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`Song of Life` the English film I longed to make: Dev Anand
Kolkata, June 26: Actor-film maker Dev Anand today said his upcoming film `Song of Life` was not the story of sitar maestro Pt Ravi Shankar or his family and asserted that he would finalise the star cast within a month to go ahead with his `dream project` of directing an English movie.
Kolkata, June 26: Actor-film maker Dev Anand today said his upcoming film 'Song of Life' was not the story of sitar maestro Pt Ravi Shankar or his family and asserted that he would finalise the star cast within a month to go ahead with his 'dream project' of directing an English movie.
"It is not their (Pt Ravi Shankar's) family story. And it should not be. They must realise that I am not interested in the nitty-gritties of their life," Dev Anand said over phone from Mumbai.
Clarifying media reports suggesting that his movie was a true life story of the Shankars, Anand said, "It certainly is not."
"When you read a novel or a newspaper report and it jolts you enough to make a film, that becomes a creation. What if something from real life, someone around you seems to make for a brilliant plot ... Do you call it violation of privacy?" Anand asked.
Pointing out that the basic storyline was somewhere close to Shankar's life in that it had a musician father, an American wife and a daughter born out of wedlock, Anand said he, however, had immense respect for the maestro and did not want to hurt his sentiments. "I have a lot of affection and respect for Pt Ravi Shankar and am not naming him anywhere either in the film or in the creditline," he said.
The film got mired in controversy after the Shankars, including half sisters Anoushka and Nora Jones threatened to sue the film maker if he tried to portray their story on celluloid.
The film was a dream project he had long been wanting to make after Navketan Films' first movie 'Guide', which had separate American and Indian versions. "After 'Guide' none of my films were in English and I want to position my next film as an American musical," said the evergreen hero of Hindi cinema.
Ahead of leaving for USA, where he would finalise the star cast and locales for the film, Anand said he would try and meet the Shankars if the opportunity arose. The two-hour film would have at least three American characters and three Indian ones in the lead.
Anand said it would be a pure English movie and have an international release, with an Indian version to be released in major metros.
"If you like to call it a crossover film, so be it. At this stage of my career I feel that I must grow now and have the courage to make a film for the American market in their language and with their characters," he said.
On whether he was also looking for a co-production with an American group, Anand said it did not suit his style of film making. "Co-productions curbs the liberty of the film maker and I am not used to it." Bureau Report
Clarifying media reports suggesting that his movie was a true life story of the Shankars, Anand said, "It certainly is not."
"When you read a novel or a newspaper report and it jolts you enough to make a film, that becomes a creation. What if something from real life, someone around you seems to make for a brilliant plot ... Do you call it violation of privacy?" Anand asked.
Pointing out that the basic storyline was somewhere close to Shankar's life in that it had a musician father, an American wife and a daughter born out of wedlock, Anand said he, however, had immense respect for the maestro and did not want to hurt his sentiments. "I have a lot of affection and respect for Pt Ravi Shankar and am not naming him anywhere either in the film or in the creditline," he said.
The film got mired in controversy after the Shankars, including half sisters Anoushka and Nora Jones threatened to sue the film maker if he tried to portray their story on celluloid.
The film was a dream project he had long been wanting to make after Navketan Films' first movie 'Guide', which had separate American and Indian versions. "After 'Guide' none of my films were in English and I want to position my next film as an American musical," said the evergreen hero of Hindi cinema.
Ahead of leaving for USA, where he would finalise the star cast and locales for the film, Anand said he would try and meet the Shankars if the opportunity arose. The two-hour film would have at least three American characters and three Indian ones in the lead.
Anand said it would be a pure English movie and have an international release, with an Indian version to be released in major metros.
"If you like to call it a crossover film, so be it. At this stage of my career I feel that I must grow now and have the courage to make a film for the American market in their language and with their characters," he said.
On whether he was also looking for a co-production with an American group, Anand said it did not suit his style of film making. "Co-productions curbs the liberty of the film maker and I am not used to it." Bureau Report