BHARATI PAWASKAR
TGLife: You are a dental surgeon, psychotherapist, filmmaker, artist, painter, writer and a composer. How’s do you manage to play these different but challenging roles?
By building and nurturing ecosystems that support me in whatever field/endeavour I choose to work! After establishing a successful dental practice (that is now headed by my wife), I expanded my horizons to other fields. I bridged over to behavioural sciences and clinical psychology while in Australia and later started the Mind Care Clinic and Institute of Behavioural Sciences. As for the artwork, despite a productive career as a clinician, there has always been a discontent within that drives me to inquire and explore. My personal quest for self-expression has taken me from writing, painting and composing music to finally culminating in filmmaking.
Of these, what is close to your heart?
Healing and arts, both are close to my heart. Whenever you are part of the healing process for a fellow human being, you too experience the catharsis, peace and beauty of healing. Likewise art too has the capacity to open the doors of the soul. It has the capacity to make the soul receptive to love, goodness, harmony and beauty through shock, catharsis and awakening empathy.
What message does your debut film carry?
Firstly I don’t believe in giving a message through films. However a film can have takeaways. What you take from a film is largely dependent on the viewer too. The viewer has to tease out the possibilities. I have made a film that raises questions on important areas like life, death, love and forgiveness. For those who are already used to self-reflection, my film can be one more tool of exploration. For some it may just be another story. I believe that at some point the author has to die for the viewer to be born.
Does the film showcase mixed ideologies, that of Buddha and Sartre?
‘The Last Koan’ does not mix the western and eastern approaches. It examines possible approaches to existentialism through the characters, their conflicts and their transformation. You don’t need any familiarity with either philosophy to watch my film.
How can we take our philosophies forward, in today’s modern times? What is best for us?
This is very important and relevant. In fact, my film is also an exercise in this direction. In a postmodern age that is wary of grand narratives and absolute truths, it would be a shame to miss out on a good dialogue between multiple truths and multiple perspectives. We need a dialogue between the classical and the modern, between the scientific and the spiritual, between the left and the right, and so on. Philosophy is the art of asking questions, not necessarily providing answers. Even if there are no absolute answers to the big questions, the inquiry and exploration should not stop. We have to keep the dialogue alive.
Can films make an impact on the psyche of the society?
The relationship between art and human behaviour is quite complex. Firstly, the impact of films on society is over emphasized. Call for censorship is not motivated solely by morality and taste, but also by popular beliefs.
Films can be good, bad or ugly. Where should the filmmaker draw a line?
Personally for me the answer is in the middle path between two extremes. However if I have to err on one side, I prefer to uphold freedom. I am all for freedom. But with freedom comes responsibility and self-restraint. It is always a two way street. Freedom of expression for us requires freedom of expression for others, too - this should be at the very heart of any mature society.
How do you strike a balance
between your multiple roles?
I have built proper ecosystems for each of these fields. If you love something you will find time for it no matter what. I have written ten full-length scripts/stories alongside my regular work. My writing, music and imagery comes from the same space, is interdependent, and co-evolving.
What is your take on the future of today’s youth?
Youth is a beautiful stage of life, with lot of energy and ability to dream, and when nothing seems impossible. If channelized properly there is no limit to human potential. The majority of young people are smart, eager and talented. It is good to have one’s head high in the clouds, not losing our connection to the roots as nourishment comes through them.
Every generation leaves a host of artifacts to those who come after. These are not just artifacts of their own but are specimens of an entire history of learning and growth. They are also responses to the challenges faced by people of that age and generation. This is where a dialogue between the past and present becomes imperative.
