EXCLUSIVE: Mitakshara Kumar on Cannes 2024 being more about fashion than movies; says “Want to know about films winning, not criticising clothing choices”

The Empire series director Mitakshara Kumar has served as one of the co-directors on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s recently released series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Bollywood Bubble recently interacted with the filmmaker to discuss the magnum opus, the love and criticism the show and its cast is receiving and her experience filming the show alongside SLB.

During the same conversation, we asked the filmmaker her thoughts about the Cannes Film Festival. We spoke to her about the festival making headlines more for its fashion than the films premiering there. Read on to know her response.

Mitakshara Kumar on Cannes 2024 fashion

While chatting with director Mitakshara Kumar over a call a while ago, we asked her her thoughts on film festivals – both Indian and international, focusing more on fashion than the films being screened there. Agreeing that film festivals are nowadays more in the news for what a celeb wears to the red carpet, the filmmaker said, “I don’t think it’s right honestly.” She continued, “Gone are the times when a Satyajit Ray or a (Ritwik) Ghatak were celebrated for their work. The biggest example right now is Payal Kapadia.”

Mitakshara continued, “We should be talking and celebrating Payal Kapadia. Herfilm is competing for the first time in I don’t know how many years. But rather than talking about her, we are only seeing the silhouettes and costumes that people are wearing. But I guess this (focus on fashion) is a bone and a bane of the digital world we live in. Fashion has become a hot favourite point to stay relevant.” 

Mitakshara: I don’t want to criticise someone’s clothing choice

The ‘Heeramandi’ director added, “I feel it is great that there is fashion – that is also needed, but I think the prime focus of a film festival should be films. And the biggest example right now is Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light. We all know who is wearing which designer while walking the red carpet, but Cannes is a film festival…” 

Adding that she sees the benefits of fashion at a film festival, the filmmaker said, “I see the business side of it, I understand. You need the money to come in, you have sponsors. You need sponsors and sponsors take their own brigade. That’s nice. That’s great. But don’t overshadow the essence of a film festival. A Payal Kapadia needs to be celebrated as much as a red-carpet celebrity is being celebrated.” She concluded, saying, “I would want to know whether the film (All We Imagine as Light) is going to win rather than criticise someone’s clothing choice.”

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