Anti-Terrorism Day - Santosh Sivan reflects on 'The Terrorist': "The film wasn't inspired by Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, but I was there when...."
Anti-Terrorism Day
, when we focus on the world of cinema to examine significant films that reshape our understanding of violence and human nature, one notable name that comes is 'The Terrorist.' Directed by the skilled
Santosh Sivan
.
Renowned for his exceptional talents in both cinematography and filmmaking, Sivan's 1998 film delves into the mind of a suicide bomber, providing a poignant investigation into the reasons behind such drastic actions.
In an exclusive conversation with us, Sivan shares his experiences in bringing the film to life, including casting decisions, the filming process, and more. Here are the excerpts from the conversation:
Was Tabu your first choice for the movie?
'Actually, I told Tabu about the script when I was shooting Iruvar for Mani Ratnam.
But later on, I thought that she was looking too imposing to do a role like that because she is also built very big and all that, though I love her as an actress.'
That's when Ayesha Dharker came in?
'Then we did some screen tests and then got hold of Ayesha Dharker, who was very committed, and her father (the late journalist Anil Dharker), of course, also told her, I think he warmed her up to the fact that it was a very interesting role and all that.'
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Extraspacious 3 and 4 BHKs from 6.76 Cr* in Mahalaxmi
7 Mahalaxmi
Book Now
Undo
Was it tough shooting such a volatile film?
'It was actually a very simple film, we shot only for some sixteen days, continuously. And most of the people who were working in the film were students. One of them who was assisting me was Vishnu Vardhan, who is now a director. And then I think we just went with the flow.'
Was the film inspired by Rajiv Gandhi's assassination?
'Not inspired. I was there when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated.
The suicide bomber and Rajiv Gandhi's assassination happened, and there was a lot of trauma following that. I and my doctor friend were stuck in place. So, I was asking him and I was thinking, how can anyone do something like this? And then I thought, what would make someone think twice suddenly, before actually doing it (acting as a human bomb)? First, I thought, if she sees a mother there, then maybe she won't do it.
Then I thought, why mother, why not? She realises she is pregnant.
Then how will she do it? So, that is how the story started.'
Were you worried about the political backlash?
'No, I was not worried about backlash and all that. I just treated it like a story that I would see, I would like to see, that's all. And of course, we didn't have any big budget, which made things much simpler and more organic and more real. We shot it in real rain and everything. And so, when I went to Sundance, it was also picked out as the visually most exciting film at that time.'
Check out our list of the
latest Hindi
,
English
,
Tamil
,
Telugu
,
Malayalam
, and
Kannada movies
. Don't miss our picks for the
best Hindi movies
,
best Tamil movies,
and
best Telugu films
.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Kevin Costner reacts to allegation over Horizon 2 rape scene: ‘The purpose was to embarrass me'
Actor Kevin Costner has fired back at a lawsuit filed by a stunt performer on his film Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2, alleging that she was forced to perform a 'violent' unscripted rape scene without without proper warning, consent or protocols. A stunt performer had sued Kevin Costner over his direction of a rape scene in his film series Horizon. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)(Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Kevin Costner speaks up In a declaration filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Costner called the accusations made by the stunt performer, who goes by the name Devyn LaBella, 'absolutely false' and 'deeply disappointing', as per Variety. The actor claimed that the allegations were 'designed' to damage his 'reputation.' 'I can only assume that purpose was to use this sensationalistic language to embarrass and damage me and the Horizon movies on an ongoing basis in order to gain a massive and unjustified payday,' Costner said in a court declaration. The 70-year-old added, 'Equally as bad, having to read about and address allegations I know to be false involving the words 'rape' and 'assault' has been an absolute nightmare.' In May, Devyn LaBella sued Costner for sexual harassment and for creating a hostile work environment. She alleged that Costner improvised a scene in which an actor straddled her and raked up her skirt in an aggressive manner. Responding to the same, Costner claimed that it was not a 'rape scene,' and that while rape was implied, there was no nudity or simulated sex. 'This was one artistic shot designed to imply what was going to happen off-screen, and purposely was not a 'simulated rape' as Devyn now falsely describes it,' he claimed. Now, Costner and his company are seeking to throw out the suit under California's anti-SLAPP law, which is designed to protect free speech on matters of public concern. More about the lawsuit In May this year, Devyn LaBella filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court. It names Costner — the director, star and co-writer of the Horizon series of Westerns — and its production companies as defendants. According to The Guardian, Devyn LaBella, the stunt double for lead actor Ella Hunt, alleged that on 2 May 2023, Costner improvised a scene in which their character Juliette is raped, one day after Hunt and LaBella filmed a scripted scene in which a different character rapes Juliette. When Hunt declined to perform the scene, LaBella was reportedly then summoned to set without knowledge. A former gymnast, the 34-year-old LaBella has worked steadily as a Hollywood stunt performer since 2020, with credits including Barbie and Yellowjackets.
India Today
29 minutes ago
- India Today
Meta launches AI feature that lets creators dub their voices on Facebook and Instagram
Meta is giving creators a new way to break through language barriers on Facebook and Instagram. The company has begun rolling out an AI-powered voice translation tool worldwide, promising to help content travel further than ever update means that creators can now dub their videos into different languages while still sounding like themselves. Rather than replacing their voices with a generic narrator, Meta's system recreates their tone and style so that the end result feels authentic. In other words, the AI makes you sound like you, just in another isn't Meta's first mention of the feature. It was teased last year at the company's Connect developer conference, where it was initially tested on reels. Now, after a pilot run, the technology is being made widely available anywhere Meta AI is offered. At launch, the tool supports English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English translations, but Meta says more languages are on the way. For now, it's open to all public Instagram accounts and Facebook creators with over 1,000 followers. The way it works is simple. Before publishing a reel, creators will see an option labelled 'Translate your voice with Meta AI.' A quick toggle lets them turn on translations, and they can even choose to add lip-syncing so the dubbed version lines up neatly with their mouth movements. Once the reel is shared, the translated audio plays automatically for viewers, along with a small note indicating that Meta AI handled the creators can preview their dubbed reels before posting. If the translation doesn't quite hit the mark, they can disable it without affecting the original content. Viewers also get some control: if they'd rather not see translated clips in certain languages, they can adjust their settings the new voice tool, Meta is offering fresh analytics in the Insights panel. Creators will now be able to see how their views break down by language, giving them a clearer picture of where their audiences are growing. This could become especially useful as more languages are added over are some tips for getting the best results. Meta advises creators to face the camera, speak clearly, and avoid covering their mouths. Background noise should be minimal, and while the tool does allow up to two speakers in a video, they shouldn't talk over one another if they want the translations to work smoothly. In a separate update, Facebook creators can now upload as many as 20 of their own dubbed audio tracks to a reel. This sits within the 'Closed captions and translations' section of the Meta Business Suite and, unlike the AI option, works even after a video has gone chief Adam Mosseri put it, 'We know there are amazing creators whose audiences don't necessarily share the same language. If we can help connect them across those boundaries, we can help them grow.'The timing of this rollout is also telling. Meta is once again reshuffling its AI division, with a sharper focus on research, infrastructure, products, and the long-term goal of creators, though, the promise is straightforward: your reels can now talk to the world, literally.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
31 minutes ago
- India Today
AR Murugadoss says SRK liked Madharasi pitch before Sivakarthikeyan
Acclaimed filmmaker AR Murugadoss is gearing up for the release of his next Tamil outing, 'Madharasi, headlined by Sivakarthikeyan, on September 5. But in a recent revelation, the director shared that the project almost took shape in Bollywood, with none other than Shah Rukh Khan in the to Galatta Plus, Murugadoss recalled, 'I didn't plan the whole film with Shah Rukh Khan, but I did pitch the character to him long back. Around seven or eight years ago, I narrated the idea, and he liked it.'advertisementAt that stage, Murugadoss explained, the film existed only as a character sketch rather than a full script. 'Back then, I only had the character, just an idea, not the full script. Cinematographer Ravi K Chandran had arranged a meeting with Shah Rukh. He was very sweet and said we'd do the film. But the delay stretched too long, and it never materialised.' The director's attempt at a Hindi version eventually fizzled out, partly due to the lack of further communication and his own mixed experiences in Bollywood, despite his blockbuster success with Aamir Khan's 'Ghajini' (2008).Now firmly rooted in Tamil cinema, 'Madharasi' boasts a strong ensemble cast featuring Rukmini Vasanth, Vidyut Jammwal, and Biju Menon alongside Sivakarthikeyan. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is currently shooting 'King' with daughter Suhana last directorial, 'Sikandar' with Salman Khan, failed to strike gold earlier this year, a disappointment he candidly attributes to unforeseen challenges.- EndsMust Watch
