Renowned filmmaker Deepa Mehta has always been a trailblazer, fearlessly exploring themes of identity, politics, and social change through her films. From the elemental trilogy—Fire, Earth, and Water—to her more recent works like Funny Boy, she has consistently pushed cinematic boundaries. Now, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is celebrating her remarkable career with a retrospective of her films, a rare honor reserved for select auteurs. In this candid conversation with ETimes, Mehta reflects on her journey, the challenges she has faced, and the evolving landscape of Indian and global cinema.
This year, the Toronto Film Festival will host a showcase of your films. Are you excited?
This retrospective is not exactly a festival. It’s something the Toronto International Film Festival does occasionally, where they showcase the works of a filmmaker. I feel incredibly humbled and honored to be that filmmaker this time. Each screening will be followed by a moderated conversation and a Q&A, which makes it even more special.
Are you going to be proactive for the event?
Proactive? Not really. I’ll be doing press organized by the TIFF team, using a bit of social media to let people know, and, of course, keeping my fingers crossed that people turn up! (laughs)
Which of your films resonate most with you even now, or, as Shabana Azmi would put it, which ones did you make the least mistakes with?
You should know that I think all my films are brilliant… Just kidding! (laughs)
Most of them resonate with me in some way or another. I tend not to revisit them with a critical eye, so the idea of “where I made the least mistakes” doesn’t really apply. However, 1947 Earth comes to mind right now—maybe because the ongoing tragedy in Palestine, driven by colonial divisions, reminds me of our own Partition.
Many of your films have faced controversy and struggled with release.
Yes, Fire, Earth, Water, and more recently, Funny Boy have all had a tough time. It’s a difficult space to navigate. I dislike the word “controversy” because it feels irresponsible—I certainly didn’t make these films to provoke disputes or altercations. The backlash at the time was painful, but I’m ultimately glad that these films, despite the drama, were never shelved and continue to exist.
If you had a chance to do any of your films differently, which one would it be and how?
If I had to do any film differently, I’d say Fire. I still regret that it wasn’t in Hindi. We had translations done before the shoot, but somehow they didn’t work, so I stuck with English. Fortunately, Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, and Jaaved Jaaferi did a great job and never fell into fake Indian accents.
Have you seen any Indian films recently that you liked?
As always, there are some films I find exceptional and others that just aren’t my cup of tea. That applies to films from everywhere. The ones that stand out to me are Girls Will Be Girls, Santosh, All We Imagine is Light, and I thought Kanu Behl’s Agra was brilliant.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on three films, all at different stages of development. We’ll shoot one later this year and another early next year. The third one, if all goes well, will happen sooner rather than later. I’m especially looking forward to Trailokya, an Indian film with producers Open Air and Adi Chand, written by the superb Juhi Chaturvedi.
At this stage, do you feel more Indian or Canadian?
I’d say a bit of both. India gives me stories, and Canada gives me the freedom to tell them.
Are there any young Indian actors you’re keen to work with?
There are a few whom I think are fantastic. Off the top of my head—Vijay Varma, Tripti Dimri, and Suvinder Vicky. And of course, I’d always love to work with Nandita Das, Shabana Azmi, and Seema Biswas anytime!