Dibakar Banerjee to take ‘Shanghai’ to Greece

Now that Dibakar Banerjee’s political thriller Shanghai is almost ready, the director has to fulfill a promise that he made to himself. He must show the film to author Vassilis Vassilikos on whose novel Z, Dibakar’s Shanghai is based.

True to the original source, Dibakar has kept the Greek author in the loop throughout the making of the film. And now he must keep his final promise, of showing the film to the author, even if it means taking the film to Greece

Says a source close to the project, “Dibakar must show the film to Vassilis Vassilikos before it is released. Ideally, Dibakar would have liked the author to come down to India to watch the film. But if that is not possible, considering the author’s age, then Dibakar is all set to fly down to Greece to show his the film. It’s not about getting the author’s approval, or even a moral obligation. Dibakar feels Vassilis’ ideas in the novel have been given a renewed relevance in Dibakar’s film. The author has every right to see what has been done to his work, and in what context.”

Dibakar confirms plans to take Shanghai to Greece for the author’s viewing. Says the filmmaker, “It’s amazing how relevant Vassilikos’ novel is to present day Indian politics although he wrote it 45 years ago. He must see the deep and far-reaching resonance of his words. He is now a sprightly 78. But if he can’t come to India, I’d most certainly take Shanghai to Greece for his viewing.”

Dibakar also plans to screen Shanghai at Greece’s Thessaloniki International Film Festival in November.

Indian films are not generally screened at this festival. “I feel the Greeks have a birthright over my film,” says Dibakar.