by Subhash K Jha

Earlier this week Deepa Mehta was in Karachi to screen her splendidly sublime Water . The response to say the least, was overwhelming.

Says Deepa, "There were people sobbing at the end of the film. They don't know the plight of Hindu widows . But they completely understood the climate, context and geo-politics. At the Q & A session after the film I was stunned when women told me , 'We don't have widows like those in your film. But the plight of our divorced women is much much worse.' I think cinema needs to grow wings, acquire a significance beyond entertainment."

Interestingly Deepa held fort in Karachi on her own. A lot of people wondered why her lead pair John Abraham and Lisa Ray didn't accompany her.

But John, just recovering from an attack of typhoid and Lisa, busy with her international assignments, were unable to make it.

"That's ok," Deepa said generously. "The important thing is, the message of Water is getting across. I just want the film to be released in India now."