Thaindian News

By Robin Bansal
New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Raja Unnithan is celebrating womanhood with his directorial debut “Hello Zindagi”, which is releasing Friday. Based in the present society, it shows challenges faced by today’s women. The director is urging female audiences to come and see his movie.

“‘Hello Zindagi’ is a tribute to womanhood. It is about nature and the mother. I am celebrating all of it through this film and I hope all people, especially women like it,” Unnithan told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

“Coincidentally my film is releasing on March 5 and March 8 is Women’s Day. I want all women to come and watch the movie. With other issues in the movie, we are at the same time also fighting against the system that hero works and heroines don’t and that no movies are made on women,” he added.

Produced by Suresh Menon and Amit Garg of Ample Entertainment Co, “Hello Zindagi” stars Kanwaljit Singh, Neena Gupta, Kitu Gidwani, Milind Gunaji, Amit Behl and Mrunmayee Lagoo (daughter of Reema Lagoo), who is making her Bollywood debut with the movie.

Based on the “observations of our present society”, it shows “how women of today are adapting to the changing scenario around them and how parenting today has become more and more challenging”.

“Society is changing really fast and in that humdrum especially women’s life has become more challenging than that of men because there is a part that is still lingering in their lives like morality and other issues,” said Unnithan.

“Take for example marriage and settling down, these are the terms we so often use, but we don’t understand. In fact, I’ve tried showing the same through Kitu Gidwani’s character that she has everything in life and still she is so hollow and unsettled,” he added.

“Hello Zindagi” also highlights the “highly sensitive and global environment issue of conservation of Olive Ridley Turtles” weaved around the story.

“It’s not a documentary. We are trying to give a subtle message through popular and commercial cinema. It’s an independent film. It’s an effort and one particular attempt,” Unnithan said.

“The movie is also about me. It has autobiographical elements from my observations as I wrote the story,” he added.

Asked if the debutant had any apprehensions working with veteran actors, Unnithan said: “We were very comfortable because I already had a reading session with them and they knew it’s an independent film and the budget is tight. They were very forthcoming.”

“Hello Zindagi” is releasing with four other movies - “Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?”, “Road, Movie”, “Rokkk” and “Thanks Maa” but the director is undeterred.

“A good movie is a good movie even if few people connect to it. It doesn’t really matter as long as my film is good. I am pretty positive,” he said.

Having worked as an associate producer for TV18 and as an art director with Kerala based National Award winning filmmaker Shyamaprasad for his Malayalam Film “Akale”, Unnithan is the recipient of the 2004 Kerala State Film Award for the best art director for the movie.

He is now looking forward to do more Bollywood projects on his “experience with life about a few things that are affecting society”.