Rohit Roy goes for a Rice Plate
Actor-turned-director Rohit Roy has turned director with Sanjay Gupta's forthcoming film Dus Kahaniyan. He has directed one of the short stories called Rice Plate, which sees Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah returning to screen together after a long time. The two actors had changed the face and content of Hindi cinema in the '70s with their powerful performance in films like Paar, Sparsh and Masoom.
No wonder Rohit is looking forward to the film's release on December 7. Says Rohit, "Success or failure of the film lies in the hands of the audience. As a director, I have tried to put in my best. But when it comes to my performance as an actor or a director, I am never content with myself. I believe there is always a scope for improvement. So, if I were to shoot the film again, mabe I'd like to change a few things."
Roping in Shabana and Naseer wasn't really tough for the debutant director. Rohit recalls, "When you have a good producer like Sanjay Gupta to support your vision, you feel more confident. Once I had said in a interview that if I ever direct a film, I'd certainly want to cast Naseeruddin Shah. And to my surprise, Naseerji was really forthcoming when I met him. My experience with Shabanaji has been wonderful too. I haven't seen -dedicated and meticulous actor like her before. She would do everything to make her character look real. I was surprised when she suggested that she wanted to do her own shopping for the film. Believe it or not, Shabanaji went to all those small shops in the lanes and by-lanes of Matunga to pick up her sarees, her footwear and other stuff. Even the plastic bag which she carries in the film was bought by her."
Talking about the storyline, Rohit says, "The film revolves around a Tamil Hindu woman and a Muslim man's journey over a rice plate. It is about the dilemma that the woman faces when a strange man claims her plate of rice. Will she place her hunger before her beliefs, forms the crux of the plot."
Being part of the Dus Kahaniyan team was a wonderful experience for Rohit. One can also see him acting in Gubbare with Nana Patekar and Natassha, which is one of the other stories from Dus Kahaniyaan. Says Rohit, "The story of Gubbare is really close to my heart. It has a magical air about it. You can see Nana Patekar in a completely new avatar. So, just wait and watch!"
Talking about his stints as an anchor, Rohit says, "I know, I'm a good host. But I'm equally passionate about acting and direction as well. I am glad people these days audiences prefer a wider variety. I am hosting Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa at the moment and would love to take up similar assignments."
