Bollywood has always taken a step ahead in addressing crimes against women specially commenting on sexual harassments and rape culture.  Manish Mundra, the producer behind films like Masaan, Newton has stepped into direction with a powerful women-centric film ‘Siya’. Starring Pooja Pandye in lead role, the film addresses the burning issue of rape and voices the fight of a small town girl for justice against the patriarchal society. Produced by Drishyam Films it also stars Vineet Kumar Singh.

Early to its release on September 16, team ‘Siya’ dropped in Kolkata for a press interaction on Thursday, which followed a special screening of the film. Amidst the busy schedule, director Manish Mundra and actress Pooja Pandye talked about the film and their journey on an open conversation with Payal Roy of The Statesman. 

Manish Sir, this is your first directorial venture. Why you thought of addressing this particular issue on celluloid?

Manish Mundra: I was very much disturbed by what was happening across the country with focus to the rape survivors and their fight to justice when it comes to society. People don’t pay attention unless it makes a headline in the newspaper, and once the headline is gone nobody even remembers about it. Then the fight of the victim becomes very lone fight and the road to justice becomes even more difficult. On the other side the judicial procedures take years to act and convict. So I thought of making the film to create the awareness. If we can play any role small or big to ensure that justice is delivered to the right person at the right time then it will be the movement.

Pooja what has been your thought about the narrative?

Pooja Pandye: For any other film, you’ll go and watch it just for entertainment. But there are very few films that you take home, that make you think even after you are done with watching it. Films come and go but Siya is made to stay and make you think. As a woman I feel stories like this should be made more, it deserves to be addressed. 

Debuting with a big banner like Drishyam Films has been an important stepping stone for you in Bollywood. Isn’t it so?

Pooja Pandye: I have, rather every new comer always want to debut with big banners. But good content has always been my first priority. Drishyam Films chalk subjects that are hard hitting to its core. It takes a leap of faith here as well with Siya. When I got this offer the banner wasn’t disclosed to me, they just said ‘this can be your life turning project’ and I got pulled by it. That’s how it all started.

Manish Mundra: There’s a reason why we chose her and after watching it you’ll realise it too. I wanted a fresh face who can portray the innocence of a 17 years screen girl, the audience should accept her as real. You know in such cases the acting should come out raw and natural. She’s a brilliant actor and did a great job.

The film also stars Vineet Kumar Singh in a pivotal role. If you can tell a bit about that…

Manish Mundra: We wanted somebody who can enact the role of the supporter, the strong anchor who can be the strength of Siya in the film and Vineet has done a tremendous job. We have worked with him earlier as well and he has a great potential as an actor.

Pooja how was the process of getting into the character of a rape survivor and understanding its undertones?

Pooja Pandye: I didn’t get much time to prepare myself for the character, but when we went to Pratapgarh for shooting, I met different people there in the village and interacted with them, got accustomed to their way of living, the dialect and all. Pratapgarh is my father’s hometown so I have been there in childhood, that made things a bit easy for me. But it was a very emotional process meeting real survivors and learning their stories… at times your mind gets so much dissolved in the thought process but at the end of the day I tried to give justice to Siya.

In this turbulent time rape has become an everyday issue, someone or the other falls a prey every hour. To direct to the root issue, how you visioned and researched for this one?

Manish Mundra: Everyday there’s one or the other news in the newspaper. There were four incidents that we track through, one in UP, two in Rajasthan and other one in Madhya Pradesh. We found a pattern, the powerful group commits a crime and the powerless victims don’t allow their girl to fight for justice. We culminated all those into one story and presented it.

So the incident in the film is based on a socially backward society?

Manish Mundra: Yes absolutely. 

What you think, this film will spark conversations on the issue?

Manish Mundra: It should spark a movement. 

Pooja Pandye: It definitely should. The film is so dark and raw and the message is so hard hitting, I am quite confident it will spark conversations.