New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) Qaushiq Mukherjee can be called one of the most provocative indie filmmakers in India and the director, known for his unique point of view, says he seeks abnormalcy over convention.

The director, popularly known as Q, says he draws influences from his life in work, which makes his repertoire a heady mix of erotica, gravelly and quirky stories.

"My life really. I try to live as much of an abnormal life as possible and that greatly influences what I do. By choosing to not be normal, I immerse myself in what goes on in the world. Normalcy is kind of for me an hijab, burkha that we wear," Mukherjee told PTI in an email interview.

His previous films -- "Gandu", "Tasher Desh", "Ludo" and "Brahman Naman" -- are all acclaimed pieces of art but did not make it to the theatres.

"Ludo" and "Brahman Naman" went straight to streaming service, Netflix.

Mukherjee's next "Garbage", a furious thriller, has started doing the festival rounds.

"Garbage", he says, is a stark departure from his old "fantasy"-loaded work as it is his most urgent and real narrative.

Based on true incidents, the Goa-set story revolves around two women and a man, and explores themes of oppression - both sexual and psychological extremism in the aggressive digital era and blind faith.

Asked why "Garbage", the director says plainly, it is "the stink of the stench" we reek of as a country.

"... It is deplorable, and I see that everyday around me. Over the last four years, I have been pained by this kind of reality that surrounds me..." he adds.

Mukherjee is aware about his reputation as a "controversial" storyteller and he believes the tag that he has earned is "entirely fair".

The director, however, adds for a country that has "six rapes a day", he is not doing much injustice to "the idea of being a boy".

"At least, I am directing myself into channelling that energy into a creative sphere, into something that's becoming a work of art as far as I am concerned."

His early films take the audience on a trip, much akin to the high drug addicts get, but he says this time he went with a linear narrative.

"It is a real story about real characters dealing with real emotions and empathy, which is something that I did not use earlier. But it was imperative for me to make such a film specially seeing the fact that nobody is addressing these issues," he says.

With social message-laden films seem to be the flavour of the industry, Mukherjee says he has never believed in the perceived genre.

"I don't think cinema is about social beliefs or social messaging. It is not a tool of social messaging. It is a tool of social manipulation and I am not into that space," he adds.

On Monday, "Garbage" was screened for Indian audiences for the first time as part of MAMI's Year Round Programme.

The film had its world premiere at this year's Berlin International Film Festival's Panorama section in February.

"MAMI with its Year-Round Programme has provided us with a platform that urges audiences to explore the different genres of cinema," he adds.

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