'Manto has power to transcend borders'

New Delhi: Manto is a story about creative rebels trying to make a statement on freedom of expression.

Actor Tahir Raj Bhasin feels this will help it strike a chord with everyone irrespective of region or nation.

He says the film has a relevant subject as artistes and writers are facing trouble in expressing their opinion in many nations.

With Manto, director Nandita Das is tracing the life of writer Saadat Hasan Manto, essayed by Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

It was the only Indian film in Un Certain Regard category at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.

"There was global audience at the fest and they gave a standing ovation... The feedback that we got was that the story transcends borders, which is great," Tahir said.

"If you come to think about it, Manto was a maverick and a rebel who believed in creative freedom and freedom of speech. In today's political scenario in a lot of countries, it is a major issue for artistes and writers to not be able to write what it is that they want to convey. There is an underlying universality in the subject," he added.