Tongue in Check

“I am grateful to the government of Uttar Pradesh for abiding by the Supreme Court order and allowing the release of my film in the state,as well as ensuring there is no problem of law and order,” said Jha,in Lucknow on Wednesday. “The fractured release has taken a toll on the earnings but I am glad the film is doing well everywhere and is showing signs of doing good business in the post-Eid week when the crowds return to the theatres,” he said,the note of remorse in his voice unmistakable,but the brave face in place. He is hopeful that the apex court ruling would be a precedent and prevent films from such perils in future.  

He plays safe and answers in monosyllables,lest anything he said went against him at a time when the film has not exactly been praised much by critics and viewers alike. On the general perception that the issue of reservation is diluted in the film and other caste-based issues confuse the storyline,he sticks to his guns. “I don’t think I have gone wrong anywhere. If there was anything wrong in the story or script,I wouldn’t have gone ahead with making the film,” he averred.

“Controversy cannot do any good to a film. We were holding press meets across the country and were happy with the interest we had generated in the film. I always knew my film makes a valid point. If the authorities felt there was anything objectionable,all doubts were laid to rest after they saw the film,” said the director whose debut film Daamul won him the National Award and who has to his credit highly acclaimed and socially relevant yet popular and money-spinning films like Apaharan,Gangaajal and Raajneeti.

On a lighter note,he brushed aside any rift between him and Ajay Devgn,a constant in all his films,who is conspicuous by his absence in this one and justified the ploy of casting actors with tremendous star value. “The stakes involved in the release of a film are high and as socially relevant or meaningful and well made as it may be it must have a face value. If I have chosen stars over actors,they in turn have given their best to my films. Katrina Kaif’s act in Raajneeti has been hailed as her best performance till date and just look at Saif Ali Khan’s work in my latest,” he said. Talking about stars,he categorically denied that casting Amitabh Bachchan was a mistake,given the actor’s lost ‘ambassadorship’ of Uttar Pradesh,the land-related cases against him and how unwelcome he is to the present government. “It was a great experience working with Bachchan. He made his character come alive like no other actor could have. I would certainly cast him again if there was a suitable role in any of my future projects,” said the director,whose forthcoming projects are in a developing stage. “I have registered two titles—Satsang and Satyagrah. We are still developing the script,so there is no decision yet on the cast,” he said,denying the latter project would document or essay the struggle/revolution of Anna Hazare. “His mission is too big and I am too small to comment on his ideology,but yes,I am entirely in support of his stance. Can there be any two ways about supporting the cause of eradicating corruption?”