Iran auteur: Remove hope from life, then not much remains

Iran auteur Majid Majidi talks about his first Indian film ‘Beyond the Clouds’ in a media interview, saying life without hope is "not much."

Iranian director recently revealed in an interview published by Indian media what led to the making of ‘Beyond the Clouds and why his works end with hope’.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

‘Beyond The Clouds’ is your first Indian film. What made you decide to set it in India?

As I travelled across India, I realised that Indian life is very dramatic yet rooted in reality and culture. I love to portray this reality in my cinema. All these factors encouraged me to make movies here. Though, initially, we had considered Jaipur and Varanasi as the backdrop, we ultimately settled for Mumbai. After all, it is the city of cinema. India contains an array of cultures. We can see the obvious mingling of these cultures in Mumbai.

How did Mumbai influence your story?

It’s very interesting for me that people in this city live together, in harmony, despite their differences. No one crosses their limit. Once, I spotted a lady at the corner of a street. She was busy cooking, not bothered about who is staring at her. Since my childhood, I have been curious to know what people are doing behind the wall. What do they eat? How do they live? Such walls don’t exist for people on Mumbai’s streets. I can see everything clearly.

Family is an important dimension in your films, isn’t it?

My core concern is related to the essence of having a family. When a family is strong, it contributes to building a strong society. I lost my father at the age of 15. Being the second- eldest sibling, we had to take care of the family after him. Since then, I am acutely aware of how important family is and why we should try to preserve it.

Did you consider making a love story, something which Indians love?

The love we see in cinema, even in Bollywood, is very artificial, like plastic. I believe in a love that makes us exult from within. That’s invaluable. For instance, Latif in Baran is initially very miserly and mischievous. After he is touched by love (Latif falls for a girl who is masquerading as a boy to make a living), he is ready to sacrifice his life’s savings for her safety. That is what I want to show. Love should make us better persons.

Most of your films end with hope.

Because hope is very important. If you remove hope from life, then not much is left

'Beyond The Clouds' has been released in cinemas. The film revolves around a pair of brother and sister who, in a bid to help each other, face trouble.

AG/AG