That 'Manto' actually got made is a miracle, says Nandita Das

Nandita Das is relieved her film "Manto" is garnering rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival but the filmmaker says the fact that the movie eventually materialised is nothing short of a "miracle".

In a lengthy Facebook post, the actor-director said presenting the biopic on legendary Urdu short story writer Saadat Hasan Manto at the ongoing film festival was an unnerving experience.

Talking about her "roller coaster ride" over the last five days, Das said, "On the day of the premiere, I was neither euphoric, nor nervous. Just happy. The fact this film actually got made is a miracle. For it to be in Cannes, is the second miracle...

"But the carnival-like energy here lifted my spirits. I began to feel the excitement and nervousness of a director whose film is going to be screened at the most prestigious film festival in the world, with the toughest-to-please audiences and critics."
"While most found the 'seamless intertwining' of Manto stories with the narrative fascinating, there were some who were a bit lost as they felt they weren't warned before a story began."