Tags:
Journalism of Courage
There was fun and masti at the announcement of the star-cast of Prakash Jhas magnum opus,Aarakshan,a high-voltage drama based on the controversial policy of caste-based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. Asked if the film would be a masala entertainer,Amitabh Bachchan,pointing to the nattily-dressed Deepika Padukone,said, If it is,I wont be responsible,ask the lady sitting there, he smiled. On a more serious note,the actor who plays a college principal in the film,stated that what he liked about the film was that it would show both sides of the issue.
Saif Ali Khan,who plays an underprivileged boy who makes it big,said that he took up the film instinctively when Jha approached him with the project.
Deepika chirped that she is happy to work in films like Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey and Aarakshan,because they make a statement. The youngest of the cast,Pratik Babbar,who seemed in awe of all the stars around him,plays the role of a boy from an affluent background. He said that issues like caste-based reservations disturb him,and so he was keen to be part of a film which dealt with this issue.
Jhas favourite actor,Ajay Devgn who,at one time,was said to be doing the film,was absent. Jha said Ajay will always be part of his films,but in this movie he was invisible. We found the characteristics of the actor we were looking for in Saif instead, said he.
