In the world of films, by choice

JAGMOHAN MUNDHRA, 52, is "Jag" to friends including Ashok Amritraj with whom he made "Night Eyes". He has directed 21 English films; in Hindi there was "Kamla", "Vishkanya" and "Suraag". An IIT engineer with an MA in advertising, an MBA and a Ph.D. in film marketing, he attended night classes in film making from California University while managing three cinema halls. He left India in 1968; life really began in 1980 when he quit working, sold the theatres and plunged into the world of motion picture making: 24 films in 20 years. Excerpts from an interview.

These "Night Eyes" kind of films, aren't they simply soft porn?

They are erotic thrillers. Replace my cast with expensive stars like Michael Douglas and Glen Close and your perception will change. It will be like "Fatal Attraction". Mine are mid-budget, quick-time and effectively-crafted films. Sure, I would like to direct films with bigger budgets and stars. That is no reason, though, to belittle my hard work.

Isn't "Bawander" somewhat over-the-top?

That is by design. That kind of subtlety would not have made an effective point. Every frame in the film has picture-postcard beauty so that the savagery of the rape hits home harder.

A young widow bathing by the river is grabbed by a man. She runs to her mother-in-law who says, "Why do you in front of them. Are you a Brahmin that you need a bath everyday?" What is the necessity in that scene to focus on her physical attributes?

When Bhanwari was gang-raped, she was in her mid-40s. Obviously Nandita Das does not look like her. I have used sand dunes in "Bawander". None exist around Bhanwari's village. But the young widow happens to be attractive. This was Bhanwari's first case, she led a morcha to the molestor, Gangley Amina's house. When I showed Bhanwari the film, she recognised the scene immediately.

What does Bhanwari get from "Bawander"?

Financial help to move out of her village, buy some land, educate her young son. She and her husband need work which they do not get in their own village as they are ostracised. She lives without electricity because the villagers will not allow the line to reach her home. I have deposited œ300 in a bank-account which only she can operate. Nandita will attend a screening in Los Angeles. There will be another screening in Chicago and the money raised from this will go to Bhanwari. In Delhi, Smita Patil's sister, Manya, plans a special screening to raise funds for Bhanwari's future.

"Bawander" has been made in Hindi and Rajasthani-dialect nd the satellite rights have been sold to Star. It is sub-titled in English for the international market and film festivals. Why not for South India where the dialect will be incomprehensible?

I can't sub-title every 125-minute print since it costs Rs. 52,000. But, thanks for the thought, I will get one English sub- titled print into every big South Indian city.

P.V.

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