‘Overwhelmed by the response of my film’ Chef Vikas

Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna has being into limelight ever since he broke into the culinary scene but the current recognition and fame he is getting for his directorial debut ‘The Last Color’ has overwhelmed him.

“This is an absolutely overwhelming moment for me. When the idea for this film happened I never thought it will reach this far. Oscar entry, theatrical release in New York and China all feels like a dream to me,” said Khanna during a telephonic interview.

Talking about how the film story that is based on a real incident he says, “I still remember it was in 2011 when I was in Mathura, Vrindavan at Banke Bihari Temple for my book Utsav - A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals and was doing a chapter on Holi. It was then that I saw hundreds of widows standing there and it was a totally contrasting affair. On one side people were busy playing colours and on the other were these widows who were far away from colours and festivities. One of the guys present there told me to look away from them as it would bring bad luck. This episode shook my conscience. But nearby an 80-year-old widow bowed to me with folded hands and blessed me only because I smiled at her. And then that moment of justice happened when they were permitted to play with colours on Holi by Supreme Court. It was then I penned a short story Colourless.”

Talking further about his film, he said: “Being a normal human I too moved on then and got busy with my novel, TV and cooking. But in 2017, I decided to make this film. But no one was keen to work on a story based on a widow. There were many who asked about the hero of the film and when I shook my head in negative things got little bleaker. So you see biases were there but I was okay with it. Then I approached actor Neena Gupta who instantly agreed to be part of the project and I will always be grateful to her.”

“Later, when the film got standing ovation at UN and now it’s in Oscars I feel its nature’s way of telling me that I was always on the right track. I call it a ‘miracle of belief’,” said Khanna who had taken to social media to share the big news.

Sharing about his busy schedule, the celebrity chef who is currently one of the judges of Master Chef India says: “It’s a small life and I feel I have many things to do. Since I left my home and parents at a very early age so whatever little I achieve is a way of reducing my guilt. So now when I accomplish something be it my third ongoing Phd or this film I feel I am somewhere trying to reduce my guilt.”