Acclaimed Writer Filmmaker Deepa Mehta opens up on her films
Deepa Mehta an acclaimed Indian-born Canadian screenwriter, director, and producer best known for her “Elements Trilogy”—Fire Earth and the Oscar-nominated “Water” opens up on her films and actors.
Her work is recognized for its unflinching, often controversial, look at marginalized voices, social injustice, and gender dynamics in India.
Her films brought her international acclaim, dealing with challenging topics
The production of Water faced severe backlash from protesters in India, forcing her to shoot the film in Sri Lanka.
Her films are often described as “provocative” and “courageous” focusing on human relationships and exploring themes of injustice.
She directed Bollywood/Hollywood an adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children and the gangster film Beeba Boys
Deepa has stated that curiosity drives her work, and she uses filmmaking to probe questions that she doesn’t know the answer to.
Based on the 20th-anniversary discussions of the film “Water” It was highlighted as a
” landmark “film in global cinema that completed a monumental elemental trilogy by recent reviews. It was also described as a a masterpiece of “nari shakti” (woman power) and a rare, powerful film.
“Refers to its raw, honest, and moving portrayal of societal injustices, leaving a lasting impact 20 years later.
The film followed the controversial ‘Fire’ released in 1996 and ‘Earth’ in 1998 taking viewers into the heart of 1930s “Varanasi” to explore the social exile of widows.
In a report Deepa Mehta looked back on the film’s two-decade legacy, its turbulent production history, and the surprising reason behind its iconic casting.
John Abraham was a casting choice made by Mehta’s mother
While John Abraham’s portrayal of the idealistic Gandhian, Narayan, became a career-defining role, Mehta admits the choice was deeply personal rather than purely professional.
Adding that John was her mother’s choice. She saw him and said he was a handsome guy, and she must cast him. That was it. Deepa could never say no to her mother.
This decision finally led to one of the most unexpected yet successful transitions from commercial “action star” to sensitive performer in independent cinema.
The film “Water” was eventually shot in
Sri Lanka under the pseudonym River Moon, and the film had a completely different face. In 2000, production began in Varanasi with a powerhouse trio that never made it to the final screen.
Mehta further revealed amidst her interview to that the original roles were intended for, Akshay Kumar in the role of Narayan (finally played by John Abraham), Nandita Das in the role of Kalyani (played by Lisa Ray) and Shabana Azmi in the role of Shakuntala (played by Seema Biswas).
Notwithstanding the original actors even shaving their heads for the roles, violent protests and the destruction of sets by extremists forced the production to shut down for four years.
Set in 1938, ‘Water’ uses the arrival of a child widow, Chuyia, to expose the hypocrisy of religious traditions used to suppress women. Mehta notes that while the film was born of “trauma and anger” following the protests, she wouldn’t change the final product.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”
News Edit KV Raman
