"‘English August' Was Both Maddening And Rewarding": Rahul Bose On His 1994 Debut Heading To Venice After 32 Years
Rahul Bose reminisces about his 1994 debut film which 32 years later, will have its world premiere at the 83 rd Venice International Film Festival in September The Dev Benegal-directed English August was declared ‘lost’ after the film’s negatives were destroyed by floods in Prasad Labs’ storage facility. But in 2020, a 35 mm print was discovered at the National Film Archives of India. Restored in…
Rahul Bose reflects on his 1994 film debut, "English August," set to premiere at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival after a 32-year-long absence. The satirical comedy, directed by Dev Benegal, was thought to be lost until a 35 mm print was discovered and restored in 4K in 2020. Bose, who plays the protagonist Agastya Sen, expresses his happiness that the film will be screened in the 'Venice Classics' section, though he won't be attending due to no Q&A session being scheduled.
He hopes the film will find a renewed appreciation in a European context and eventually make its way to theater and OTT platforms.
Bose recalls the challenging and rewarding nature of the film's shoot, which took place in rural locations amidst poor conditions. He empathizes with Agastya's character, acknowledging the sense of dislocation and alienation still prevalent in India despite its progress. However, he acknowledges that he sees less of himself in the character due to his experiences traveling across the country and working with NGOs.
The director, Upamanyu Chatterjee, expressed his satisfaction with Bose's performance in the film, and Bose himself remains open to directing future projects. He mentions that he has written several scripts, including an action thriller and a crime drama, which may be brought to the screen in the coming years.
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