Finding Manto

The brilliant, maverick writer lies somewhere in Nawazuddin’s eyes, says Nandita Das

- Ancy K. Sunny

NANDITA DAS DONS many hats. “Actor, director, social issues advocate, theatre artist, writer...” says the bio on her Facebook page. Each time she puts on one of these, Das makes sure she triggers a thought process. With her second directorial outing, Manto, she wishes to evoke 'Mantoiyat'—the ability to be free-spirited, honest and outspoken—that exists inside each one of us.

The idea of 'Mantoiyat' emerges from the persona of her protagonist— firebrand Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto. Highly criticised during his time for his themes, Manto's writings from the 1940s-50s are remembered for having held a mirror to society. Born in Ludhiana in undivided India, Manto spent some of his best years as a journalist, author and screenwriter in his much-loved Bombay. His short stories revolved around those on the margins of society—sex workers, alcoholics and criminals. He viewed them from outside the lens of morality, and humanised them, for which he was tried on obscenity charges six times. But, a defiant Manto famously told his critics: “If you cannot bear my stories, it is because we live in unbearable times.”

After his move to Lahore post-partition, Manto created his most remembered works like Toba Tek Singh, Thanda Gosht and Khol Do that laid bare the horrors of partition. The illustrious writer succumbed to alcoholism at age of 42 in Lahore in 1955.

Manto, which premiered at Cannes, will release in India on September 21. Das tells THE WEEK about the Manto journey, finding Nawazuddin Siddiqui who essays the lead character, and why this is a film for all times.

Manto is not strictly a biopic. It follows the writer only through four years of his life. Was this sufficient to fully reflect Manto the man and the writer?