Written by:
Stephanie Schroeder
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this Issue of Curve:
18#6
Indian American writer-director-producer Manan Singh Katohora’s lesbian-themed movie, When Kiran Met Karen, (WKMK), will premiere at the 14th Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival this weekend. The film will debut on Saturday, July 12 at 9:30 p.m. A second screening will take place Sunday, July 13 at 12:15 p.m. Both showings of the film will be take place at the Mainstage Theater at the Prince Music Theater complex and will be hosted by the cast and crew of the film. For more information about the film festival, check out http://www.phillyfests.com/piglff//2008/film-details.cfm?c=205&id=8009”> http://www.phillyfests.com/piglff//2008/film-details.cfm?c=205&id=8009
WKMK was shot in and around New York City last winter. The buzz, even then, was almost deafening about this cross-cultural lesbian film on the order of Brokeback Mountain, just one of Katohora’s influences. The others being The L Word, the Indian lesbian-themed movies, Fire and Chutney Popcorn among others. And the inevitable question then was whether Katohora is gay. He doesn’t answer the question directly, instead saying, “I am in solidarity with my friends in the LGBT community.”
Who cares, really? As Katohora predicted at the time, “WKMK is not about sleazy stereotypes nor even syrupy romantic comedy, but rather a quality story illuminating a range of possibilities for human connection, that cannot be compared to any other Indian-American lesbian film because there are so few.”
The plot of WKMK centers around Kiran Lohar, a Bollywood starlet promoting her latest film, A Himalayan Love Story in New York City. Three days before the film’s premiere, Kiran (Chriselle Almeida) meets and falls for Karen (Kelli Holsopple), an out lesbian reporter chasing the story of a lifetime that could catapult her to international journalistic fame. What transpires next had been kept under wraps since before the filming ended. In fact, Holsopple didn’t even know the ending the night before full shooting commenced.
The diminutive Holsopple (she is 5 foot, 1 inch) is a veteran of theater. She had just finished a run off Broadway as a lesbian who falls in love with a gay man, who both, when everything gets oh-so-boring, go gay again. The play, An Octopus Love Story by playwright Delaney Britt Brewer received mixed reviews, but Holsopple was ready to dive into the meatier role as the very out and very career-hungry lesbian journalist Karen Sorens in WKMK.
Holsopple questions queer-themed films being written, directed, produced and acted by non-LGBT individuals and crews. “Can they be authentic? she asked rhetorically. “And by whose standards?” Holsopple seems to “get” the need for lesbians to be involved in lesbian films. Katohora actually did work with a script doctor and others from the Indian-American LBGT organization Boston Masala in addition to other queer groups.
The film is about two women’s connection over the course of three very emotional, physical and philosophical days in New York City. As Almeida says, “It’s not a romantic comedy but a truer moment that catches the full range of emotions of a conflicted woman.” Almeida and Holsopple formed a fast friendship which created the trust required for them to play out their sex scenes. “But we also had to trust the crew to keep us safe and be respectful,” says Holsopple.
Holsopple landed the part of Karen when she attended the South Asian International Film Festival to see a friend’s film and met Samrat Chakrabarti (“Dev” in WKMK) of Loins of Punjab fame, who told her about WKMK. Holsopple auditioned and won the part of an American lesbian journalist grinding away for niche lesbian and gay publications looking for her big mainstream break. Since Holsopple was the first lead cast, she pretty much had veto power over the actors auditioning with her. Almeida saw the casting call listed on Craigslist, submitted her materials and auditioned with Holsoppe for Katohora and others. Holsopple said, “We connected immediately, we had a real spark and I told Manan, ‘I want her.’” The two giggle, whisper, and each plays off the other. “Our theater background connects us,” says Holsopple.
There was talk in other lesbian media outlets that the film would be a collection of bad stereotypes or just another movie where the lesbian loses the girl to a guy. “Lesbianism is of course a taboo subject in India,” says Almeida, who was born in Bombay and moved to the United States at 14. Indeed two Indian actors were offered the part of Kiran before Almeida signed on. Bollywood star Perizaad Zorabiam rejected the role based on the stigma she thought would sting her career as a leading lady. Purva Bedi accepted the role of Kiran and even gave extensive interviews before bowing out of the project for other reasons.
Almeida has played lesbian roles in the past. In one of her earliest roles, she played a lesbian in a college production at UConn where she received a BFA in acting. “It was a fairly erotic play that found me and the other female lead standing under a spotlight at the end of the play saying something like ‘I can’t wait to get between your legs tonight.’...My parents were in the audience and I was a little embarrassed.” The Indian American beauty has a solid resume and with WKMK as her feature film lead debut and she knows she has the heavy burden of representing Indian American women to the public. However, neither actor believes playing lesbian will ruin their young careers.
“It’s the intensity of stories that draw me to them,” says Holsopple “Universal themes of love, relationships, human connection whatever gender, sex or sexuality of the characters. That’s what drew me to WKMK. Karen’s real physical attraction to Kiran sealed the moment. It’s not random, but a profound life-changing event for both women.”
As for their futures, both women see WKMK as a springboard for more film work and are ready for any controversy the film may generate—in the mainstream, Indian and lesbian media and communities. “You know, it’s really about setting precedent for actors to play lesbian and gay characters. It’s time for happy endings for gay people in stories and films,” says Holsopple. Almeida agrees: “My hope is the film will open doors for more gay films. It shouldn’t be a ‘brave’ thing to do, it’s not like playing a lesbian is this huge challenge. Kiran is a character just like any other acting role.”
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