Tolstoy's language preserved in 'Anna Karenina': Director

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Karen Shakhnazarov says he has tried to retain the context of Leo Tolstoy's 19th century novel "Anna Karenina" in the film adaptation while adding "something special".

Produced and directed by Shakhnazarov, the Russian film is a tragic story of Countess Anna Karenina, a married noblewoman and socialite, and her affair with the affluent Count Vronsky.

"The whole world knows the Russian literature, thanks to 'Anna Karenina'. There were a lot of adaptations, but no example for me in this. I made the version, carefully preserving the language of Tolstoy, but bringing to the film something special," Shakhnazarov told IANS.

"I made films of different genres, but never so closely approached the topic of relationship between a man and a woman. Nothing better has ever been written, or will ever be written, about relationships between men and women. The relationship between a man and a woman lies at the heart of our lives; everything else - politics, art - is secondary," he added.

The film, brought to India by RG Studios, will release in the country in English and Hindi on Friday.

Shakhnazarov feels the film will allow a viewer "to look at the novel in new ways, while retaining unchanged the text of Tolstoy".

--IANS

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