'My motivation is not to make money'

'Kapil Sharma is a son of the soil and he represents the common man.'
'He is much more than a comedian.'

Shahana Goswami shares the screen with Kapil Sharma in her new film, Zwigato.

Directed by Nandita Das, the film takes a simple story of a food delivery boy.

Shahana tells A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com, "Zwigato is a slice of life that shows all the aspects of life of majority of the people. We live in our own bubble and don't see the struggle of others. It is about attitude, lifestyle and many aspects that play out simultaneously."

You seem to be very choosy about your movies. What made you pick Zwigato?

A lot of things. The chance to work with Nandita Das again was one of them.

I am her fan.

She helps me understand what she wants me to do out there.

The script was another reason; it deals with something that is around us.

It is subtle, layered and makes an impact without being heavy.

People have had enough of heavy stuff.

Kapil Sharma is in it. Nandita Das has made an interesting choice.

I was really happy to work with him. He is a natural actor.

He is very intelligent, observant and a good human being.

Nandita Das is a serious movie maker while Kapil Sharma is a comic actor. How did that work out?

We create boxes of people, compartmentalise.

Nandita always thinks outside the box.

Kapil Sharma is a son of the soil and he represents the common man.

Nandita, Kapil and I share a common larger sense of values in life.

Zwigato is a slice of life that shows all the aspects of life of majority of the people. We live in our own bubble and don't see the struggle of others.

It is about attitude, lifestyle and many aspects that play out simultaneously.

You have received awards consistently in your career. Does it play on your mind when you are shooting?

Not at all. My motivation is different.

It is not to be recognised or be a star or make money.

The collaborative way of working to produce the director's vision and the creative part is what motivates me.

The empathy with another reality, another way of responding to the world is what excites me.

Awards are a validation of our work, but they don't keep me going.

People's opinion of my work is more important to me.

Kapil Sharma flirts with all the ladies on his comedy show. How is he on set?

He is extremely shy, humourous and pleasant.

We had a lot of fun together.

In his reality show, he plays a character.

He is much more than a comedian.

You have lived in Paris and in Mumbai. How different is life in the two cities?

All cities are different from each other.

I grew up in Delhi, which is different from Mumbai.

Paris is beautiful and culturally and artistically different.

I went there as I wanted to grow spiritually.

I wanted to explore life.

I wanted to engage with the world.

I watched old movies, visited museums of modern and contemporary art.

Functioning in a new society was exhilarating.

Paris will always be a home, like Mumbai.

You wrote a short film. What happened to that?

I wrote a short film in French. I had to come back here for work, so I could not make it. It is on the back burner now. I intend to direct it.

In France, you have to apply to the government for funds to make a movie. It has to be made there as it doesn't apply to Indian culture and society.