‘Dilli Dark’ is about acceptance, says director Dibakar Das Roy

MUMBAI: Filmmaker Dibakar Das Roy says the aim behind his directorial debut "Dilli Dark" is to focus on those who feel like an outsider in society today.

The Delhi-set dark comedy follows the story of a Nigerian MBA student called Michael Okeke -- played by Nigerian actor Samuel Abiola Robinson -- who battles prejudice against the African diaspora in the national capital.

Roy said he wants to drive home the message of "acceptance" through the film. "At this point of time, in a world which is very agitated, I think acceptance, non-judgmentalism... That's the most basic way in which we can put our politics.This is what I would want people to take back from the film.

"The whole intent behind it is to not just talk about Africans in Delhi. The intent is to talk about anyone who feels like an outsider in society today, that could be in India, America, or any other place. Michael Okeke is a metaphor for every outsider, whether he is an Indian or foreigner in any society," the Kolkata-born writer-director told PTI.

"Dilli Dark" recently had its world premiere at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. The film, billed as a satirical take on racism, will also be screened at the 27th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on November 14.

Citing the example of the late satirist and comedian Jaspal Bhatti, Roy said he uses comedy as a tool to comment on important issues.

"Satire is one of the most beautiful art forms that were ever created. Satire is a beautiful tool because it doesn't take things seriously and at the same time it asks rather than tells," he added.

The director said he decided to set the film in Delhi as he thought it was a fitting depiction of what India is all about.

"Delhi is a beautiful city and I have a toxic relationship with it. Look at the beautiful complexities in Delhi, different layers, history, and all of that. I think it is about (sense of) belonging.

"Being an Indian person, I was born in Kolkata, I grew up in Meghalaya, and I went to Dehradun, then Delhi. What does it mean being an Indian? There's a central emotion to being Indian and I think Delhi represents that," he added.

Robinson, who has also starred in Malayalam films such as "Sudani from Nigeria" and "Oru Caribbean Udayippu", was an obvious choice to play the protagonist in "Dilli Dark", added Roy.

"By God's grace, we came upon an article with the headline, 'Samuel has moved to Delhi'. I didn't know Samuel. For me, he was just this actor working in Malayali films who had moved to Delhi. I watched his movie ('Sudani from Nigeria'), it was a commercial hit, and I decided to speak to him. We sat and worked on the film together," he said.

"Dilli Dark" also features Geetika Vidya Ohlyan, Shantanu Anam and Stutee Ghosh. The film is produced by Roy and his brother Udayan Das Roy under Reeligion Films.