Producer Sooraj Kumar is staking his all for an Indo-Argentinian film on poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore and litterateur Victoria Ocampo. Enigmatic to some, Kumar feels the story needs to be told today simply because it is the most sacred there ever could be between a man and a woman. By Rinku Ghosh
Poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore truly became a global citizen after he wrote Gitanjali and his works had a profound impact on the intellectual movement in latin America. One of his most ardent fans, who went on to become his emotional equivalent and sounding board, was Argentine litterateur, critic and writer Victoria Ocampo. Their relationship, in which both drew sustenance from each other and shared their imagination, is the most platonic and soulful that could ever be. Though they met each other very briefly in the 1920s, each was to nurture their cross-continental ties through a series of letters and gifts.
Now Argentinian director Pablo César is leading a joint project with Indian producer Suraj Kumar to finally talk about this unusual story that has been waiting to take off for the last few years. Veteran actor Victor Banerjee plays Tagore while Argentinian actress Aleonora Wexler plays Victoria.
The storyline swings between the past and the present to contextualise it for a contemporary audience. Argentine professor Felix, having grown up on a legacy of Tagore, visits India to know more about him, Shantiniketan and spirituality. He meets Kamali (Raima Sen) in Shantiniketan. The echoes of the encounter between the great Indian poet with Victoria run parallel to that of the modern-day protagonists.
Producer Suraj Kumar took up the project the moment his friend and the then Indian ambassador facilitated the Argentinian project, 60 per cent of which was being paid by the film corporation there. They needed somebody to pitch in for the remaining 40 per cent. Kumar, who has produced many documentaries, was immediately drawn to the subject though not a Tagore scholar himself. And so touched was he that although he didn’t get funds from the Central, Bengal governments or NFDC (National Film Development Corporation of India), he decided to pledge his goodwill, assets and studio so that shooting can begin next month. “Many doubts were cast about the Argentinian funding considering their economy was not in a very good shape. But do you know that ten per cent of all film screening revenue is deposited in a corpus that is used to finance filmmakersIJ So there is no dearth of funding for filmcraft, it is that prized,” he told us.
So what made him continue with the co-production when despite lobbying hard for a year, all he got were refusal letters from the NFDC as well as various ministriesIJ “I think this was one of Tagore’s most complete relationships and there was nothing saucy about it. It was about a pure platonic bond between a man and a woman. The association has been very well-documented, interpreted and researched upon. There is no room for speculation. Victoria not only inspired the ascetic to swing back to romanticism with hisPurabi series of poems, where she is referred to as Vijaya, bringing out his emotions and ardour, but also encouraged him to exhibit his paintings in Paris. They shared their deepest thought processes, discussed world literature, Baudelaire and this is as sacred as it can get. She is the one who convinced him to go beyond doodling into sketches and paintings and sponsored his exhibition in Paris. Both challenged each other as equals. I, therefore, thought that the story needed to be told. Also, this is the very first time a full-length feature film is being made on Tagore, beginning from 1924 and his death in 1941. In fact, you will find many films on Gandhi but not one on Tagore. In the regional space, there are films made on Tagore’s works and women but not him. The film begins with Tagore’s son Rathindranath receiving a telegram from Victoria, which read, ‘Thinking of Him.’ That happens to be the title of our film. Victoria herself would describe Tagore as the closest person to him as her life itself.”
Kumar invested two to four years in studies and research. “Considering Victoria was a leading light of the golden age of Argentina’s literary history, there is a lot of material on her association with Tagore from 1914, when she read about the poet the first time through a French translation ofGitanjali. I think they have better research material. We visited Vishwabharati University twice though for our research, especially for authencity of costumes.” The team even relied heavily on Prof SP Ganguly of JNU. “After getting the script from Argentina, I went ahead with cross-checking facts at our end. Then the script was rewritten three or four times. We have been that meticulous,” Kumar added.
Highlighting that the connect was largely spiritual, Kumar said Victoria was facing marital problems when she found direction in Gitanjali. “She wanted to divorce her husband but could not as she was a Catholic. Feeling trapped, Tagore presented her a view of eternal life beyond material problems. So when she came to know that Tagore was visiting Buenos Aires with his British friend lord Elmhirst and had fallen ill, she offered her villa at Miralrio on River Plate to help him recuperate.” There, by the river and under the shadow of a tree, they had a series of conversations. “We have got permission for shooting in Victoria’s house and Shantiniketan as well,” he added.
The only help Kumar has got so far is from the ICCR which is organising tickets for the film crew to travel to and fro.
How will this film be received in IndiaIJ And Kumar clarified, “Our film is not just about inter-personal relations, it is also about the vision of Tagore. We are showcasing Shantiniketan and its philosophy.”
About 60 per cent of the film relating to Tagore and Victoria is being shot in black and white for historical authenticity. “We are shooting in 35mm. Kodak has stopped manufacturing black and white rolls and are especially doing it for us. Now the cost of black and white is double that of colour. We have to be very careful about wastage. That’s the reason why we have selected very professional and trained artistes,” said Kumar.
Victoria helped the universalist Tagore connect on a human plane. As he wrote,“let us for the last time go out together to pick the flowers of spring/ Many springs will visit your garden, I want just one. ‘Forget youIJ never!’ I had said when, on/ Tear’s brink, your eyes, wordless, held my face/....it was only because you came that my life was filled with harvest of songs.../The light in your eyes stole out of sun-beams,/the secret in their core and made music of it all.”
The sense of longing comes much later, making one feel that Tagore was more in love with the memory of her and the sweet glow of nostalgia. Prof Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, in his book of interpretations, cites a letter Tagore wrote to Victoria from a ship during one of his voyages. “I always feel nervous whenever a new gift of friendship comes in my way. But I accept my destiny and if you also have the courage to fully accept it, we shall ever remain friends....I am not free to give up my freedom — for this freedom is claimed by my Master for his service.” Tagore believed not in human limits or definitions but transcended mortality to his spiritual fullness. Victoria understood that, a rarity among many men and women who knew him.