Female film directors call the shots

Anusha Rizvi and Rajshree Ojha are the new faces of an emerging trend in Bollywood - one where women are beginning to take up the top jobs in the industry. If Ojha's female-oriented flick Aisha has made critics stand up and take notice, Rizvi's political satire on farmers' suicides gives viewers a break from Bollywood's usual soppy fare. Both talk on what makes them tick.

After the Friday release of Peepli Live, debutant director Anusha Rizvi's phone hasn't stopped ringing. With TV studios and newspapers packing her day's schedule with interviews, she is unfazed by the adulation and rave reviews pouring in. Though her political satire got a rousing welcome, Rizvi isn't swayed by her sudden fame, and the former TV professional has her feet firmly on the ground. "Yes I was expecting a good response but I am not bothered about the number of stars critics give - but yes, I am happy that there is an engagement with the audience," says Rizvi.

Infusing humour in tragedy and juggling realpolitik with satire, Rizvi made her presence felt at film festivals in Berlin, Melbourne and Durban, and the Sundance Film Festival as well. But what made her take up such a serious theme on her debut? "I don't look at a movie in terms of box office success - it's a subject I felt close to. My only concern is that the film should reach the people," she says.

In a field dominated by men, Rizvi feels women are slowly but surely making inroads into the directorial and technical side. "Like every field, this one too is maledominated.

But one has to ignore that and move on. I am happy that more women are coming up and are going to be on the map for good," she says.

Rizvi's idea for Peepli Live was conceived after reading reports on farmers' suicides about six years back. It struck her that there were incentives only for the dead, the ones alive had no support. Soon the idea turned into a script, which she mailed to Aamir Khan. "I sent it to Aamir as I felt he would be interested in producing an unusual theme like Peepli Live, " says Rizvi.

However, she gets defensive when asked about her alleged differences with Aamir Khan. "In a creative project, differences are bound to happen, especially when it's a long-drawn one. Everything cannot be hunky-dory. But he gave me immense freedom," she says.

The challenges of being a debutant are many and being a woman makes it slightly worse, admits Rizvi. Working with a team of people who were facing the camera for the first time was a challenge but fun too, she admits. It took four months for Rizvi and co-director husband Mahmood Farooqui to finalise the cast. Looking back, she says it was the best part of the making the film. Can we expect a woman-centric film next? "I have one or two ideas in mind, but not a woman's movie," says Rizvi.

Rajshree Ojha may have wowed her audience with her feel-good flick Aisha but it took a fiveyear wait during which period she was cold-shouldered by many leading production houses. Her big break finally came when actor Anil Kapoor agreed to produce her movie - but only after she had roped in another production house to cast Sonam Kapoor as the lead. Aisha is raking in the moolah at the box office, but Ojha isn't exactly ecstatic, she says.

"My story was turned down by many because it's woman-centric.

I was shown the door and told the project wouldn't be commercially viable. Moreover, I had no filmi background and to top it all… a woman director!" says Ojha.

Aisha's script is an adaptation of Jane Austin's classic Emma, which tells the story of a rich, beautiful, high-spirited girl, who is rather over-confident of her match-making skills.

But why Emma? "I was fascinated by the character as she has many shades. One page you love her and the next, you hate her," says the director. So it's not just about the fashion-conscious South Delhi crowd, as most reviews say? "It's more than just fashion - it's about Aisha and her high society life. It's an outright rom- com flick," says Ojha.

After studying cinema in the US and after a few short films there, Ojha decided to make her Bollywood debut with Aisha. However, her first film (Chaurahein) in 2007 was an arty venture, which dealt with relationships.

The director feels that like any other field, Bollywood too is a man's world. "Very much like any other field, I did face a lot of difficulties being a woman but it's all beautifully wrapped. It's a part and parcel of life," she says. But the director feels there's a definite trend emerging with more women making a mark. "We now have many talented directors. Women like Farah Khan have proved naysayers wrong. I think we will inspire more women to follow suit, but there are some men who still have a problem taking orders from women," feels Ojha.

Ojha chose Delhi as the backdrop for the film as she felt the Capital has a unique blend of old world charm and modernity. "Delhites are class- conscious, but manage to strike a fine balance between tradition and modernity much like Emma's England. Delhi is also famous for its glamour and fashion. The city has many layers and moods," feels the director.

Like any other chick flick, Aisha hasn't escaped being compared to Sex and the City. "Be it New York or Delhi, at the end of the day, women are waiting for the right man to walk into their life," she says. Well, is the 34-year-old director too waiting for Mr Right? "Right now, I am busy with work, but you never know," signs off Ojha with a wink.