Harry Potter was not creative enough: Mira

| 03 December 2004 23:07 IST

Mira Nair, an Indian filmmaker in Hollywood, rejected the offer to make a film on Harry Potter simply because she did not find it creative enough for her psyche.

“I do not like to take up a film which others can also make with similar creative talent”, said Ms Nair.

The 35th International Film Festival was opened here with Mira Nair’s new film Vanity Fair, on 29 November.

“Harry Potter needed more of a technical creativity. I like to be creative with my cast, the human beings”, she quips.

She admits that it was quite a difficult decision for her to reject the Harry Potter offer, but she dared to decline because she felt anybody could do that film.

Following films like Salaam Bombay and Monsoon Weddings, Nair’s Vanity Fair is based on a English novel, which had mesmerised her years ago. It’s based on London of 18th century, which was like a slum.

“We had a tough time creating that London, full with pigs, garbage and muck. Luckily, London’s well-maintained libraries came for our rescue”, she recalls.

Nair is presently working on Namesake, based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, featuring Konkana Sen and Irfan Khan along with Hollywood actors.

In spite of her financers’ requests, she has stuck to Indian cast and not the famous Hollywood cast, simply because they would not be able to give justice to the Bengali family of ‘60s with their foreign looks.

Going against the trend, Namesake will also have part of it in black and white.

“It is difficult to make movies with unconventional themes and actors that may not sell in the market”, she admits. However, she is thankful to the Hollywood producers, who have been posing confidence in her creativity and sensitivity.

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