Going by the insistent buzz that refuses to die down, it would appear that never has a bag garnered so much attention on any red carpet as Kani Kusruti’s dinky little number at the premiere of All We Imagine As Light.
The watermelon pouch, a version of which Kusruti flaunted proudly on the red carpet, is the symbol of Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation.
“I wanted something in the shape of Gaza,” she says. “I collaborated with my friend who is a designer to figure out whether it would be embroidery or a brooch in the same colours (red, green, black and white, of the Palestinian flag). And then we hit upon the idea of the clutch.” The bag was designed by Kochi-based designer Diya John.
The image of the actor, in her white dress and holding aloft the clutch, spread like wildfire.
Kani Kusruti holds a bag depicting a watermelon on the red carpet, during arrivals for the screening of the film “All We Imagine as Light”. (Reuters)
In a country where celebrities are not just loath to take a stand but actively shy away from politics, Kusruti’s gesture has gained significance.
Australian actor Cate Blanchett’s gown with a robe in the Palestinian colours has also been seen as a mark of solidarity, something she has been outspoken about.
But up until now, no Indian has been seen or heard sharing their views about the ongoing conflict, for fear of obvious backlash.
It is an act of courage, and it is quite appropriate that it is Kusruti who came up with it. It matches the kind of full-tilt bravery with which she embraces her roles, especially in Payal Kapadia’s debut feature — where she plays a Malayali nurse in Mumbai, battling loneliness and a loss of identity. It is a part that requires a delicate balance of sadness and hope, and Kusruti pulls it off beautifully.
“It doesn’t happen very often for an actor like me to get this kind of script,” she says. “It was many years back when Payal reached out to me for the role, and since then I’ve been thinking about it.”
As it often happens, both the director and the actor got busy with other things, but Kusruti, who wanted very much to be part of the film, kept circling back to Kapadia.
And as the buzz surrounding the Indian entry to this edition of Cannes grows — it got an eight-minute standing ovation and has turned overnight into a critics’ darling — it has become a hot favourite for the Palme D’Or, the top prize at Cannes.
“What are you thinking?” I asked her. “Well, not very much, honestly. It is just such a privilege to be here with all these other fantastic films,” she said.
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