most. What I say through the film is a global phenomenon which is happening everywhere," says Sengupta, whose debut film, 'Labour of Love' won the Fedeora award at Venice Days 2014 and the second movie, 'Jonaki' premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2018.

The filmmaker, who has been working on his latest since 2015 says the team was ecstatic on learning about its selection at the prestigious film festival. "Venice is validation for everyone, that you know, you are on the right path. It is nice to know what we have done is being appreciated worldwide."

Recalling how he roped in renowned Turkish cinematographer Gokhan Tiryak, Sengupta says that he had written to Tiryak after watching 'Three Monkeys'. They connected over Facebook and were in touch for a long time. "I have a habit of writing to people and tend to reach out if I like anyone's work. I have been doing that for the last 20 years - without any agenda. While many do not reply, others do. Tiryak was someone who did," says the director whose next movie will be in Hindi.

Though admitting that digital platforms have been a game-changer, managing to take films like eJonaki' to a large audience, the filmmaker feels they are not really a substitute for theatres. "You simply cannot beat the magic of collective viewing on a huge screen. I am sure an equilibrium will emerge."

Missing attending major film festivals in India and abroad that have been cancelled or shifted to a hybrid model owing to the pandemic, the director laments that these are not supposed to be online programmes. "They are meant to be socially interactive and in-person. It's like going on a date. Can imagine going on a virtual one? Silly, no? It's sad but I hope that things will get back on track."

Talk to him about the lockdowns, and Sengupta that though he was deeply affected by the crisis they caused, personally, the period was immensely productive for him. "I have been writing and going back to the innate self-rediscovered many things that I had lost over all these years. I feel more resilient now."

(Sukant Deepak can be reached at sukant.d@ians.in)