Books and their film adaptations should be treated as independent pieces of work: Actor

Describing the relationship between films and literature as ''long and strong'', critically acclaimed actor Rahul Bose noted that there is always a human tendency to compare a book and the movie based on it, but the two should be treated as independent pieces of work.

The ‘Mr and Mrs Iyer’ actor, while talking to PTI on the sidelines of the Kolkata Literature Festival, also insisted that filmmakers should do their homework well before adapting a book into a movie.

''I think every single time a filmmaker wants to make a movie, he is looking out for literary materials out there, the reason being the extensive research that goes into writing of books with social, cultural and historical context.

''However, a screenplay is a much more superficial form of writing. You don't get to show the sociological and cultural construct as beautifully in a film. That said, filmmakers should always make sure that proper research has been done, before they make a movie,'' the 55-year-old actor, known for his cerebral portrayals in different films, explained. Bose, however, also asserted that directors and scriptwriters should be given some leeway and freedom to use their creativity, when they make a film keeping the focal theme and the spirit of the novel alive.

''There is a temptation, the human tendency to compare the book with the adapted movie. I think books and films should be looked upon as independent pieces of work,'' he said.