Bollywood actors Sharmila Tagore, Soha Ali Khan and Om Puri announced the release of Life Goes On at a special screening in London on Thursday.
The film, a multi-cultural adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, set in a contemporary British Asian context, is helmed by first time director Sangeeta Datta.
The project tells the story of a grief stricken British Bengali doctor (Girish Kanard) who struggles to cope with his three daughters after the unexpected death of his wife (Sharmila Tagore).
The veteran actress said at the event: “I enjoyed working in this film and I am very grateful for Sangeeta for giving me the opportunity, and to work with Om Puri and Soha and all these very talented young people.”
The star compared the filmmaking process in India to working on an international project: “The photography of the film is so real and so correct and what I really liked about the film is the quality of the sound and the music. It is so real, and had been made in very real circumstances. In Bombay perhaps that balance may have gone.”
Soha, who had earlier studied in the UK, spoke about coming back to work on a film in London, and on the experience of sharing screen space with her mother.
“I wanted to share some filmography with her. In India everyone always says ‘When are we going to see you and Sharmila-ji on screen, or you and your brother.’ The script was written in such a way that I thought a real-life mother and daughter duo would add to the film.”
The Rang De Basanti star added: “I’m really happy with the film and the end result, and it will always be memorable to me and close to my heart for obvious reasons.”
Om Puri, who also has West is West, the sequel to the hit British Asian production East is East due for release, praised the message of the film. “To me, the film projects a multi-cultural society, or a collage of multi-culturalism. Unless we are able to appreciate or have an understanding of each other’s culture there will always be friction, so for me this film is a lesson in tolerance,” said the 60-year-old actor.
British actors Rez Kempton, Neerja Naik, Chris Hatherall, Mukulika Banerjee and Misha Crosby also feature in the project, alongside Charlie Henniker and the ‘Unexpected Items’.
Life Goes On is scheduled to release in the US December 3 and in the UK from January 28 2011.
Check out these exclusive stills from the event!
Photo credit: Allie Macdonald
