'Cinema's Greatest Challenge Is Reels'

Goutam Ghose is one of India's most celebrated contemporary filmmakers. He has bagged multiple National Film Awards, along with the Golden Peacock for Best Film (Moner Manush) at the 41st International Film Festival of India.

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He is also the proud recipient of the Vittorio De Sica Award in Italy, 1997, and in 2006, was awarded the Knighthood of the Star of the Italian Solidarity. Ghose, who turns 75 on July 24, is still chasing cinematic adventures.

In a two-part interview. "This year, at the first Asian Art Film Award in Macau, my son and I won the Best Cinematography Award jointly. I don't know about world cinema, but I don't think there's a precedent in Indian cinema for a father-son duo winning an award jointly."

How does it feel to bring in a milestone birthday?

I don't count the years I have lived. As long as my spirit is alive, I'm fine.

(Smiles) I have no outstanding debts, I don't pay EMIS. That gives me peace of mind, the freedom to chase adventures and yes, write haikus too.

What is the greatest challenge filmmakers are facing today?

Their greatest challenge is how to separate cinema from Reels. Today, we usually shoot from just two angles; we either click a picture or take a selfie. Honestly, I don't know how long cinema will survive. Maybe in the future, it will become like opera, playing to a select audience. But all is not lost yet because the small, digital camera has really benefited indie filmmakers, making film-making easier and cheaper. Shooting on celluloid I was very expensive. Your script and pre-production had to be watertight to ensure that no raw stock was wasted. I still follow the discipline instilled by celluloid.