The acclaimed film 1947 Earth (1999), directed by Deepa Mehta, completed 25 years on September 10. It was special for many reasons – it featured Aamir Khan in a rare negative role, it served as the acting debut of Rahul Khanna, its song ‘Rut Aa Gayi Re’ has a strong recall value, it told the story that is relevant even today, etc. Another memorable factor of the film was the bravura performance by Nandita Das. This was one of her initial films and yet, she played a difficult character with ease.
25 Years of 1947 Earth EXCLUSIVE: Nandita Das reveals that despite being a star, Aamir Khan was treated just like any other unit member on the sets: “The working environment on the sets was egalitarian and different from what he was probably used to”
As 1947 Earth celebrated its 25th anniversary, Nandita Das spoke exclusively with Bollywood Hungama about her memories, experience of working on the film and a lot more.
How did you bag 1947 Earth? Was there an audition?
There was no ‘bagging’ the role or even an audition for Earth, or for that matter any film. I never wanted to be an actor and therefore, there was no goal or dream to pursue. I have remained a hesitant actor, even after doing more than 40 feature films. I had worked with Deepa before in Fire (1996) and I was one of the first people that she shared the script of Earth with. In fact, it was even before the male leads were cast. Strangely, even for Fire, Deepa didn’t audition me!
This was your second film with Deepa Mehta. What was the bond like for you and her on the sets of this film?
Deepa and I have been friends since Fire and the relationship has always been strong, warm and frank. Fire was an intimate film with a small cast and crew and Deepa, and I became friends; we still meet to share and hear each other. We both are looking forward to working together again.
Rahul Khanna was a newcomer. Please tell us how it was working with him…
Rahul is a lovely person, and we really got along. We became friends on and off the set and that made it very comfortable to work with him. He has a great sense of humour, and it was so much fun to work with him. Pity we have lost touch with each other now.
Aamir Khan was an established star by then. How was the experience of working with him?
Yes, Aamir, by then, was a huge star but the whole working environment on Earth was quite different from what he was probably used to. At the time, it was far more egalitarian and low-key than a mainstream Hindi film. He was not used to doing sync sound in films, so I remember that was something he was fascinated by but also found it a bit challenging. And strangely, all the films that I had done till then, were with sync sound. In fact, for me, dubbing which I did later, was something new.
I think it is one of Aamir’s finest performances to date. He was so in character, both in appearance and the way he performed. He was a very supportive co-star, and I really enjoyed working with him.
The final scene is chilling and unforgettable. Was it difficult for you to get the emotions right in that scene?
Yes, the last scene is very disturbing, and it required a lot of emotional and physical involvement. I just submitted to that scene, to my director and to that moment. It is one of those scenes that you see and wonder how you did it. Also, it worked so well because everyone was feeling it in their bones and that’s why it was not difficult. It just happened!
The film is about the horrors of partition and conflicts and sadly, such situations are arising even today. Does it sadden you that we haven’t learned from these tragedies?
It is true that collectively we haven’t learnt from the horrors of partition and still resort to prejudice and violence. But it is all more the reason why such stories need to be told. Those who want to reflect and grow will have something to hold on to. Also, we don’t know how much worse the world would have been if we did not document such stories.
Did you visit cinema halls to check the response to the film? Do you recall the reviews at the time?
I don’t think I have ever really gone to cinema halls to check the response of a film that I have acted in, or for that matter, even directed. Once you deliver the baby, then it’s really in the hands of the audience. And each one will process it differently based on their own life experiences. So, I do the best I can and then I don’t revisit it.
The song ‘Rut Aa Gayi Re’ has kept the film alive in many ways. Your views on the music?
Earth has incredible songs that were composed by A R Rahman. As it was in the pre-digital era, it didn’t get as much traction as the songs today get. But good art will always stand the test of time.
After Earth, the industry and fans were looking forward to Water. Could you tell us what you went through when the film unfortunately got stalled? And how did you feel when it was revived much later with a different star cast? You would have been the only actress to be there in all three elemental films of Deepa Mehta…
It was indeed very sad that I could not be part of Water, as I was going to be playing one of the leads in all three films of the Trilogy. However, as the producers had incurred heavy losses, they wanted to ensure that the film was shot in a different location with a different cast and under a different name. They had to hide the shoot completely. While there was regret at the time, I feel every film has its own destiny and there’s no point crying over spilt milk!
Any update on the OTT or TV release of your 2023 directorial, Zwigato (starring Kapil Sharma)?
I wish I could give you an update on the OTT release of Zwigato. It’s been a year and a half, and I am waiting to get some news too. This is really a question for the main producer of the film, Applause Entertainment. After amazing responses from film critics and audiences who saw it at festivals and theatres, one hopes it will soon be available for a wider audience. I have no idea why it hasn’t been released yet. Let’s hope they will find a way to release it on one of the major OTT platforms.
Also Read: Nandita Das expresses gratitude towards audience post Zwigato release; says, “This weekend was quite a rollercoaster ride of emotions”
More Pages: 1947 (Earth) Box Office Collection
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