Nandita Das with father Jatin Das. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 14: Following critical appreciation of her debut directorial venture Firaaq, Odia girl Nandita Das is now planning to bring alive on screen the life of the popular Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto.

Das feels that there is a “Manto’ness” in every human being.

“All of us want to be free-spirited and outspoken just like Manto’s fight for freedom of expression and courage to stand up against orthodoxy of all kinds. He was relevant then and is even more relevant now,” said the director known for her performances in films such as Fire, Earth, Bawander and Before the Rains.

Her interest in reading Manto grew while she was in college. “His simple yet profound narratives and his insight into people, politics and the times he lived in struck me. He wrote as he saw, as he felt, without dilution, and with a rare sensitivity and empathy for his characters. I first read Manto in English then a few years later I read his short story collection Dastavez in Urdu,” said Das, who was also a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005.

“While undoubtedly many of his writings could lend themselves to a dramatic film, it is the story of his own life that is supremely worth telling,” said the actress.

The filmmaker has been doing a through research regarding the project for over a year now.

“To make the world and all of us in this country aware of this strong voice existed, I have to know every little detail of Manto’s life and works. I have been reading his stories and visiting his all his daughters and his grandniece Ayesha Jalal, who is also a very famous historian for further information,” said the 46-year-old actress. The film is set to go to the floors in the end of this year.

Das is at present in the city to attend the 9th National Film Festival on Art and Artists, which is being conducted by her father and eminent painter Jatin Das.

With the focus of this year being on the process of making art, the entire production and creative layout of Nandita’s film Firaaq will be shown at the festival.

“In the recent past we have seen a growing interest in folk and traditional art and also a deeper understanding of what is happening in the art scene today. The festival precisely aims to increase this awareness through the exposure to films on art and artists,” said Das.

A number of artists, filmmakers and critics are expected to attend the festival. The festival will be held from January 16 to18 at the Idcol äuditorium.