On February 1, the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) commenced its 17th edition in Jaipur, marked by a vibrant opening that emphasized the promotion of "literary tourism." The call was made to boost the economy, expand people's perspectives, and endorse various genres, languages, and cultures. The inauguration of the five-day event was carried out by Diya Kumari, the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
The JLF'24 featured a particularly enlightening session titled "Adaptations: From Paper To Screen" that took place on the Front Lawn. The discussion involved renowned writers including Bonnie Garmus, Kai Bird, Ben Macintyre, and Nicholas Shakespeare, engaging in a conversation with Charles Collier. This unique panel delved into the prevalent dilemma faced by bibliophiles regarding the transformation of exceptional books into movies, exploring the intricacies of the adaptation process.
Bird pondered on the role played by physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in inaugurating the atomic age, highlighting its lasting influence on our uncertain world. More than just a quantum physicist, Oppenheimer's life was a rich tapestry of intricacies, intertwining his affection for the Bhagavad Gita, Sanskrit, Eliot's poetry, and his diverse intellectual pursuits.
Everyone was eagerly waiting for Kai Bird on the panel, and Oppenheimer fans were starstruck in the front rows. The esteemed author shared insights into the genesis of his book 16 years ago. During the session, the coordinator posed a question, inquiring whether the author harbored any concerns about the potential transformation of his book into a screenplay, possibly compromising its originality and essence.
Kai admitted that despite numerous directors pitching detailed scripts, he and his collaborator, Martin J. Sherwin (whom he affectionately calls Marty), found the scripts boring and flat. They were searching for something that could truly capture the essence of the movie. Then, in September 2021, Christopher Nolan gave them a call, expressing his interest in writing the screenplay for Oppenheimer. Within 4-5 months, Nolan crafted an extensive script, and to their astonishment, Kai and Martin J. Sherwin discussed it and were thoroughly impressed, loving every bit of it.
This led to a string of meetings between Nolan and Kai, spending hours delving into plot details and screenplay discussions, all while enjoying a cup of tea. Kai jokingly mentioned Nolan's penchant for tea, saying, "He is half British, he likes his tea," eliciting laughter from the audience. Unfortunately, shortly after, Martin passed away. And that's the story of how the entire movie came into existence.
