Interview with the director of Temporary Lives: Reetta Flink

Reetta Flink is called “The Messenger of Bollywood”, thanks for her hard work to make Bollywood known in Finland. In 2006, she graduated as an editor from The Tampere Polytechnic School of Art and Media. During her studies, Reetta worked as an internship in Mumbai, India, and made her final thesis about the musical scenes in Bollywood movies.

After having worked with Bollywood Frost Entertainment to bring Bollywood movies to Finland, and being one of the organizers of the first Bollywood Flash Mob in Finland, Reetta directed Ek Kahani - Love Story in 2012. It was the first Bollywood style dance theater play performed in Finland and became a huge hit.

Exactly two yeas ago you directed Ek Kahani - Love Story. What inspired you to make another play?

- The making of Ek Kahani - Love Story was an incredible experience. It was wonderful to work with talented, lovely people. Our team became so tight-knit that we still, even today, talk about the "Ek Kahani family". Last year while I was on maternity leave, I heard about the problems Indians on onsite assignments in Finland face, and inspired by their stories, I began to plan a new play. The possibility to work with familiar faces from Ek Kahani will be unforgettable! 

From where do you get your inspiration?

- I get inspired from a good discussion, by movies and books. The faiths of different people are what I’m most interested in.

Is this play based on real life events, as was the previous play, Ek Kahani?

- Temporary lives is not directly based on a true story, but it is heavily influenced from many people’s life stories.

The first play Ek Kahani was almost sold out, were you surprised at its popularity?

- Yes, very! I knew that there might be demand for a play like Ek Kahani, but the fact that we had to turn people away at the door at the premier night because there were no tickets left, and that the second night the tickets were almost sold out again, surprised everyone. It was incredible! 

How does this project differ from the previous?

- Fueled by the popularity of the first play, Ek Kahani, I wanted to make Temporary Lives even bigger. It was obvious for me to ask the dancers and actors from the previous play to join this new project. I also wanted to gather together several dance schools, groups, and dancers specialized in Indian dance styles as well as other persons eager to participate in such a project. I got together a massive group of 60 talented persons for Temporary Lives. And since the play itself is going to get bigger this time, it was obvious for us to get on a bigger stage. This time we are performing at Kanneltalo, in Kannelmäki.

Nowadays, most people have some time in their life studied or worked abroad. Do you think they can relate to the topics of the play, the hard times experienced when living between two different cultures?

- The play has been written so that the audience can relate to the different topics. But since it is a Bollywood style play, it portrays great emotions and colorful dance scenes.

With the experience of one play behind you, does this one feel easier?

- I think it does, because this time it’s a bit easier to expect the unexpected, and make everything smoother, for example by dividing the work tasks and making schedules. It is important this time to share the so called “silent information”, with so many new people involved.

How does a Bollywood play differ from a regular Finnish play?

- Temporary Lives has been written as a true Bollywood story, it has it all: the structure, great emotions and dance scenes featuring different styles. A traditional Bollywood movie aims to entertain the audience and that’s exactly what we are trying to do. We also want to share new point of views about Indian culture and customs with the Finnish audience through our play.

Temporary Lives is written in English. Is it easier or harder than if it was in Finnish? 

- I’m actually surprised at how fluent it is to write dialogues in English. Of course the topic has a big effect. Bollywood movies and Indian culture is close to my heart and for that reason, writing is easy for me. During the acting rehearsals, directing in English does give some small problems time to time, like when I can’t come up with some words. But humor helps in many situations! During our rehearsals you can hear languages like English, Finnish, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada.

Bollywood movies are visually impressive, not to mention the exciting action scenes as well as the music. Is there anything in the movie world that you would like to see happen in the play?

- It would be so much fun to do a fantasy-like musical scene, where the hero and the heroine go on adventures in these beautiful landscapes, and the audience is left amazed at how many different sarees the heroine was wearing during the scene! Unfortunately this is not possible on a theater stage. However, colorful and big musical scenes that the Bollywood genre is well known for will be seen in Temporary Lives, expect for the wind machines!  

Read previous interviews with Reetta Flink from Ek Kahani – Love Story

Introducing: Cast & Crew
A moment with the director: Interview with Reetta Flink 

Reetta's own blog:
A Blog about the Bollywood phenomena in Finland

Interview by Pia Grundström

Interview with Rumpa Saha - choreographer, actress, organizer!

Rumpa Saha is a dance teacher, choreographer, and performer. To make Temporary Lives come true, she is acting out not only as one of the organizers, but also as a choreographer and an actor in one of the leading roles of the play.

Born in India, Rumpa Saha has studied many different styles of Indian dances like Bharatnatyam, Odissi and Manipuri, just to name a few. Rumpa got a senior diploma in classic Indian dance after 10 years of studies. After coming to Finland in 1996, she continued to study different styles of dances like Salsa, Flamenco, Hip hop, Afro, and the list goes on... Feels like there is no style of dance that she wouldn't know! She has graduated from the Finnish Zodiak Center for New Dance. She studied to be a cosmetologist and hairdressers as well, and opened her own beauty salon in Helsinki. Rumpa is continuously learning and teaching new things. Dance is not just a hobby, for her, it’s a way of life.

Rumpa Saha in the role of Nandini.

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

- I completed a degree in Kathak and Tagor dance at the age of 17, and continued learning, performing and teaching dance in my hometown in India. At the moment I am living in Finland, I am working as the chairman of the Royal Bollywood Dance Group, and a board member of Kassandra, a multicultural center of the arts. I won the Queen of Hearts, an international beauty contest held in Helsinki 2013. 

What brought you to Finland?

- In 1996, I came to Finland because of family matters. Since then, my dream was to teach and spread Indian culture thru dance. I have also given lectures in schools and dance performances in various places. In 2008, I started the Royal Bollywood Dance Group. Many members from the group have developed into professional performers. One of the goals of the dance group has been to build up a network of friends for people who come to Finland the first time, and might experience various cultural shocks in the Finnish society. The main point of the dance group is to enjoy yourself and respect your own culture. For this reason we never perform in pubs, hotels or restaurants, only in cultural and private events.

Other than dance, Rumpa tells that she has made several TV appearances in Finland and India. On YLE, she has interviewed Sofi Oksanen, and hosted The School of life on TV7. With everything going on in her life, I wondered how she finds the energy to handle it all and her part in Temporary Lives!

What are your hopes concerning this new project, the play Temporary Lives?

- My dream is that all goes well, and that Indian culture gets visible in the Finnish society.

Have you worked in a project like Temporary Lives before?

- Working with 50 people and to make everything run is a challenge in itself, also considering that most of the project's funds come from sponsors. As one of the organizers, it’s definitely a big responsibility and role to carry.

You have your own beauty salon, dance group and family. Where do you get the energy and motivation for everything?

- It's true I’m really busy. At the moment, besides my work, I have this project and other projects on the side. I’m a single parent and the head of the home. My life is, and has been challenging also because of Chondromalacia patellae that I’ve had already for 17 years. Of course my child gives me motivation, and I like working in customer service. Dancing is my way of relaxing and it gives me more energy to carry on.

Do you have any dreams for the future?

- I have a beauty salon, which was a dream of mine for a long time. I am specialized in India and Finland as a hairdresser and makeup artist. My salon is called Rosria Crystal Beauty and it is located in Helsinki.

More info on Rumpa Saha, Royal Bollywood Dance Group and Rosria Crystal Beauty Salon. 

Interview by Pia Grundström
Picture by Jaana Tihtonen