'Heartbreaking to see kids under parental pressure'

Sunita Kapoor moved from Imphal to Delhi 21 years ago and since then, she has yearned to re-connect with her birthplace. Her messages are universal though she weaves them around her native stories

A feminist and a self-propelled woman, Sunita turned to produce films to reconnect with her roots. Her efforts bore fruit with her latest film Magi Matambakta (On her lap) which is being screened at the ongoing Bengaluru International Film Festival at the Orion Mall.

Magi Matambakta is a story of two boys, who are raised in two different ways and eventually face the results of their upbringing.

The film is a commentary on parenthood and the ill-effects of helicopter-parenting (a parent who pays extremely close attention to a child’s experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions).

Sunita, a mother of two, says, “Especially in Manipur, we have parents who even accompany their children to tuitions and have unrealistic expectations of their offspring. It is heartbreaking to see kids under such pressure.”

But why has she chosen films as a medium to convey her message? “It is a universal medium. One need not be educated to comprehend cinema. I want to reach every part of the society with my work,” she says.

With her films, Sunita also wants to drive another important message back home — women empowerment.

“Manipuri women are strong. But then again, we also face a lot of difficulties to grow in our lives. In a male-dominated sphere, it was important for me to create a mark and I have come a long way,” she says.

Sunita also runs an NGO called ‘Chunura’ to support women who don’t have the means of livelihood or are looking for a new start.

“I came across two sisters who had run away with their mother to escape some kind of danger back home. I was fortunate to get the girls to complete their education. They had reached Delhi with only Rs 200 on them, but I have helped them stand on their feet now,” she narrates.

The issues that women face on a day to day basis also happen to be the theme of her next film. “Ever since I moved away from home, I have realised that Manipur has a beautiful culture and I want to give it back to through these films. I want to prove myself as a woman and a film producer.”

However, Sunita confesses it is not easy to shoot films in insurgency struck Manipur.

“Usually, it should take 20 to 25 days for a film to complete. But it took us almost two and a half years to complete Magi Matambakta. We were forced to take long breaks because of the threats leading to huge financial setbacks,” she adds.

With BIFFes, she hopes to give a glimpse of her home and her stories to the rest of the world. “I am happy that I got this opportunity to screen my film. I hope the 75,000 Manipuri people will also come down to watch and appreciate the film,” she says with a glimmer of hope.

Sunita’s Magi Matambakta was screened on Sunday.