Aparna Sen: Film will raise questions that have tormented me

Konkona Sensharma and Aparna Sen

Every time the two women have joined forces, they have arguably made Indian cinema all the richer. If Aparna Sen lends wisdom and sensitivity to her stories, actor-daughter Konkona Sensharma breathes life into them with her skilful performances. Almost eight years after the Bengali gem, Goynar Baksho (2013), the director-actor duo are reuniting for The Rapist, a human drama that will reflect the trauma of a violent sexual crime.

Sources from the production team reveal that the story revolves around three protagonists whose lives are interwoven because of the incident. The film explores how crime affects not only the survivors but also the perpetrators.

Sameer Nair

Sen, who has written the script, says that through the narrative, she hopes to delve into the psychology of her three protagonists. "Stripping off the layers and facades to get to the real person underneath is a challenge. What is also fascinating is getting the two worlds within the country together - the India that lives in urban slums with age-old beliefs, and educated urban India with its ‘progressive' value systems. This film will raise certain questions that have been tormenting me for a long time," says the National Award-winning filmmaker. With the pre-production underway, Sen hopes to take the project on floors next month.

The movie, also featuring Arjun Rampal and Tanmay Dhanania, marks Applause Entertainment's foray into films. After tackling an uncomfortable truth head-on with Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors, producer Sameer Nair - who is partnering with Quest Films - is ready to back another powerful story. "It deals with the complex themes of sexual violence and restorative justice, which we hope will ignite a conversation. We are elated to collaborate with Aparna Sen to tell the story with the sensitivity it deserves," he says.