Deriving pleasure from what you’re doing is the ultimate requirement for following things you believe in. For Mansoor Khan, the director of 1988 blockbuster ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ starring Aamir Khan, it happened when he took up farming in Coonoor after spending 20 years in the movie industry with just four films to his credit.
He continues to believe in farming and agriculture which has taken a majority of his life. The ace director was in the city recently to give a speech titled, The End of Growth, at Ascendas, as part of their Green Month initiative. He spoke at length about a variety of issues. In a short meeting with City Express, he continued from where he ended the speech that revolved around economy, environment, growth and the US.
How will talk on these sensitive issues help?
We can only start with talking. Talks have done great things in the past and have made great movements. So far, only talks have started making people realise that what they’re doing is not correct. But it will take time. It’s has taken 60 years to make people realise that chemical fertilisers are poisonous. Unless people don’t see the problem themselves, they will only think that what they’re doing is correct. But we’re only saying what is going to happen.
Whom do you want to talk to?
I want to talk to people who think that the growth will go on forever. I want to talk to the policy makers who have the power to decide things. I want to meet the educated people who think they can do anything they want. Because, people in the rural areas are very knowledgeable as far as environment is concerned. Only the graduates from IIM and other premier institutions think that this world is theirs.
Are you asking to reverse our life?
People think they have grown and want to grow more. But who decides what growth is? We think that raising tall structures or buying cars means growth, but we have been proved wrong. If I could live without a house which is conducive with nature, it means growth because it’s sustainable. It all started from agriculture. We could have produced differently for the masses, but we chose the wrong path.
So what do you do in Coonoor?
I’ve been studying about these things. We also try to create a self sustainable lifestyle with our own agricultural lands and dairy farming. There is also a concept called slow life. Earlier, if anyone was doing too many things, he was respected. But now, people who are calm and content are also being treated better.
What are the possibilities now?
Today, the world market eye on India and China, because we only have the buying power. But if suddenly a billion population demands for things more than five times than they use now, what will happen? People here have no idea about what they’re doing. Schemes like ‘Throw plastics away’ won’t help at all. We need to sensitise people.
Having been a filmmaker, wouldn’t you at least make a documentary on this?
I may make one. But how many people are watching a documentary or a short film today?