“Innocent Minds Sometimes See And Feel More”
Nandita Das screened Zwigato at son’s school. (courtesy: nanditadasofficial)
Actor-director Nandita Das’ latest film Zwigato has received positive feedback from all quarters. The film, featuring actors Kapil Sharma and Shahana Goswami in the lead roles, follows the life of a food delivery agent, who is forced to take the job after losing his role as a factory’s floor in-charge. Now, the director, in an Instagram post has shared that the film was screened at her son Vihaan Maskara’s school on Sunday. What followed were “thoughtful questions and insightful observations,” she said in a detailed note. Sharing an image of the children glued to the screen, Nandita Das said: “Last Sunday, I showed Zwigato to my son’s entire school. The conversations thereafter were filled with thoughtful questions and insightful observations. Innocent minds sometimes see and feel more than what we grown-ups allow ourselves to. They caught on to the essence of the film so instinctively – the glaring disparities that we have normalised.”
Speaking about the importance of exposing children to art, Nandita Das added: “Initially, it made me sad to reveal this stark reality to them. But then I felt it was important that they know it early on, so they grow up being empathetic and begin to think about how to make the world a better place. I believe, even tiny shifts, remind us of the role of art. It can gently challenge our prejudices, create empathy for the “other,” and make us aware of less familiar worlds. But sometimes we need to train our eyes and minds on such stories. The more we see, the more we appreciate their place in the world.”
Urging people to support the film that is currently running in theatres, she said, “ So go watch Zwigato, and all such films that help us become the people we want to be. Let stories of countless, nameless, faceless people not recede into the background of our collective consciousness. These two days are crucial in deciding how long the film will continue to stay in theatres. At the end of the day, it is a numbers game. But I think there are enough people who care and will go to the theatres and keep such stories alive.”
Actor Edward Sonnenblick, last seen in RRR, replied to the post saying, “We took our 10-year-old son to see it yesterday, and yes, what an important perspective it gave us all! Great discussion afterwards. Thanks for this film. It’s truly important.”
Take a look at the post here:
Meanwhile, Nandita Das also recently shared a gratitude note thanking viewers for their love and feedback on Zwigato. She said, “This weekend was quite a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Zwigato was released last Friday and the outpouring of personal messages and social media feedback has not stopped since. But it’s not been about just ‘liking’ the film. It has made people reflect and pricked their conscience to do something about what we tend to ignore. But one can never please all. So, there are also people who found it “too real”, “too heavy” or “not too dramatic”. Every verdict counts and each to their own!”
Speaking about her collaborators Kapil Sharma and Shahana Goswami, the filmmaker added, “Slowly it is going beyond the excitement of Kapil’s new avatar, the intriguing combination of him and me – two people from seemingly different worlds, Shahana’s brilliant performance, Applause’s first film release or my third directorial venture. While all of these are causes for much celebration, what stands out is the immersive experience that is making people dive inwards and their need to share it generously. As long as I see this gentle stir, I am happy.”
Read the complete note here:
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has declared Zwigato tax-free. The movie is set in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. Nandita Das has previously directed movies such as Manto and Firaaq.
