Water finally to release in India
By IndiaFM News Bureau, January 23, 2007 - 03:49 IST

Deepa Mehta is having mixed feelings right now, she is nervous and the same time excited and why not? First of all her film Water is selected as the Oscar entry from Canada in the Best Foreign language film and now the highly debated film from the element trilogy is going to be released in India on the February 23.

In fact, the film’s shoot was stalled in Banaras by Hindu fundamentalists, which forced Deepa to shift her location to Sri Lanka with a different name and cast. Even when the film was making raves for its brilliant performances the Indian distributors were afraid to release the film due to threat from extremists. Water however, is finally releasing next month, in India.

Incidently, the Indian audiences can expect a bombardment of a variety of films on Feb 23, not one or two but eight films are supposedly to be released on the same day. The list includes Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, Just Married, 1:40 Ki Local, Provoked, Chooriyan, Nishabd, Red and Water of course.

Post your views on this topic on our forum

Maybe now we can get the full soundtrack CD that includes Bangri Marori.

wow!!! kaya kodi nikali bhaii!!I was longing for that!

Quick question dudes.

This film was shot in Hindi AND English (i.e. filmed twice, if you will).

Which is the director's preferred version?

English version never released theatrically even in English speaking countries. So, director's choice is obvious.

Moreover, even my English speaking friends did not watch the English version of the disc that's included in 2 disc DVD pack.

Cheers Rana, much appreciated.

Water release postponed in India

Syed Firdaus Ashraf | January 24, 2007 16:53 IST



The wait has just got longer for Indian audiences who want to see Deepa Mehta's Water.

"The negatives of films have not arrived yet and the release of the film will be delayed," said Sanjay Bhutani, business head of BR Films, which is distributing the film in India.



The film will be released on March 2 or March 9, instead of its earlier release date February 23.


The Oscars will be given away on February 25 and if Water does bag the Best Foreign Language Film award, it will no doubt help its box-office prospects in India.


"The nomination to Oscars has already helped us in the marketing of the film," said Bhutani.


"I am sitting with my team to chalk up a strategy on releasing Water across India. Obviously, the film will not have a release like Dhoom: 2 -- or for that matter Baabul too -- because it is a different kind of film. I will however want maximum number of people in India to watch this film because of its great content," added Bhutani.


BR Films acquired Water's distribution rights in India long before it was nominated as Canada's official entry for the Oscars.


The film, set in the 1930s, highlights the plight of widows in Varansi then. Starring John Abraham, Lisa Ray and Seema Biswas, the film has been in the making for the last seven years.

It ran into controversy after rightwing Hindu parties objected to Mehta shooting the film in Varanasi.

Mehta's earlier film Fire too had run into controversy, because it touched upon lesbianism.


The Uttar Pradesh government banned the shooting of Water in Varanasi in January 2000.


"If this film is not allowed to be shot it will be the end of democracy in India," Mehta told rediff.com then. "It will show that the (UP) state government is being totally run by thugs,"


Deepa finally shot the film in Colombo, Sri Lanka, quietly. She also replaced Shabana Azmi with Seema Biswas and Nandita Das with Lisa Ray.


Do the distributors of Water fear controversy erupting again?

"How can I predict people's behaviour?" said Bhutani. "Whatever happened was in past. No point in going back."