Winning picture of innocence

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There is something about innocence and when a film displays it through a simple story told from a child’s perspective, nothing can be more magical. This is a personal opinion of the people who have worked together for Dekh Indian Circus, a children film that has won four National Awards including Best Children Film, Jury Special Award for Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Best Actor), Best Child Actor and Jury Special Mention for Tannishtha Chatterjee (Best Actress).
Director Mangesh Hadawale says he could not have asked for more. “I knew that my film cannot compete with big-budgeted projects, but these many awards and support of people is unbelievable,” says Mangesh, who had earlier taken the film to 16th Busan Film Festival in the New Currents section, where it won Audience Choice Award.
The art of simple story telling proved to be the USP of the project, feels Mangesh. “There are many layers in the story that open gradually. It is about the struggle of a family that finds it hard to afford a circus ticket that comes for `25 and an MLA who spends lakhs for election ticket,” says Mangesh.
Prasoon Joshi who wrote the lyrics for Dekh Indian Circus, says that he was sold when he heard the script. “No matter how much we work for commercial films or Bollywood cinema, regional cinema has its own flavours which a person like me recongises very well,” says Prasoon who did not charge a penny for the film. “It is our responsibility to promote such movies that otherwise get ignored due to lack of funds and promotion,” he adds.
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui feels the film connected him with his childhood. “The reason for me to connect with this film is that it takes me back to my childhood. We also struggled to afford little things when I was in the village and how things like a circus would create lot of excitement,” says Nawazuddin, who is planning to take a long break after he goes to Cannes. “I’ll disappear once all my social commitments are over,” he shares.
Tannishtha Chatterjee adds, “It was one of the most difficult roles for me because I had to turn myself into a completely new mould. I had to speak rustic language which I had never done earlier.” Virendra Singh Rathore, who auditioned among 11, 800 children, never thought that he would be selected for the National Awards. “I did not know anything — acting or camera. But when I was finalised for the role, Mangesh bhaiya (director) taught me everything and always said that I will get a National Award. It is his dream come true for me,” says the child actor.