Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta, OC OOntis an Indo-Canadian film director and screenwriter, most known for her Elements Trilogy, Fire, Earth, and Water; among which Earth was sent by India as its official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and Water was Canada's official entry for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, making it only the second non-French-language Canadian film to put forth for consideration in that category, and the first to receive an Oscar nomination. She also...
ProfessionDirector
Date of Birth1 January 1950
blessed days few
There are a few days that feel perfect, blessed by God. This is one of them.
children
What the children see, they do, ... What they do doesn't come of nothing.
australia gone indians largely mainstream march release spain talking
We aren't talking about theatres where Indians largely attend. Yes, 'Water' has gone mainstream with an 80-print release all over the US. But before that we have a large release at the end of March in Spain and Australia in April.
men differences making-a-difference
To make a film is very difficult - it doesn't make a difference whether you are a man or a woman
interesting rays india
The most interesting part of IIFA is that I get to meet filmmakers from India. I just attended a symposium on Satyajit Ray with Rituparno Ghosh and others. It was just so satisfying
lines want scripts
While we're working on the script, I never see any films. I make it a point because I don't want to get distracted. I don't want to be influenced, and before I know it, have somebody say, "My God, she plagiarized that line."
thinking mind looks
Once the script is done, I put it aside for a month. I start thinking of all the films that have influenced me, which I have liked for different reasons, and not necessarily the look, but films that have moved me. Some very strange films came to mind.
sitting scripts film
I've never seen or heard of a mob sitting down to read a film script.
children eight years
It was difficult in India to find an eight year old who could play a widow. The reason for that is that most of the children in India are really exposed to Bollywood. It's commercial Indian cinema which is really over the top. To find an actor, or even a non-actor, who felt natural was difficult.
thinking feet reason
My screenplays are very detailed. The reason they're detailed... you have to think on your feet. You have to be ready to change because there are no such things as ideal conditions.
children widows india
Even though ashrams... probably still exist in India, you don't find a child widow anymore.
husband emotional social
When I was exposed to the history and the cultural background of why women whose husbands die, why they have to become ascetic or live a life that is completely deprived of emotional or social or cultural sustenance, I was really shocked.
writing directors screenplays
I write mostly as a director. That's why my screenplays are very detailed. So I get into the images I see. I like that.
sorry men white-man
Oh my God! Why did I leave India? I fell in love with a white man. That's what it was. It was the most boring, predictable reason in the world. I met him in India, we fell in love, and we got married. And then, we got divorced. Sorry about that.