TIFF Regular Rima Das: Taking India On A Global Platform, One Film At A Time

National Award winning Filmmaker Rima Das has just returned to India after attending the premiere of her third Assamese film ‘Tora’s Husband’ at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival and she is overwhelmed with the response she has received for the film that captures the impact of pandemic on human race.

“Each film is like a baby and seeing it have its own journey pleases my soul. Every step, every film festival is special,” says the filmmaker in an interview with Outlook adding that “Tora’s Husband shows how the global pandemic is affecting life in a remote place in India. Seeing our labour of love find acceptance at an international platform means a lot to us.”

'Tora’s Husband' is Rima Das’ third feature to premiere at TIFF in a row and the first to be selected in the Platform section. Named after Jia Zhang-ke's ground-breaking film 'Platform', the section aims to shine a brighter light on some of the most original films and distinct voices at TIFF.

The film featuring Abhijit Das and Tarali Kalita Das in the lead roles is a story of a loving father and a kind neighbor, who struggles to keep his small-town business afloat while his relationships deteriorate, amidst loss and lockdowns. Shot during the lockdown, the film depicts life in a small town during the pandemic.  The film is making its Asia Premiere at the 27th Busan International Film Festival in ‘Window to Asian Cinema’ section too.

Talking about the response that she has received during TIFF, Rima says that It’s nice to see that people connected with the story, the characters, and the time. “They felt like they were one of them. Some people related with the storytelling, some liked the raw and realistic portrayal, some others liked the calmness amidst the chaos,” she says and adds that “People have told me that they identified with the conflict between the inner world and outer world, which they too felt during the pandemic.”

The filmmaker is known for making indigenous and realistic stories that explore complicated relationships, finding purpose, coming of age, and life amidst nature. Her previous films' Village Rockstars' and 'Bulbul Can Sing' also premiered at TIFF, and were screened at over 120 prestigious film festivals around the world winning over 70 Awards.

‘Village Rockstars’ was also India's Official Entry to the Academy Awards 2019. Sharing how important are such felicitations for her, Rima says, “I learnt filmmaking by watching world cinema. It gave me the feeling that we are all one, and humanity is connected.  So having international recognition is important.”

However, she feels that there are times due to a lack of promotions and marketing, independent films from India do not get enough visibility. “If I look back at my journey - where I started and where I am today, it feels very special to be here. It is amazing when people talk to me about ‘Village Rockstars’ and ‘Bulbul Can Sing’ as though it’s still so fresh in their minds,”

Probably this is the reason why she wanted to capture the pandemic with her new films, “I have realized that the pandemic took such a toll on people that they want to escape it. It took me a while as well, to decide whether I want to tell a pandemic story or not. I felt this was an important time in history and I should document it realistically.”

Rima has also dedicated the film to her father whom she lost shortly after she began shooting Tora’s Husband. “The film was supposed to be a family drama. The personal loss and restlessness of the pandemic found their way into the story. If he were around, the film would have been different but I cannot pinpoint in what way. In this film, I have tried to be true to myself, the world of my characters, and the times we were living in.”

Talking about whether regional cinema deserves more such appreciation, she says that her job as a director is more or less complete once the film is ready but as a Producer, she needs to keep working to make the film reach more and more people. “I feel bad that some beautiful films get lost due to lack of visibility. As much as we work on making a good film, I feel filmmakers should work on its marketing and distribution,” says Rima.

And finally, does she ever see herself doing hardcore commercial cinema?

To this, she answers, “I have already begun a film that I will go back to. I love all kinds of cinema. Comedy, horror, thriller, romance, drama, superhero film - whatever the genre, I believe what mesmerizes the audience is the storytelling. I grew up watching hardcore commercial cinema. So yes, I would love to do it, my way.”