Interview

                                                    Rajesh Hamal

                                                        Super Star of Nepal

                                             Rajesh Payal Rai

                             Popular Nepali Singer

Interview: Nepali Director Deepak Rauniyar on 'Highway' and a Conscious Cinema

 

"Highway" (2012) is the feature debut of Nepali filmmaker Deepak Rauniyar. (AADI Films)

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Highway (2012), the feature debut of Nepali filmmaker Deepak Rauniyar, marks the rise of a fresh new cinematic vision for the Himalayan nation. Decidedly different from the standard commercial product heavily influenced by Bollywood, the film takes an understated look at an increasingly common phenomenon: thebandhs, roadblocks caused by strikes or protests that often paralyze traffic and disrupt daily life.

The unusual road drama centers around an ill-fated journey on a highway from eastern Nepal to Kathmandu, the nation's capital. A bus filled with passengers of various social and economic backgrounds gets repeatedly stuck in bandhs. Each passenger is desperate to get to Kathmandu for a different reason — a man needs to reach his wife quickly to try to conceive a baby or else the herbal fertility medicine he has taken will lose effectiveness, a young woman leaves her lover and is on her way to an arranged marriage, and a man hurries back home to see his boyfriend who is devastated by an attack on a transgender friend. They quickly put their heads together and transform the bus into a wedding vehicle — with a bride, a groom, and a wedding band in tow — to gain passage.

Crisscrossing this seemingly humorous adventure are fragments of each individual's backstory, ironically filled with despair, hardship, and deceit. The non-linear narrative structure, which includes the main plot and disconnected subplots, offers a kaleidoscopic look at contemporary Nepali life, which has only recently emerged from 12 years of civil war. The film gives a realistic portrayal of the new Nepal and is the first film from the country to be included in the Berlin International Film Festival (2012).

The film will screen as part of The Museum of Modern Art’s ContemporAsian series from April 25 to May 1, 2013.

Director Rauniyar responded to questions about his film via email.

What inspired you to make this film?

Deepak Rauniyar

Recently, in postwar Nepal, we've seen a new trend emerge in the country — if a group, an organization or a party is "unhappy" and wants to demand something from the government, the first thing they try to do is to shut down the major highways which connect the capital or a road or a city or the whole country! This is known as a bandh. It has become a part of our daily life now. When you start a journey, it is always uncertain, and the bandhs can last for a few hours or for days or even months.

I have experienced several bandhs. One of these was 57 hours long with no food or water. I even witnessed two people being killed — when vehicles were allowed to leave around midnight of the third day, they drove over the people sleeping on the road in a rush to escape. Since that traumatic experience, I have wanted to express my feelings through a full-length film.

In 2009, I happened to be on a road trip from east Nepal to the capital, Kathmandu. Our journey was obstructed by three different bandhs, organized by three different groups in three different parts of the country. This was when my colleagues Kedar Sharma, Khagendra Lamichhane [who worked on the story] and I started talking about the idea for this film, Highway.

Is the bandh a metaphor for Nepali society/life, which seems to endure many other forms of roadblock, as suggested by individual passengers' stories?

Yes, but don't you think it's also a metaphor for society/life in other parts of world today? Sometimes, I don't see much difference traveling on a bus in Nepal or commuting by subway in New York. Until or unless we have a problem or are in need of help, we don't even look at the person sitting next to us! Neither physical nor mental bandhs are limited to Nepal. I felt that by setting a story against the backdrop of this new bandh culture, I would not only be able to explore physical bandhs, but also explore the mental/psychological bandhs that many of us seem to be facing these days.

How did you create all these very interesting characters who represent a very diverse spectrum of Nepali society?

As you know, Highway's story begins with a bus journey in a small town of eastern Nepal headed for the capital Kathmandu. When I thought of a bus, I thought of the country. The country means people from diverse strata of the society. And a bus is one of the few places where you get a cross-section of society. So I thought, it would be a great "vehicle" for the film. I very much wanted to represent people of different backgrounds as a way of helping Nepalis and others around the world recognize what we have in common with each other, as a path for healing this very wounded society. Most of the characters of Highway were inspired by our real-life experiences: either from my life or screenwriterAbinash Bikram Shah's life or something we commonly experienced or took note of.

There is something very naturalistic about the actors' performances. How did you cast them, and how did they contribute to the sense of realism?

Contrary to standard methods of filmmaking, I didn't give actors written dialogue. They improvised their lines on the set while doing a scene. I didn't dictate how they should express their emotions. I didn't even like the camera dictating their movements. I would outline to the actors the situation of a scene, its background and where the scene was taking place, what could be important in the scene and why, and I let them improvise the rest. Mostly they decided how they were going to speak, what they were going to say, how they were going to move, how they were going to express emotions, etc. I believe improvisation allows an actor of any background (child/old/illiterate/professional) to perform to their best ability and it also gives a more natural flow to a scene. An actor or non-actor can add a lot of detail which the writers might never have thought of.

Not all actors like improvising, and some can't really improvise well. I have always worked with my wife, Asha Magarati [who also plays a role in the film], on selecting cast. Asha has been acting and producing theater for almost 20 years now. In Highway she assembled a mixed group of actors, some of whom were well-known in theater and film in Nepal, some of whom were acting for the first time. I felt it was a good decision.

How did you come up with the non-linear, multi-plotline narrative structure?

It came from need! We were dealing with lot of characters, and their individual stories, during one bus journey. It is a current story, even newsworthy! So, we felt, why don't we try to tell it in an inverted pyramid news style, all non-linear! The major incident in the story comes first and then we go back in time and to places, characters and other elements of the story that led up to it.

In addition to this structure, the open ending, which leaves none of the individual passengers' stories resolved, seems to have been unsettling for audiences in Nepal. Can you tell us more about the audience reactions at home and how you feel about them?

In Nepal, Highway received extremely polarized views from the audience. Some thought it was the worst film they had ever watched. Others felt that this was the film they had been waiting for, for a long time! There were different reasons for such polarized views.

We grew up watching Bollywood films with happy or tragic endings, so some people were really upset when Highway ended in such a way. One viewer wrote a comment on Facebook: "I think, writer felt lazy writing when he came by the end of film, so he left film incomplete." Some other people were unhappy about the length of the film — they thought it was too short [75 min.], which is true compared to what they watch regularly. Some even said they felt it was a documentary.

But the best part is that we were all talking about a Nepali film, which we had never done before. Whether you go to a college or a teashop, you read Tweets or Facebook posts, everyone was talking about Highway. In the first two days of the release, 9,400 Tweets had already used the hashtag#Highwayfilm!

The challenging part was, we didn't know how to handle "new media" very well when some people used it in an organized way against our film. And this was a distraction — instead of talking about the issues which the film raised or provoked, the social media side of things started to get stuck in superficialities. It's a good lesson for the future, and also a reflection of a distracted culture, everywhere.

How do you think a more adventurous Nepali film audience can be cultivated? And what do you plan to do next?

It's difficult to say. I strongly believe there is a big audience that wants a "conscious cinema," and in recent years the industry has started to pay a little attention to that demand, and yet there is a lot to be done. Neither governmental nor institutional support is available for such work inside the country. The majority of society and mass media is focused on profits, returns, not content. So, the majority is competing to lie: "look how much we earned!" There are not a lot of people like my Executive Producers, Drs. Sameer and Lonim Dixit and Mita Hosali, who want to invest money in the story, in the characters, who are willing to take the risk, even of failing, in order to advance the range of cultural consciousness in Nepal, or to bring Nepali narratives and characters to the rest of the world — which is very important. On top of that, we are heavily dominated by Bollywood and Indian TV series, and any changes in their trends affect us, too.

But I am still hopeful. Newly-built multiplex cinemas have drawn new audiences. And in the last few years, more than a dozen young directors have joined the industry who are making a "conscious cinema." We have three international film festivals in Kathmandu, and a lot of other movements and film festivals spreading throughout the country, which has helped cultivate an audience. In 2012, four Nepali films traveled internationally. So, if we get a little support, and we can work together, we can overcome this situation. But it is definitely going to take time. It will not happen overnight, for sure.

I am working on my second feature now, which we hope to shoot next spring. It's a little early to talk about it. But I am excited and I hope others will be, too.

HARI BANSHA ACHARYA and MADAN KRISHNA SHRESTHA HARI BANSHA ACHARYA and MADAN KRISHNA SHRESTHA (source: Kantipur) Hari Bansha Acharya and Madan Krishna Shrestha need no introduction to lovers of Nepali comedy. ekantipur's Suresh Nath Neupane talks to the Ma-Ha duo on a wide variety of subjects including the role they played during last April's pro-democracy movement.  Q. How would you define comedy? Hari Bansha: Firstly, comedy is a means of entertaining people. At the same time, it is entertainment with a message – political, social – delivered through satire. One could say it is much like a sugar coated antibiotic: just like the sweet exterior hides the bitter taste of the antibiotic, the saccharine laughter provides a sugar-coated cover to the satire underneath. And that, pretty much, is comedy. Madan Krishna: Umm… it's difficult to say. It is a part of life, just like all other emotions, anger love, jealousy happiness, sadness and so on. It is some thing that lifts people, reinvigorates them. Q. Ma-Ha is synonymous with comedy in Nepal. What is your opinion on the present state of the comedy genre here in Nepal?  Hari Bansha: Newer techniques have been developed, new artists, talents have emerged and the scope has broadened. Meanwhile, the media has expanded thereby increasing the demand for comedians. And needless to say, there is more competition these days. As regards to our country, the industry is still in its infant stage. The art might have developed but the industry is yet to mature. And in the absence of a developed industry, sponsorships are hard to come by due to which, artists cannot develop themselves professionally. Improved finances need to go concomitantly with the increase in talent. As a public figure, it would be difficult for a comedian to be seen taking public transport every day. They have a standard to maintain and should be paid accordingly. The other thing is that India has a large market for such artists and because they enjoy a large market, they are paid accordingly. I mean, look at Amitabh Bachchan for instance. He commands between 4 to 7 crores for an advertisement, while here in Nepal, companies bite their tongue if an artist were to demand a tenth of that amount. I have seen top actors and comedians getting Rs 35,000 for an ad. The problem is that people expect performances on par with India while the artists have to be content with much lesser pay. Thus, we have a small market on top of an under-developed industry. At the moment, there are only a handful of ad agencies for sponsorships that are forced to hand commissions to media houses from the money they make from the advertisements and this too is making life difficult for artists. Madan Krishna: The comedy genre is well loved globally. Comedy serials on the TV are becoming ever popular while recent days have seen a surge of comedians bursting on to the screen. Q. Quality films aren't coming out these days.  What do you think is the main cause behind the Nepalese film industry lagging behind? Hari Bansha: I had recently published an article in Kantipur addressing this very issue. The thing is, the Nepali film buffs in most cases are rural youths, the films as of yet have failed to entice youths in the cities. And the demographics that the former represent are the same ones that are heading abroad seeking foreign employment. The thousands of Nepalese that live and work abroad represent a major loss for the Nepalese film industry. We have been unable to tap that market by setting up theatres there and movie pirates are making the most out of it since our country neither has copyright laws, nor do the people follow that of other countries. A good music album can sell as much as 2.5 million copies in the gulf countries and Malaysia, but the artists here receive zilch from it all. The other reason would be that the Nepali films continue to ape Indian cinema. They take a Hindi film, reverse the roles of the hero and heroine and hope to make some easy money out of a reproduction. The Pashmina industry, carpet industry and now the film industry all have fallen prey to the unscrupulous activities of those out to make some easy money. Madan Krishna: The quality of films will definitely go down when the quantity of films being produced increases. Moreover, good films need originality and original plots. Copying ideas from foreign films might make the filmmaker's job easier but can never produce a memorable work. If the film is to leave a long-lasting impression, the films need to have originality. Q. The Ma-ha duo is a Nepali cinema powerhouse that even draws comparison with Indian artists. But other Nepali actors haven't been able to enjoy the same degree of success. And another thing, it is understandable that Nepalese films lack technical finesse, but we have seen high quality art house movies made on a shoestring budget. Is this a case of Nepalese films simply lacking quality? Hari Bansha: Only a handful of films have come out of the Ma-ha banner. The two of us had been involved in the movie Balidan which did good business. Then came Tan Taa Sarai Bigris Badri which also did good business. Je Bho Thikai Bho which followed did so-so ….. 8-10 lakhs profit, which, given the fact that it was released during the height of the conflict period, is impressive in itself.  And then there was the movie Filim that failed miserably at the box office. As to your other question, the Indians have successfully established themselves as "filmmakers" in the world, while we are still taking baby steps here. We are yet to delve into the depths of filmmaking the way Indian art film directors like Satya Jeet Ray have done. And the main reason for this is the lack of education, as well as deliberation. Likewise, the new breed of youths who can speak good English have only just arrived. Q. But again, other artists seem to have a very long way to go before they can reach where you stand today. Why do you think this is happening and what suggestions would you give to those people? Madan Krishna: It takes time and we can’t start judging new artists just yet. It took us 27 years to get where we are today. Q. Vintage Nepali films are still held superior to almost all of the Nepali films that are coming out these days. Why haven't they improved through all these years? Hari Bansha: Those were the days of 35mm camera and glazed pictures, but there was hardly any competition between the films then since people had to wait one to two years for a new Nepali film to hit the screen and most people would watch whatever film was released. And despite all this, even the best films didn't earn enough to cover the investments. But now, with more films being churned out each year, there is competition between films since people have become selective. And since– beside the odd family dramas –most Bollywood outputs are action movies, the Nepalese films too picked up this trend. While the Indian cinema has survived by the grace of its technical superiority, we are barely surviving because we lack that technology to make such films believable. Such films might entice a small segment of the Nepalese audience, but not the thinking man. Madan Krishna: Like I said, the scripts aren't original. It is an aspect that tends to be neglected these days. Likewise, if filmmakers simply want to churn out more movies by cutting corners, then the film will be technically weak and have a poor script. But then, the filmmakers here have to deal with financial restrictions and have less technical options at their disposal. However, a well made film is definitely worth the while and the amount spent. There are so many stories about Nepal and its people that are just screaming to be adapted into movies. We don't mean to brag but we believe that the script we had for one of our ventures, Lalpurja, can hold its own among some of the world's best TV serial scripts. It was a very original concept that people still talk about. Everyone, from the towns to the villages can relate to it in one way or the other because of its poignant depiction of the pitfalls of dual land ownership. And there are so many other stories just like Lalpurja that are equally relevant. Q. Why aren't filmmakers using such stories? Madan Krishna: With more movies being made, script writers have to cough up their work within tight deadlines. Since they are under pressure, they aren't bothered about the quality and originality-  this many days to wrap up the script, have the film title registered the very next day, register the names of the cast and crew and so on. Likewise, halls have to be booked right after the film is edited. With films being made this way you can't expect a polished work at the end. Q. As we touched on it earlier, there is a growing trend among our filmmakers of borrowing ideas from our neighbour to the south. Could this be a reason why they are ignoring our native stories? Madan Krishna: Now we shouldn't be too hasty in being judgemental about our film industry since not all such claims are justified. Of course, there are some films that have been plagiarised from Bollywood films, but these days you can't fool the audience. They have more access to a variety of films these days, and know good films from the bad. Similarly, once a particular director or production house wins the audience's heart, the filmmakers will develop a cult following. But once the audience doesn't like a particular venture, they will drop the production house like a hot potato. In order to prevent losing that fan following, the filmmakers must give importance to originality, even though this might make the process longer and more demanding. But at the end, the films will be remembered for a long time. Q. What was the condition of the Nepali film industry during the conflict period? Hari Bansha: That was a dire period for the industry. Theatres in the Kathmandu had scrapped night shows while those outside were virtually shut down. There was fear in the air– fear of being abducted from the halls themselves, of getting caught in crossfire. The film industry which was gaining momentum prior to the conflict, ground to a halt and it is still finding it difficult to pick up where it had left off. Madan Krishna: The Nepalese film industry was just about to take off when the conflict crippled the nation. The film industry was practically pulverised. Newly constructed cinema halls got converted into warehouses. Whereas the industry used to churn out over 50 films annually, the conflict brought down the number to just one or two in a year. Now that the decade-old conflict has been formally ended, everyone is enthusiastic. But like everything else, it will take time for the industry to regain the lost momentum. To convince the people. But the important thing is that we have peace and though it might take some time, more films will slowly be made hopefully. Q. How do you think the movie industry in the post-April movement period compares with that during the royal rule?  Hari Bansha: The filmmakers seem highly enthusiastic following the peace deal. Some films claim to have done brisk business, but we can’t be sure. I recently asked a theatre manager about business, and he did not sound too happy about it. According to him, most customers have returned home to the districts following the peace agreement between the government and the Maoists and the number of moviegoers has dropped significantly. But, it can’t be denied that with the resurgence of peace, things will definitely start to look better for the industry. After all, the film industry can develop only after everything else develops– people have to eat, send their children to school, make health expenses and then if they have some money left at the end of the day, they can head to the movies. In this regard, the movie industry will automatically enjoy a boom if the peace heralds an all-round development of the nation Q. How does politics affect the movie industry?   Hari Bansha: What I’ve found is that people do not usually like to watch politically charged films, preferring instead titillating comedies that entertain for a couple of hours. And then, political disturbances are sure to discourage movie buffs from going to the theatres. Due to protests and political agitations shows have to be rescheduled, postponed or even cancelled. Of course, it's not just politics that is stealing audiences. Many people prefer watching TV as well.  Madan Krishna: Of course it has a huge impact. A nation's politics is like a surge of electric current; if managed well everything else functions properly and if left unmanaged … well, we all know what happens.  All sectors of the country are suffering from the lack of political stability and the situation does not make an exception of the film industry. Q. These days, you appear to be active in politics as well.  Hari Bansha: It is not just recently that we been politically outspoken. During the Panchayat period as well, the two of us had been blacklisted as vocal opponents of the Panchyat regime. In those days, there were times when we were jailed and at other times we had to escape out the back door after performances…..we have a history of political activism. And at the moment, the nation is at a historic juncture and we believe it is our duty to do our bit. Madan Krishna: We aren't involved in any politics, never have. We aren't members of any political parties and neither do we have any political affiliations. And although we aren't particularly close to any political parties, we aren't far from politics either. We are just maintaining a respectable position somewhere in-between Q. You have spoken in favour of a republican setup on different occasions. Is that your political leaning?  Hari Bansha: Yes, we are supporters of a republic Nepal. We have been championing the cause of a republican Nepal indirectly and hope that one day, Nepal will enter such a set up, which will take time no doubt. Q. People say that Madan Krishna and Hari Bansha have gone for the Maoist’s agenda. What do you make of this? Madan Krishna: This is not true. It is not the Maoist’s agenda that we want to make ourselves a part of, it is the other way round…we want them in our agenda. Since the Maoists themselves have denounced the totalitarian system the moment they reached an accord with the seven parties, there is no Maoist agenda that we could have been a part of. Q. But you have been seen occasionally in pro-republican campaigns. Madan Krishna: We aren't exactly dedicating our whole life to the republican cause but we do support a democratic republic setup for the country. Because we need to change with the times. Time is such an all-powerful force that it can bring down anyone it wants -- it can bring down the King, Girija, Prachanda and even George Bush and Tony Blair. Time can fell cinema artists or entrepreneurs should they fail to change with changes. And right now, time demands a democratic republican setup. It is not that the people have to fight to get hold of a republican setup. The fact is that a republican set up is waiting for the people to catch up to it. And if we don't catch up to it sometime soon our nation will get left behind in the world. It is the people who are running the country. The farmers in the fields, the travel agency people, a shopkeeper, all are working to generate billions of rupees that go into running the country. And because of this, the government needs to be run by the people themselves, which is possible only in a fully democratic government. At different times, a different form of governance is needed. At the stone-age the need was different and today we need a democratic government. Without this, we can't expect the nation to move ahead. Q. But the setup you are implying is still undecided. At this point we have no idea whether monarchy will be completely removed or whether a republican system will emerge. Madan Krishna: That is up to the people of this country to decide. No single person can speak for the entire population of the country. Q. Your role in setting up a fund to help those injured during the April movement received widespread acclaim. What was the amount collected? Hari Bansha: First of all, the overwhelming support we received in this regard owes a lot to the media, including your website ekantipur.com. The news you had posted helped generate interest from Nepalese expatriates who contributed to the fund. As for the amount, we had collected some 2 crore 30 lakhs of which around 1 crore 25 lakhs was spent and little over a crore remains. The fund was initially set up as a “primary treatment fund” to treat the injured. In the 19 days of the April movement, there was only a government to beat up people, and no government to treat people. Our fund generated a wave of similar funds in district hospitals and health posts across the nation in order to treat the wounded. But now, the revolution is over and we can't just go on treating people. That is up to the new democratic government. Of course, we could have distributed the remaining sums to the martyrs and those severely injured during the movement. But then who would screen the victims and decide who gets what? People might demand we show our accounts stating that we aren’t being transparent in distributing the funds. So instead, we have decided to freeze the account for now, since there is still a chance that similar agitations could arise until the constituent assembly elections take place. If some of the funds still remain after the elections to the constituent assembly, we can easily decide what to do with it according to what the people have to say about it- the opinion poll on Kantipur news would be as good a place as any to get a vox populi regarding where the people want the fund to be used. Q. What was the driving factor in setting up the fund? Madan Krishna: We have been openly working for the cause of a democratic system for a long time now. It is necessary to launch an awareness campaign to educate the people about what democracy really is and the two of us have been working to this end for a long time now. Coming to the recent April pro-democracy movement, we were the founding members of Kathmandu's Model Hospital. Being near to many colleges, the hospital has been treating students injured in political protests for a long time now. But during the April-movement period, the inflow of the wounded was beyond the capability of the hospital's funds. At this point, the two of us decided to setup a fund to help out victims of those injured in the street clashes. We first contributed a sum of 1 lakhs from Ma-Ha's side. And when we asked for support from others, the response we received was nothing short of overwhelming. And soon other hospitals followed our example and set up similar funds to treat the injured. After that, the injured could be taken to the nearest hospital without having to worry if the doctors would refuse to treat them for being unable to pay their fees. Some hospitals even returned the financial assistance we had extended, stating that they had setup their own similar funds. Even those people who were unsure whether to join the movement or not -- given the past record of our politicians -- decided to take to the streets, convinced about the genuineness of the movement, after hearing about the fund we had collected for the purpose of treating the demonstrators. And the money didn't just pour in from within the country only. After news of the fund was put up in kantipuronline, money started coming in from the US, Japan, the Gulf countries, Europe, you name it. As Hari says, we've frozen most of the amount save some which we've set out to treat those who will have to come back to the hospitals for a follow-up treatment. Although we hope that the street clashes do not take place again, we need to be prepared for the worst until the elections to the constituent assembly come. People can see for themselves the details of how the collected amount was spent and how much remains at www.loktantrahrf.org. We actually bought a ventilator with the collected money for a victim of the movement from Satungal whose lungs had collapsed. A good doctor from Japan came all the way here and improvised a heart pacemaker to make the victim's diaphragm rise and fall regularly. A device built specifically for the purpose has been developed in the US but the cost of an operation with it would reach up to Rs 75 lakhs, but thanks to the doctor we installed the improvised lung pacemaker for around Rs 13 lakhs. The operation, carried out in collaboration with our own doctors was a great success. But most importantly, something like that had never been tried before, and our doctors made history by completing the operation successfully. Q. What are your personal favourites among the multitude of films, serials and shows that you have worked on?  Hari Bansha: I was born in 2014 BS, making me half a century old. I've spent 30 years of my life as a professional artist. It all began with my first big break during the Gaijatra programme of 2034 BS. Then I met Madan dai in 2037 BS and now it has been 27 years since we first collaborated. In all these years, we broadcasted our shows through the radio, the TV – which was just emerging back then— and also used the print media to reach out to the people. We also saw numerous political upheavals; the rise and fall of the Panchayat regime, the 2046 revolution, the referendum, and the recent April pro-democracy stir. Q. The two of you have been working together for such a long time. How was it working together? At one time we even heard rumours of a split. Hari Bansha: Of course we had our share of difficult times. It's basic human nature that no two people can think alike. But to make a partnership last, it needs compromises, at times from my side and at others, his. We would not have lasted this long had the people stopped appreciating our performances together. Since we are doing well together, a split is out of the question. We didn't last this long because we looked at each other and decided that we liked the other person. We lasted because each of us likes the other's work. Differences of opinion will always be there but we have been able to manage that difference and therein lies our speciality.  Madan Krishna: It's nothing like that. Even a person all alone can have five or six different voices speaking inside his head at the same time. With two people, differences are bound to emerge. But these differences are exactly what bring out the best in both of us. If we were meant to have split, it would have taken place a long time ago, probably within the first 5-10 years. But it's too late for that now….its not like we are working for the money these days. Q. As a comedian watching your own performance on the TV, do you laugh?  Hari Bansha: Sure I laugh, I enjoy watching my performance. But when I watch myself, I become detached from myself and become an outsider watching me act on the screen. Q. How difficult is it to make others laugh?  Madan Krishna: It depends… on who you ask. Some will move heaven and earth to make others laugh and still fail miserably. While there are others who will just sit nonchalantly, utter a cough all of sudden and produce a gale of laughter from the audience. It depends on the nature of the person, his presentation and sometimes the person is born with it.         Q. Having come this far in your career, what event would you consider your moment of triumph?  Madan Krishna: Life has been pretty good until now and I don't recall a particularly memorable moment just now. The making of Bigyapan, Lalpurja were some good times. Q. How much have the two of you earned?  Madan Krishna: We earned a lot of friends, innumerable well-wishers. Wherever we go, people recognize us, the elderly treat us as their sons, and people of our age treat us as they would their siblings. That is our wealth. We were never after making a lot of money, in fact no one should be. Q. What suggestions would you give to the new artists so that they can come close to where you are today?  Madan Krishna: Be original and be creative so that you can leave behind something long-lasting. Length: 1288 words (3.7 double-spaced pages) Rating: Red (FREE)       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Interview with Albert Einstein Of all the scientists to emerge from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there is one whose name is known by almost all living people. While most of these do not understand this mans work, everyone knows that his impact on the world is astonishing. Yes, many people have heard of Albert Einsteins General Theory of Relativity, but few people know about the intriguing life that led this scientist to discover what some have called The Greatest Single achievement of human thought! JB: So here with us today is Alert Einstein, So Albert... do you mind me asking you to tell us a little about your childhood? Einstein: No not at all, lets see here... I was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14th of 1874. I was raised mostly in Munich, Germany. One very odd thing that my mother told me was that I didn't speak until I was three years old. My father owned a small electrochemical shop, once it failed in 1890 then my dad moved us to Million, Italy. JB: I understand that in you're attempt to attend Princeton you failed the entrance exam, then once you studied you attended anther school instead. what was that all about? Can you tell us? Einstein: Um. O.K. Yes, as a matter of fact I did fail the Mathematical Portion of the exam. I found anther college near by, I attempted to attend I was accepted. This new place was named the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. This new college was located in Zurich, Italy. In 1896 I started my freshman year of college. Even though I commonly missed classes due to me testing theories, and such. I passed all my examinations with the reviewing of my friends' notes; thus I graduated in 1900 JB: According to my sources you became a naturalized Swiss citizen in 1901. Can you tell us why you became a Naturalized Swiss Citizen? Einstein: The main reason for me becoming a naturalized citizen, was because in order for me to be accepted in society, and to vote also. JB: Once you graduated from college, what did you do for money, and a place to stay? Einstein: Well after my graduation a friend of mine told me that there was an opening for a Technician Assistant. I seized the opportunity; there I made a decent living. Saving my money as I went had enough money to pay the bills also enough to fund my scientific experiments. JB: Albert. Do you mind if we head into your personal life? Einstein: What do you mean my personal life? JB: Well for an example has you ever been married, did you ever have any children, etc.? Einstein: No I don't mind all. Um. I was married once to my college sweet heart Mileva Maric we saw each other for a while, and we finally decided that we were ready to marry we married in 1903, we had family and friends attend our wedding. We had 2 children one boy, and one girl. We were married for 16 years until we finally decided to call it quits. After our divorce I met a nice lady named Elsa Lawenthal, we eventually married after we were married for a couple of years we found out that she was my 2nd cousin. Gasps from the audience (ahhhhhh) JB: Albert why did you continue to stay married to Elsa? Weren't you kind of discussed of this new knowledge? Einstein: Well back when we were married that kind of thing happened all the time, so it was not frowned upon. And we had feelings for each other. We loved each other. JB: Excuse me for asking, but our sources tell us tat you and your family moved. Why did you move? Einstein: Its ok. Yes as a matter of fact we did move, we moved to Berlin so that I could continue my studies in around 1914. My new job I had gotten was on a post at the Russian Academy of Sciences. This moved effected my family terribly, and it was one of the main causes of our divorce in 1919. After our divorce I was so very lonely and I met a young lady, we liked each other we married and the Lady was my 2nd wife which we latter found out that she as my 2nd cousin. JB: Albert do you think that you could tell us (the audience) about some of your famous publications may be some famous quotes also? If possible, also some major achievements. Einstein: Sure, um… well in 1905 I published three of my very famous papers; my Special Theory of Relativity, my paper on Brownian motion, and finally my paper of the Quantum of Light and Sound. I cannot remember any of my most famous quotes. JB: What can you tell us about World War II period, if anything. Please include personal information about the way it changed you. Einstein: Well in World War II, that war had a strong effect on my life. While the rest of the Germany supported the army, I felt that the war was disgusting, and unnecessary. The new weapons of the war that were created for mass slaughter caused me to devote much of my life creating new ways to make peace. Towards the end of the war I joined a political party that worked to end the war, and create peace in Europe. The government outlaws this party in 1916. I was thought to be a traitor for disagreeing with the government. Also in 1916 I finally published one of my papers now knows as The General Theory of Relativity, that paper was the result of 10 years of hard work that revolutionized the world of physics forever. JB: What exactly is the General Theory of Relativity? Einstein: Well basically it states that the universe has to be thought of as a curve, this also states how light can be affected. JB: What can you tell us about after the war? Personal thoughts, life changes, etc. Einstein: Well I can tell you many things about after the war. Um… after the war, many aspects of my life changed. I was still married then, I divorced my wife after the war ended. I then met a young lady named Elsa Lowenthal. We hit it off, and married. This marriage led to a renewed interest in my Jewish Roots, and I became an active supporter of Zionism. Since anti-Semitism grew rapidly in Germany at this time, I quickly became the target of prejudice. There were many rumors floating around that people were trying to kill me, so I began to travel extensively. JB: Albert, where would you travel too and from? Einstein: Sure, in around 1921, I traveled to Britain, and then to the United States raising funds for Zionism, and lecturing about my theories. I also visited battle site of the war; and I urged that Europe renew scientific and cultural links. I promoted non-patriotic, non-competitive education, believing that it would prevent a war from happening in the future. And it did. I also believed that socialism would help the world achieve peace. JB: Albert… Do you think that you could tell the audience what you may have wanted to change about your death? If anything Einstein: I would have wished that more people had recognized my work. In certain aspects I wish that people could have given me more credit for what I have, and could have done. I believe that all scientists are very important in the past, and the present. But all scientists are all very important to our society. And I would encourage you to do your very best, and don't give up your dreams because someone said it isn't possible. That would be even more reason to prove them wrong. I'm closing the show with that statement. Goodbye America