Nandita Das's directorial debut 'Firaaq' will be premiered at the 33rd Toronto International film festival, starting September 4. The movie is scheduled to be screened under the 'contemporary world cinema premiere' slot at the ten-day festival. 'Firaaq' stars Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Dipti Naval, Raghuvir Yadav, Sanjay Suri and Tisca Chopra among others. Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Nandita said her previous films- Santosh Sivan's 'Before the Rains' and Adoor Gopalakrishnan's 'Nallu Penangal' were highly acclaimed at their premiere in Toronto festival last year. "It was a dream come true to direct so many good actors. They were very supportive. I think being an actor myself, I struck a special chord with each of them who have given their best in the film. The performances are to watch out for," she added. She said 'Firaaq' is an Urdu word, which means both separation and quest. This is an ensemble film that unfolds within a day after a horrific communal carnage. "The film has five different stories that are at times interconnected and at times discrete. The characters belong to different class, gender, age and community that represent a cross-section of society," the director said. "Also, the film is an aftermath story, so there is hardly any violence in the film, but a lot of tension and fear that surrounds the people," she added. Nandita said that her multiple roles as an actor, director and social worker all lead to the same goal of communicating her concerns and interests. "I try to be part of stories that need to be told and heard," she added. 'Firaaq' is for those who care about the world they live in, she said adding "violence is everyone's concern and there is collective desire for peace. This is what compelled me to make it".(Agencies) ... read more »