Actress Nandita Das, known for her power-packed performances in films like 'Earth' and 'Fire', is now ready with her directorial debut 'Firaaq', based on the infamous 2002 Gujarat riots. Slated for release in October, the film deals with the trauma of violence on human relationships after the riots. "Firaaq deals with fear and prejudice that has entered into our mind. 'Firaaq' is an Urdu word that means both separation and quest. I want to raise certain questions through this film. Some of them do not have easy answers," the actress said. Nandita hopes that her directorial debut, which narrates stories of five different people, will touch a chord with all generations. She, however, is bothered by the perceptions that good films are only meant for critical acclaim, film festivals and not for box office success. "My film doesn't come under any label. It is a very strong, emotional story which I wanted to tell for a long time. Labels affect our thoughts and create pre-conceived notions about a subject. That's what I do not want for my film," she said when asked whether the film will find success with regular Bollywood crowd. "Why make such categories? I want students, office goers, workers, and people from every strata of society to watch 'Firaaq,'" she adds. Actors like Nasseruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Dipti Naval, Raghubir Yadav and Sanjay Suri will be seen in lead roles in the film. (PTI) ... read more »