Suhasini Maniratnam says Mani Ratnam ‘won’t be able to make Dil Se or Bombay’ in current climate: ‘Politics is the easiest topic to dispute’

Emphasising that it is difficult to make a political film in India in the present era, Suhasini Maniratnam recalled Shabana Azmi's comments, highlighting that even a movie like Sholay can't be made in the current landscape.

By: Entertainment Desk

Kochi | October 14, 2023 02:11 PM IST

3 min read

Actor-director Suhasini Maniratnam, wife of Tamil ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam, also asserted that exploiting politics in movies for financial gain is not commendable. (Image: Suhasini Hasan/Instagram)

Listen to this article

Your browser does not support the audio element.

“Should cinema, or art in general, be political?” is a question that has been extensively debated, yet a common ground has still not been reached. Meanwhile, actor-director Suhasini Maniratnam, wife of Tamil ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam, recently commented on the topic, asserting that exploiting politics in movies for financial gain is not commendable.

“Today, I think there is no Indian film without politics because, in most of the films, the villain is a politician. The local MLA is often portrayed as the first villain. However, that is not the portrayal of politics that I wish to see in films. Films like A Wednesday (2008), Bombay (1995), Roja (1992), and Iruvar (1997) is the kind of politics that I want to see. Not really films that milk out of politics and make money,” she stated during a conversation with ABP News.

“In such cases, there is no difference between the politicians that you are trying to label wrong. So, for me, that’s not good politics in my cinema,” she added.

Also read | Suhasini Maniratnam says people know Aishwarya Rai only as a ‘beauty’, but she knows her as a ‘real person’: ‘She has got so many qualities…’

Suhasini further emphasised that it is difficult to make a political film in India in the present era. She agreed with the interviewer when the latter expressed concerns about whether Mani Ratnam would have been able to make a film like Dil Se… or Bombay in today’s environment. Suhasini also recalled Shabana Azmi’s comments, highlighting that even a movie like Sholay can’t be created in the current landscape.

“Earlier, you simply watched something and accepted it. Nowadays, everyone seems to have an argument, and politics is the easiest topic to dispute,” she added.

ICYMI | Suhasini Maniratnam wanted to call top Bollywood actors and tell them to not do bold content, friend Poonam Dhillon replied, ‘Keep quiet, stay in Madras’

During the same chat, Suhasini also recalled how she once refused to do a scene as it required her to sit on the hero’s lap and lick the same ice cream that he was eating. She shared that before putting her foot down she always found someone on the set who would support her because it is difficult to be alone in such battles.

From the homepage