Bhopal calling

Its the commercialisation of education apart from the issue of reservation that served as the take-off point for Aarakshan, says Jha,who has shot part of the film in the sprawling Oriental Shakuntala Thakral College on Rhysen Road in Bhopal. The college had shut down a section of its classes and shifted the students to make way for the shoot.

Around 2000 students including those studying in the college,and those across the city were auditioned and trained before they were cast to lend authenticity to the college scenes.

Jha and his team created a canteen in the college premises,and the exterior and the interior of a bungalow in the posh Meenal Residency area were re-done as the principals home. In fact,the first scene,which has Bachchan returning from his morning- walk,and sitting in the verandah with some poor students he helps,was shot in the bungalow,

Apart from this,classrooms and a set of a tabela Saif is shown as the owner of one replete with over 50 buffaloes was also erected two months prior to the shoot. The buffaloes were brought before we began shooting with them. As a result,when we started shooting,the buffaloes were well-behaved,as they realised they were the stars, says Jha,tongue-in-cheek,adding that everyone on the sets drank buffalo milk every day.

The best thing about shooting in Bhopal is that the people there are at their best behaviour when watching shoots and obey the directors orders,like staying away from the equipment and being silent during takes. The other incentive to shoot here is that there are daily flights between Mumbai and Bhopal,you can go in the morning and come back in the night, chuckles the director.

Slated to release on August 12,Aarakshan has four songs composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. And unlike Raajneeti,where only part of the songs were showcased,this film will feature the entire tracks.