Thanks to the International Film Festival of India held in Goa, writer Ruskin Bond came out of hibernation to watch his first film in a movie theatre after 25 years.
The Blue Umbrella, which premiered in Goa on November 26, was director Vishal Bharadwaj's screen adaptation of a short story written by him.
"It's after 25 years that I found myself inside a movie theatre. Although an avid film watcher, I live in Mussoorie where, unfortunately, there are no theatres now," the 71-year-old author said today. The Blue Umbrella, slated for May 2006 release, is set in Himachal Pradesh and revolves around an 11-year-old girl's quest for a lost umbrella believed to have magical powers. "The film is based on a story I wrote 20 years ago. I knew some children there and wove this fable around them," he said. "The umbrella is symbolic of what people want in life. It's about how human generosity ultimately overcomes greed," Bond added.
This is not his first tryst with Bollywood. In 1980, his novel A Flight Of Pigeons became the basis for Shyam Benegal's acclaimed film Junoon.
But Bond may not have to wait too long for another rendezvous with the desi box-office. "Vishal has evinced interest in making another film based on one of my horror stories. But right now he's busy with his film on Othello," the author said.
The only point of contention here seems to be whether his stories are scary enough in the 21st century. "It's funny how children come up to me and say they don't find my horror stories scary enough compared to the stuff they see today," the author said.
Although Bond has not been able to catch up on other films at festival, he is happy that IFFI is being held here. "This would give me an excuse to come to Goa again," he said.
Born in Himachal Pradesh in 1934, Bond has written over a hundred short stories, essays and novels. His first novel The Room On The Roof, written when he was 17, garnered the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial prize in 1957. The acclaimed author won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992.
