Don't compare my film with 'Provoked': Deepa

Apr 1, 2009 Subhash K Jha

Mumbai, April 1 (IANS) Canada-based Indian filmmaker Deepa Mehta is fed up of being asked if her film "Heaven On Earth" is similar to Jagmohan Mundhra's "Provoked", since both films are about domestic violence.

"I am tired of being asked how I feel about 'Provoked'. How am I supposed to feel about it? There're so many love stories being made. Would you compare 'Saawariya' with 'Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na'? Just because it's about domestic violence, it doesn't follow that our films have any similarity," Mehta told IANS.

"Shakespeare has said there are only three stories. It's how you tell those stories that makes all the difference in the world. People should stop comparing my film to 'Provoked' even without having seen it," added Mehta, a director best known for her Elements Trilogy - "Fire", "1947: Earth" and "Water".

Mundhra says: "I haven't seen 'Heaven On Earth', but I'd like to. As far as comparing 'Provoked' with 'Heaven On Earth' is concerned, I'm glad my film has set a benchmark for films on domestic violence."

He, however, refuses to see domestic violence as a formula for celluloid drama.

"Certainly not! But the fear of being labelled exploitative should not stop a filmmaker from telling the story of what goes on behind closed doors," said Mundhra.

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