His production house is christened Nothing Beyond Cinema - now, that's apt for a man to whom there is actually nothing beyond the silver screen. To reiterate, he personifies unflinching passion for films.

Now, coming to the ongoing Kolkata International Film Festival, the actor-turned-fillmmaker has been an integral part of it. Revered for his prowess over the craft, the Ebar Shobor maker was even handpicked by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to visit the 68th Cannes Film Festival in 2015 to choose films for KIFF and convince international production houses to shoot in Bengal.

Now, after a prolonged hiatus, KIFF is back and we couldn't have got a more opportune moment than having Sil to talk about it. The wait for him to arrive at his office was worth it as the affable and erudite director enlightened us on everything centering around films.

KIFF and Arindam Sil
For years Sil has been part of the Apex Advisory committee of KIFF and also Kolkata Chalachitra Utsav Society. When asked about his current role in the 27^th KIFF, he says the most crucial part was decision making amid pandemic. “Everything was ready, all homework was done, all the films were ready for screening! Yet under the circumstance, I along with a few others had to take the sensitive decision of postponing the festival," he says.

"However CM Mamata Banerjee was insistent on an alternative date for the festival to happen, and encouraged us to organise the cultural event," adds the Mitin Mashi director.

Arindam Sil at KIFF Sourced by the Correspondent

Pre-pandemic KIFF Vs Post-pandemic
Says Sil, "The cultural core of the festival remains the same as before, with few hygiene restrictions of social distancing and compulsory masks. Since this time KIFF is reduced by a day, films had to be cramped, but the quality of films are impeccable. The only thing missing this year are foreign dignitary meets and interactions which used to be a special part of KIFF. Sil personally recollects his meet with Pedro Almodovar’s brother a few years back at KIFF."

Nostalgia time
Acknowledging the immense influence of film festivals on the development of his artistic passion, the director gets nostalgic about cherishing such fests. “I remember queueing up with Indrani Haldar, Kharaj Mukherjee and Chandan Sen, outside New Empire, because at that point of time we didn’t have access to delegate cards. We would buy tickets to watch Krzysztof Kieślowski’s A Short Film About Killing’ and many more," he informs us.

A poster of 'Parellel Mothers' Sourced by the Correspondent

His KIFF 2022 favourites

• Parallel Mothers by Pedro Almodovar:

I have considered Almodovar as one of the best makers of the times, He is just Incredible.

• King Of All The World by Carlos Saura:

Carlos Saura is an absolute painter, I have never missed his films.

• A Hero by Asghar Farhadi:

I have a thing for Iranian Cinema and Asghar Farhadi is one of my favourite directors. I like his way of film making in the sense that it’s so realistic and touches you somewhere.

A poster of 'The rapist' Sourced by the Correspondent

•The Rapist by Aparna Sen:

Rina di (Aparna Sen) is definitely one of the most powerful filmmakers of our time, and she has done some incredible work in cinema. The Rapist has been going all across the world and I am really looking forward to watching it.

Special at KIFF this year
Celebrating 100 years of Satyajit Ray and Chidananda Dasgupta is a special aspect of this year's festival. “I had proposed that we felicitate the artists and technicians who worked with Ray, and it was well accepted," he says. The event Satyajiter Shilpira is scheduled for May 1 at Rabindra Sadan.

Budding Artistes of KIFF 2022
The director is keen on exploring works of newcomers, “I want to see their point of view, how they are treating cinema, I always learn from a new viewpoint given by budding artists”. He is particularly interested to see Jhilli (Discards) directed by Ishaan Ghose and Deep6 directed by Madhuja Mukerjee.

Tips from Sil
Partly a teacher, Sil likes to share his experience whenever he gets the opportunity. His message for aspiring artistes is straight from the heart - be confident. “To be confident about yourself, you must know what you are doing. You must keep on practising your own art to near perfection and you must have the right kind of assessment about yourself. It is a must that you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses and work on your weaknesses while sharpening your strengths.”

How much I wish..
A film, he wished he could direct? After a little thought, he firmly says, Satyajit Ray's Aranyer Din Ratri.

OTT vs Cinema
Inundated with the query, Sil clarifies, “Digital content is another form of content creation. This is a new avenue which is beneficial for content creators, by no means it can be a threat to cinema."

"Cinema will live till humanity lives. The magic of Big screen cannot die, because we are so used to watching life in totality, it’s a magical experience.” And he adds with passion, “Cinema is a community feeling, which has a lot of impact that will not die. However one won’t create a Ben Hur or The Ten Commandments in digital form."

Coming to his latest, he adds, “I wouldn’t create Mahananda for mobile viewing, the whole colour pattern, the way of shooting Mahananda is so cinematic.”

According to him, this digital form has opened a new opportunity because once sitcoms were part of cinema, but now "we know what cinema needs and what works for digital content creation."

There may be content which cannot be concised into three hour movies, but it can run two or three seasons on OTT platforms, elaborates the man who featured in Shyam Benegal's Netaji The Last Hero. "The earnings from digital platforms does not lead to any loss of revenue rather supports. Due to Covid, since many films could not be released in cinema halls like Sakuntala, they made excellent profits through OTT," he points out.

Looking ahead...
The director provides a verbal teaser for his soon-to-be released movie Khele Jokhon. Encouraged by his steadfast strive towards bringing psychological thriller to Bengali cinema, Sil creates a protagonist, who has just woken up from coma, troubled with dreams, nightmares and reality. She is fighting all these layers trying to figure out her reality.

A new Byomkesh movie is also on the cards and the shooting will start from May 30. The movie will be based on the last Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay story Bishupal Bodh which is an unfinished novel. With the Naxal movement in the background, the film explores the decadence that came into Bangla theatre during the Naxal period. Sil talks about juxtaposing the idea of political violence with cultural decline that he has tried to establish in this film.

And let's not forget the next in the Shobor series - Tirondaj Shobor.

On a parting note
Before winding up, Sil delves into society. He says, “In these troubled times we are not really doing much for our next generation, all of us who are responsible are merely being self-centred and I don’t want to remain selfish; I want to do my part and that I will do through my cinema.”

“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee”

William Shakespeare’s words echo his vision of keeping the art of cinema brightly lit for generations to come.