Breaking barriers

Director Rituparno Ghosh on playing the role of a gay character in his last movie.

Kaushik Ganguly's film

HT Image

Arekti Premer Golpo

has won the special jury award (Silver Peacock) jointly with Kiwi film

The Boy,

at the just-concluded 41st International Film Festival of India. Excerpts from a chat with director Rituparno Ghosh, who plays the protagonist: In

Arekti Premor Golpo

, you play a gay film-maker. How do you feel?

It's an extremely touching moment for me. The directorate of the film festival termed Arekti a bold and courageous film. I think it was courageous of the authorities to include it as part of Indian Panorama. It speaks of a very progressive outlook.

Goutam Ghose's Bengali film

Moner Manush

has also won the Golden Peacock. It's great news, though

Moner Manush

was a safer bet (for a prize) as it deals with secularism. Alternative sexuality was always deemed outside of Indian culture. That

Aarekti...

gained an entry, is a reason enough for celebration.

Don't you regret not having won the Best Actor award? Honestly, no. The reason is that after the screening, a jury member called to congratulate me and said I was the only contender for the Best Acting (male) award.