The Goan: What prompted a film like this? What provided the spark?
Bhushan Gaur: There were a few things going on in my mind when I conceptualised the film. I needed it to be an untold story. I needed it to be today’s story. I needed it to be relatable. I wanted it to make people think. I luckily read somewhere that HIV patients can have their own uninfected babies. I was tempted to research more on it. The research continued while I was penning it down like a story. The development of the script took almost ninteen months.
TG: What’s the film about, basically?
BG: The film is a story that is applicable anywhere across the globe. It speaks about the stuggle of an HIV victim who wants to have his own baby. HIV is a condition that one can accidently be victim of. But there is a lot of hope left in the lives of the patients and their families.
TG: What went into the making of the film, from the writing to production?
BG: The film is a result of extensive research. Many doctors and consultants were involved into the development of the story. The people going through the real conditions were not willing to share any information about them. It was a really interesting task to educate the actors and the film crew first of all in order that they are able to impart information in certain way. The film got phenomenal support from everybody from corporates to actors to crew.
We went exhaustive when came to finalizing the location and the actors. The film was written in a very poetic way even when it had all the real elements to it Right from the conceptualisation phase the story underwent many revisions since it needed to be factually correct and prompt. Then it had to be re written when we hired cast keeping in view what would make the characters look more real. Actors, cinematographer and the team rehearsed the entire film several time before actually shooting it. The camera is continuously moving in the film, we needed several deliberations on the technical front.
TG: There have been many awareness films. Yours, although different, is at heart a film aimed at spreading awareness. How do you make a film like this, keeping in mind that this is not exactly off the beaten path?
BG: There are many aspects relating to HIV which haven’t been discussed. There still is very little information. People don’t share their problems or conditions, which in turn takes the same to next level. I have tried to tell people that it’s important to discuss at least to your near and dear ones. There are much bigger problems in life, and HIV is a virus that can be kept under negligibly low level with proper medications. In India we are still getting to see the previous generation awareness campaigns where someone is fired because of being HIV.It’s time that we need to take the awareness campaign to the next level and tell people that nothing would happen to them or the people around them, if the medicines are taken under medical guidance.
TG: There was obviously research done on couples with HIV etc and those who had babies. Are there any stats?
BG: There has been complete privacy on that point actually. It’s still new information. Discussing, diagnosing, and treating HIV/AIDS is a sensitive, private issue between a patient and his or her provider. Any breach of privacy might result in stigmatization or discrimination against HIV/AIDS patients. The need for privacy and security needs to be carefully balanced with the appropriate sharing of patient information. So statistics are not shared by the doctors and reserchers.
TG: How do couples deal with the stigma of HIV and then have a baby? How do they also cope with the pressure, considering the risks involved?
BG: That is something I would want everybody to check out in the film There will be Tomorrow. It is certainly not an easy life for them for sure. But if you share and take your people into confidence and take medicines under right medical guidence there is nothing that can stop one from leading to a normal and healthy life
TG: HIV and AIDS affected still deal with a massive social stigma here in India. Does that surprise you?
BG: It does, because even educated people don’t understand difference between HIV and AIDS. And people don’t understand that HIV virus can get into anyone very easily in one way or other.But it is not something only observed in India. Awareness about HIV and AIDS needs to be more advanced now everywhere in the world.
TG: What do people need to do to help those affected with HIV live a better life?
BG: Besides watching my film, they should meet the right doctors take their near and dear ones into confidence and remain happy and hopeful.
