Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2014: All about ‘Labour Of Love’

Bengali director Adityavikram Sengupta may have radical views about how to acquaint Indian movie fans with indie features (“just stop releasing Bollywood films for a year”), but he’s confident that his dialogue-free love story Labour Of Love (Asha Jaoar Majhe) will resonate with all.

“My story is said through images and sounds... without dialogues, it will be a new experience for the viewers,” said Sengupta in an interview with tabloid!.

Labour Of Love, Sengupta’s debut Bengali feature, will transport you to the crumbling suburbs of Kolkota where a married couple who work different shifts co-exist.

“Despite being in the same house and same city, they can’t meet each other. So, it’s an exploration of the love and the bond that they share in their absence, in the things they touch,” said Sengupta.

The director, who won the Best Director for a debut film in Venice Days, an independent sidebar of the Venice International Film Festival, has adopted a two-pronged approach this ADFF: Win over his viewers and impress Irrfan Khan, the head of ADFF narrative jury.

“My next feature has been written with Irrfan Khan in mind. I don’t want awards, I just want him to like my film.”

It’s yet to be known if his wish will be granted, but as Labour Of Love gears up for its screening at the ADFF at Vox Cinemas (5) on Tuesday evening, tabloid! asked the director for five reasons why we shouldn’t miss his film.

1. “It’s so simple that anyone — whether it’s a three-year-old or a 63-year-old — can understand.”

2. “There is no language and it’s a meditative film that will offer a different viewing experience.”

3. “It’s a film that has been made on a small budget [Rs5 million, Dh300,000] and with many constraints. There was an eight-person team with an old camera, but it doesn’t look like that.”

4. “It’s an award-winning film and received the Fedeora’s Best director for a film debut.”

5. “Labour Of Love speaks about love in a way that’s never been seen before.”