“It Is Not Easy To Be A Woman Director”

Meet Promita Bhowmik. A University topper, Promita wears her academic feathers almost invisibly on her lapel. She is a gifted poet, writer and has published her own poems over the past few years. Then, the film bug pushed her to make films and she shifted her focus to film-making without losing touch with her poetry.

Promita enrolled in some film technique courses and made one poetic film called Apeksha, followed by Porichoy, a short film featuring Sudipta Chakraborty and Koninica in the two major roles and then came Probaho, another short film featuring Madhabi Mukherjee coping with her loneliness having lost her husband and child to Covid.

Her first full-length feature film Ahana was part of the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival last year and is now doing the rounds of film festivals across India. Ahana is about a young woman who is a writer. But the couple do not have a child. How Ahana makes a definite choice to embrace motherhood is what makes for a powerful statement.

What is Ahana all about?

The film portrays the journey of a young author in a patriarchal society and her struggle to preserve her identity and live life on her own terms. It was very hard to make my first feature film as a woman writer,director and producer. But we made it and I am overwhelmed by the festival invites it is getting.

What inspired you to make your debut film on male infertility in the first place?

Actually my debut feature film is not only on male infertility. The film portrays a journey of a ‘woman writer’ in a patriarchal society and her struggle to preserve her identity. It’s a story of a woman in today’s time. How a dignified,successful woman frees herself from the shackles of norms society thrusts on her to finally be what she wants to be. The storyline also deals with a sensitive issue of male infertility, which is still less talked about in Indian society.

Is your story inspired from real life or is it completely fictitious?

I wrote this story and screenplay in the year 2018/2019. At that time I found rapidly IVF clinics were established all over Kolkata as well as India. I have a few doctor friends, who are specialized in gynaecology and obstetrics. I talked with them about infertility in India and IVF procedure as I was curious to know about it. It was strange to know that male infertility rate in India and abroad is too high. Then I started research on it. I thought of writing a story about it and wrote the story at first. Gradually it got a shape of a screenplay. I wrote numerous drafts of the script as it was my first screenplay for a feature film. It was a long journey of the process of script to screen.

How difficult was it for you, a debutant with your first feature, to direct veteran actors like Sudipta and Joy?

It was not difficult for me to direct veteran actors like Sudipta and Joy.They were very helpful and never treated me as a new director on the floor.We had long preproduction sessions, several meetings and discussions. They were very cooperative with me. Earlier, I worked with Sudipta di in my short film and that association helped me to work in my feature film too.

How long did it take to complete the film from conception to censor certificate?

Almost six years.

I hear you had to face many obstacles during the making of the film. Can you mention some of them without stepping into trouble?

Yes, I had to face many obstacles during the making of the film. I think it’s always tough for a debut director to make first feature film. But perhaps being a ‘woman director’ is much more difficult. Though I don’t like to use this term ‘woman director’, in this patriarchal industry, gender is a big issue. I just could not get a producer for the film. Some of them said, ‘it’s a good script’ but they did not proceed. Maybe they did not want to proceed with such a woman-centric theme. Some of them wanted to produce, promised and I waited for a long time. But finally withdrew. I finally took a huge risk and began to draw on my savings to make the film. Very few well-wishers helped me. I was determined to make this film. But as the budget went on rising for different reasons, I could only complete shooting with my own money. Then we made a pitch clip of the film and searched for a co-producer to complete the film. By God’s grace I got a co-producer in the name and style of Sankar Basu of Dolphin International and completed the entire post production process.

You are basically a poet-turned-filmmaker. In what way do you think poetry helps or hinders the director in you?

I think there is a deep connection between poetry and film. Poetry plays an important role in the development of the cinematic process and the story telling. It can influence the entire cinematic experience. Poetry helped the director in me to tell the story in the cinema as I wanted to tell.

Now that you are a full-fledged filmmaker with your first feature film being screened at film festivals, what, do you think, is the function of cinema? Please explain.

To me, as an art form cinema communicates ideas, stories, emotions, perceptions, experiences through moving images. It gives a deeper understanding.

Who among directors do you think have been a motivating force for you as you step into the world of direction and why? Mention at least five and explain why you choose them over others.

I would like to mention the name of three directors, who have been a motivating force for me to step into the world of direction – Satyajit Ray, Ingmar Bergman and Abbas Kiarostami.

Since childhood I have been an admirer of Satyajit Ray’s writings and films. The sensitivity of Ray’s storytelling has influenced me deeply. His work encouraged me to make films.

Swedish director Ingmar Bergman is undoubtedly one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. I was deeply moved by his unique style,detailing and exploration of the human psyche. When I started writing the screenplay, I got the screenplay of two Bergman films eventually. Everyday, I used to read those scripts, tried to understand and gradually started film writing by his influence. Last but not the least, I would like to share the influence of Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami on me. Maybe I could not step into the world of film direction if I didn’t watch Kiarostami’s films. He was a poet, a photographer and of course, a filmmaker. I love his poems very much. His films are known for their ambiguity and simplicity. And those films portray a poetic experience through imagery. I like his minimalist style.

If you are not technically trained in film direction, how did you deal with your technical crew - cinematographer, editor, music director, art director and so on?

I didn’t go to film school. But I did short courses on cinematography, editing, sound designing. Attended workshops on script writing, make-up, styling. I did a film appreciation course, joined a masterclass. More over, for last few years I made poetry films, documentary films, short films. I have Directed eminent veteran actresses. Those films were officially selected and awarded in several prestigious international film festivals. So it’s a journey of filmmaking to me and it was not tough to deal with my technical crew of feature film.I am the writer, director and producer of Ahana. And I did the job of production designer, art director and executive producer too.

What next?

I want to make another feature film. The script is ready. But I am no hurry. Let my first feature film complete its festival round and reach the audience first. Then I’ll proceed for the next one.