By Subhash K Jha

Feb 6, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Onir’s concern for socio-sexual politics continues to grow. He’s all set to shoot a film called “Afia’ about the sperm-donation mafia.

It’s the story of a 40-plus Bengali woman whose biological clock is ticking away and needs to have a baby urgently. Though he isn’t talking about it Onir is apparently in discussion with Rani Mukherjee, Bipasha Basu and Nandita Das for the main part. He needs a Bengali actress of a certain age and stature. But some of the names he has approached are unwilling to play a 40-year old woman.

The interesting part of the project is that Onir was supposed to make “Afia’ with Kalki Koechlin. But has now dropped her from the project.

Protests Onir, “True I was making a film called “Afia’ with Kalki. But that was different story about the misappropriation of NGO funds. Then I came across interesting facts about sperm donation and I wanted to make a film on that instead.”

Onir’s research has shown acute irregularities in the procedure of clinical motherhood. “The whole system of donating sperms in our country is murky. Do you know women are legally allowed to have sex with sperm donors if they choose to do so? I found the idea appalling. My film is about a woman who insists on tracking down her sperm donor although there’s a secrecy clause binding both parties in this sensitive transaction.”

Onir shoots “Afia’ in Kolkata next month.

In the meanwhile the Triangle Media Group will host its 2008/2009 Biennial Global

Awards evening in an exclusive by-invitation-only academic lecture awards presentation ceremony on Sunday 7 February 2010 at the Cineworld Cinema Nottingham.

Nandita Das will be awarded for her film “Firaaq’, who will deliver a video link directly from Mumbai. Onir will be present to receive an award for his forthcoming film “I am’ based on the violations of human rights which will also be previewed. In addition, there will also be a special screening of his critically acclaimed film based on HIV and Aids “My Brother Nikhil’ starring Juhi Chawla and Sanjay Suri.

-Sampurn Wire