In this interview, Indian film maker Shekhar Kapur discusses the issues he raises through his film 'Paani', in which water is a disappearing resource. The issue is presented in the context of how a society struggles as water disappears.


Kapur observes that water historically came from a source that was communal property, and work was required to obtain it from its centralised source. However, in this century, water has become a private property piped into houses, easily obtainable in many urban areas, leading, in Kapur's opinion, to more wasted water. His motivation for making the film came from this observation: "People are responsible for depletion of water and need to learn to behave. Government needs to act very responsibly."


The film maker cites tourism as creating water shortages in India, both in Goa and Chennai. He observes that watering gardens can waste the resource. He advises learning from children, who can become "messengers" on water conservation. He advises against a water tariff, characterising it as an unfair pressure on the economically poor. However, he suggests metered water for hotel guests, who would bear the charges for their personal use. He also suggests that availability and supply of water should be more equitable.


In response to a query about his source of the idea for "Paani", the film maker cites both personal experience of observing excessive water usage in contrast with lines of people in urban slums trying to obtain water, as well as the example of the Coca Cola groundwater dispute in Kerala, India.

The interviewer and film maker discuss various alternative water sources when groundwater is unavailable, including sea water treatments for usage as fresh water, like reverse osmosis and the possibility of nanotechnology salt filters.


The possible social and political repercussions of shortages, as demonstrated in the film and discussed in the interview, include slowed economic development; political rivalry between nations, regions, and social classes; the development of a black market for water; the control and exploitation of people based on water supply; social unrest; and large- and small-scale conflict.


The interview concludes with the film maker's statement of the need for leadership on the water conservation issue and a need to address community issues through socially responsible cinema as a participative process, and possibly also involving people through the internet.

India Water Portal website accessed on October 1 2008.