Kids films, good for business

HYDERABAD: Considered a thinking actor, Nandita Das believes that every drop in the ocean counts. “I truly believe in the Gandhian mantra of being the change one wants to see,” says the Children’s Film Society India (CFSI) chairperson who was recently inducted into the International Women’s Forum Hall of Fame for her contribution to art and voicing the concerns of women through the medium.“There are so many women’s issues which are neglected in India, such as sexual assaults, rapes, female foeticide and a lot more. One has to keep doing his or her bit. I have met so many women from different walks of life who have done amazing work but I know they will never be in the hall of fame. These inspiring people keep my faith alive,” says Nandita. She admits that though awards are subjective, the encouragement goes a long way. “I have been told that I could have made it big in mainstream cinema if I had concentrated on one specific thing. But such awards feel like somebody appreciates your work and validates the choices you make in life,” she points out.Being a mother to the two-year old Vihaan and an honorary chairperson of the CFSI keeps her busy and she regrets not having enough time to direct or act. “There’s only so much or so little one can do as an honorary chairperson,” says Nandita who has been responsible for systemic changes in the CFSI since she was handed the reins two years ago. As an artist, is it difficult to circumvent administration and red-tape? “My work mainly involves providing a creative vision to the set up. I have tried bringing on board artists, directors, distributors to help in this process,” shares Nandita.In a country where every mainstream venture wants to be classified as an entertainer, children’s film is a niche few like to venture into. “Economy always drives art. At the International Children’s Film Festival India (ICFFI), we are trying to drive home the point that making films exclusively for children is good business too,” says Nandita who plans to take nearly 250 films with the CFSI to youngsters across the country.“We don’t want to listen to children,” points out the CFSI chairperson who observes that children are at the bottom of the pecking order in the hierarchical Indian society. “The freedom to question, to choose, is often not granted to children. We as adults need to voice their concerns so that they are heard,” believes Nandita who has worked on issues related to child-labour and feels that the privileged class owes it to the society to give back to it.“The moral responsibility to make each show a treat lies on us. Just because they are children, they shouldn’t be preached to, nor should they be taken lightly as an audience. We do hope that each of these films makes for a great viewing experience for the children,” hopes Nandita.