Leela revolves around the bond that develops between Dimple and her reel-life student Kris, played by Amol Mhatre

The decision wasn’t an easy one, he recalls. Coming from a middle-class Bengali family, his parents were shocked to learn of his leanings towards the film industry. "I never had a film magazine at home, and here I was convincing my parents that I wanted to make a career of films," reminisces Sen.

Initially based in Delhi, he started his work in the visual media with TV serials. Later, he moved to Mumbai, where he worked in films like Raja Hindustani, Judwaa, Rangeela, Kachche Dhaage, and Jaanam Samjha Karo. He started as an assistant to ace cameraman W.B. Rao. After working as editor, screen writer, director of photography and production co-coordinator in over a hundred projects, which included feature films, documentaries, music videos, corporate films and commercials, Sen moved to Los Angeles. He now shuffles his time between being a freelance director and the creative head of Lemon Tree Films.

Two years ago, Sen started writing Leela Lemon Tree’s first feature film. Pitched as a Hollywood film the soul of Bollywood, Leela is a reflection of how the South Asian-American community is beginning to emerge, blend, and influence the mainstream American culture in its own way. The film has music by Jagjit Singh and lyrics by Gulzar.

"It is a film with a very mature script and is in keeping with today’s changing times," says Sen. "The youth have related to the film and found no qualms in accepting a married woman’s relationship with a boy much younger than her."

The response to Leela is clearly an indicator that post the success of films like Monsoon Wedding and Lagaan, new avenues have opened up, which until now were not available to films of this genre. Sen agrees and says, "We were conservative and realistic in identifying Leela’s target audience being primarily South Asian expatriates all over the world. But now, in this new climate, we are looking beyond our core audience to the mainstream, English-speaking filmgoers."

Audiences, who have seen the film, have been greatly impressed by ‘Kris’, the all-American Indian boy in the film. How did he decide on Mhatre? "I chose Amol from about 100 professional actors because he had this vulnerability and seemed like a kid and adult rolled into one. Amol was barely out of college from a small town near Boston taking his first steps into the big bad world of Hollywood. Shy, innocent, honest, charming, I thought he would be perfect for the role and the reviews he has received have proved that I was right," reveals the writer-director.

Sen grew up watching films made by Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Guru Dutt, Shyam Benegal and was greatly inspired by them. The Ram Leelas, folk theatres and nautankis back home had also been an important learning ground for him.

"Although I have loved sensible cinema, I also appreciate Bollywood blockbusters made by the likes of Raj Kapoor, Manmohan Desai and others. Bollywood is an enchanting mix of fantasy and reality and this is what makes it the biggest and perhaps most unique film industry in the world," he says.

He admires the new breed of directors Ashutosh Gowarikar, Aditya Chopra and Farhan Akhtar. "These young directors from the new school are taking Indian cinema to greater highs. There is an international awareness and a certain amount of curiosity created due to the success of Indian films abroad." While Indian films are coming of age, Sen holds the view, "that it is not Indian films that are coming to the West, but it is the West that is going after Indian films. India has its own audience and does not need to cater to the western audience. Indian films have always been a class apart but it is only now that it is getting the international acclaim and recognition it so deserves."

Among Sen’s future projects are two unnamed ventures for Bollywood. "I am presently writing a script keeping actress Sushmita Sen in mind, as she may be playing the lead role in my film. I am also co-producing a film written and directed by Aditya Bhattacharya, son of the late director Basu Bhattacharya." INFS