Nandita Das: 'Zwigato' is a story of the relentlessness of life, but not without its hopes

Kapil Sharma plays the role of a food-delivery partner in 'Zwigato', directed by Nandita Das. (Image: Netflix/I'm Not Done Yet/Screen grab)

Nandita Das has worn many hats, each of them with grace and conviction. She’s been an actor in over 40 films in various languages, including acclaimed works like Fire, 1947 Earth and Aks. She's written and directed critically acclaimed feature films Firaaq (2008) and Manto (2018). She’s been a social activist and appeared on the stage. Her latest feature as director, Zwigato, is based on the gig economy. It stars comedian Kapil Sharma as Manas, a food delivery executive, and Shahana Goswami as his wife Pratima.

Set in Bhubaneshwar, the film, which explores caste and class divisions as well as the relationship between man and algorithms, premiered at the recent Toronto International Film Festival and played at the Busan International Film Festival. Excerpts from an email interview with Das:

How did you come up with the idea of setting 'Zwigato' in the realm of the gig economy?

It began as a discussion with my publisher friend Samir Patil, also a partner in my production company (Nandita Das Initiatives), about growing unemployment and the complexity of gig work. Slowly, it took the shape of a short film about a day in the life of a delivery rider. Then Sameer (Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment), who was to produce it, pushed me to make it into a feature.

Initially, I wasn’t sure if it would immerse me enough. But as I began to delve deeper into it, I was drawn to the human aspects of this new tussle between technology and the people serving through it... Zwigato is a story of the relentlessness of life, but not without its hopes and silver linings.

After films like Firaaq and Manto, this genre seems to be a departure for you. Comment.

I have only done two films, and both came out of a compulsion to tell those stories. This one had a slower evolution. I don’t really see it as a departure. They are all set in different times, in different parts of the country, but they are all about human conditions and relationships. I am instinctively attracted to stories that reflect the reality of the times. This is only my third feature, and I hope to tell many stories, each different from the other. But at the core, the concerns will continue to remain the same. Zwigato is no different.

How did you zero in on comedian Kapil Sharma for the lead role?

Kapil (Sharma) popped up while surfing the internet. I reached out to him, and he promptly responded. We come from very different worlds, but somehow the genuine desire with which he approached the character was right.

'Zwigato' premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (September 8-18, 2022).

What can you tell us about the setting of the film?

Bhubaneswar is a beautiful city and was a delight to shoot in. The food delivery rider is crisscrossing the city every single day, so the setting is an equal character. Since very few have seen Bhubaneswar, it is visually, refreshingly new, and yet it seems familiar as it has elements of most Indian cities. The city is unique in the way that it has big wide roads lined with trees - like Central Delhi, and also narrower streets and galis (lane) in the old temple town, with local hawkers, providing visually diverse locations. The graffiti, which is beautifully painted all over the city, also makes it unique. India is not just Delhi, Mumbai, UP, and Punjab, where many films have been set. Several other parts of the country are seldom seen. I hope this opens doors to many other shootings in Odisha.