Commentary Box

Starring Rajpal Yadav,Pied Piper saw a world premiere at Chicago South Asian Film Festival,Fer Film Festival in Ferizaj,Republic of Kosovo,Eastern Europe and earned rave reviews at MAMI as well. As the name suggests,Budakoti’s film is an extension of the German satirical folklore,famously known as The Pied Piper of Hamlin. “I am drawn to titles that signify the crux of the story so when Rajita (Sharma,also co-writer along with Farid Khan and Budakoti),came up with it,we agreed instantly as no other word could have defined the leaders and their mindless followers.”

Budakoti’s inspiration,and courage,also comes from an incident that took place at the time of Bal Thackeray’s death last year. “November 2012,Mumbai as a time when the political situation in Mumbai had peaked,and a simple Facebook comment put a girl in prison in no time. She became my source of inspiration. This is not a democracy where there is no freedom of speech or expression,” says Budakoti.

Instead of venting via an active aggressive cinematic expression,Budakoti consciously chose the common man’s strength and weapon — humour. “The common man has learnt the art of amusing himself even in grave situations like we are facing now,and that gave me an impetus to make Pied Piper.”

The director-producer admits that his political understanding is limited,but reasons that one doesn’t have to be a genius to see we’ve been taken for a ride since 1947. For Budakoti,donkey is a symbol. Once Chunnilal,the laundryman,acquires his donkey’s brains,he charms millions with his asinine traits and become famous. Ill at ease by his non-conformist approach,the establishment starts to fear his influence on society. He must be stopped,even eliminated; but can he altogether be erased from a collective consciousness?

Seen through the prism of Bertolt Brecht,socio-political commentators such as RK Laxman,Sharad Joshi,Shankar Desai,and Budakoti’s favourite,Charlie Chaplin,Pied Piper is an experimental film made under Rs 3 crores. “I am a big fan of Charlie Chaplin. He was a far superior director than actor,someone who had the brilliance of generating humour and pathos in the same frame. That’s why I chose Rajpal. Like Chaplin,he too has the ability to shift emotions from humorous to tragic in a single frame,which is very rare,” says Budakoti,hoping to release next year in cinemas.