A film on porn, set for screening on Saturday, is among the Indian attractions at Biffes. Its actor-director Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan talks about the onslaught on privacy in the Internet age.
Lens, a multi-lingual film, tackles a theme considered bold for Indian cinema: porn. It marks the directorial debut of Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan, a techie who turned to acting with such Tamil films as Yennai Arindhaal and Urumi.
Lens comes to Bengaluru after receiving an enthusiastic reception at many international festivals, including the recent one at Pune. It will be screened on Saturday.
Jayaprakash is in town to participate in the Bengaluru International Film Festival, beginning on Thursday. In an interview with Express, he talks about the challenges he faced during the making of Lens.
What was the trigger for Lens? Have you come across any couples devastated by their intimate moments appearing online?
The idea for Lens was born out of a Skype conversation with my acting mentor in the US. We discussed the possibility of using new media to make movies. It was a spark. I was asked by my teacher, ‘What if I wish to commit suicide and force you to watch it?’ Every story begins with a ‘what if’ moment. Now I had the trigger but no story, so I explored suicide in the context of the cyber world and found that MMS scandals and suicides had a connection.
What were the challenges of making a film on such a bold and potentially controversial subject? Did you have to tweak your script keeping in mind the censors, who won’t allow nudity? Did you run into any problems because of your dual role as actor and director?
The first challenge was to find a producer. I did not find one, so I decided to produce it with my friends. I wrote the script as truthfully as possible and did not want to compromise on the narrative. I had expected an ‘A’ certificate but the censors appreciated the content and the sensitivity. They were particular the story reach a wider audience and so gave Lens a ‘U/A’. My training in acting helped me a lot in handling my dual role. My cinematographer S R Kathir also helped me with it. The lead actor Anandsami is from a theatre background. He has 15 years’ experience in acting. A trained actor elevates storytelling in a film. I am proud to introduce his talent to the world.
Your film makes out a broad case against porn, but it also features some intimate scenes. Do you see that as a contradiction?
My film makes out a broad case against uploading and sharing of private moments of people without their consent.
Do you think porn has spun out of control in the Internet era? In 2010, Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan was out to block porn in India. Would you agree with such an approach to the regulation of porn?
Internet should always remain free without any control.That is the basic philosophy on which it was founded. But an individual needs to have moral and social responsibility.
We hear stories of women such as Sunny Leone who have survived porn and switched to other roles, and couples who have gone on with their lives even after their intimate moments went viral. Did you consider their perspectives when you wrote your film?
It is very inspiring to see people do that. Maybe I will write another story with that theme in the future.
How has the response been to Lens on the festival circuit?
Very encouraging. Lens won the best screen writer award at the Bioscope festival in Delhi. It was screened at the Chennai international festival to a packed audience. The response was amazing. At the Pune festival, we received a standing ovation. Lens is in competition in the Indian cinema category at Biffes.
Does Lens have any Bengaluru connection?
Yes, the lead actress Ashwathy Lal is from Bengaluru. Suresh S Kumar, who was part of the three-member direction team, is also from this city. He is soon to direct his first Kannada feature film.