On 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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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