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“We don’t need any activist to bring about a change. We are all capable. What we need is a little bit of courage.”

STAND UP AND BE COUNTED Rajkumar Santoshi says only the masses can change society PHOTO: SANDEEP SAXENA

Reasons the seasoned filmmaker, “I came to Mumbai to make films. I actually didn’t come with the idea of bringing social reforms through my films. But fortunately, I got to work as an assistant director with the serious filmmaker, Govind Nihalani. He shaped my thinking. Working with him in films like ‘Aakrosh’, ‘Aaghat’ and ‘Ardh Satya’ was a learning experience in realistic filmmaking. He taught me how important it is to give something back to the society.” As filmmakers, he says, “What best we could do is to highlight important issues and bring awareness about them among the masses. Nihalanitold me that we can pick topics from lives around us and those which one can easily relate to.” And that is what he has been doing. “It gives me a great personal and creative satisfaction,” he states.

“Halla Bol” too is an effort to inspire the common man to speak up, collectively, and try to bring some change in one’s surroundings. The film is supposed to be pieced from incidents leading to the murder of Delhi-based theatre actor Safdar Hashmi in the early 1970s, and also the Jessica Lal murder and Priyadarshini Matoo murder cases, etc.

“It is not based on one issue. Such similar issues have happened, and they would keep on happening. The common thing in all these cases is that the public stood up and spoke its mindcollectively. The latest example of ‘Halla Bol’ is Harbhajan’s ban and the Mumbai molestation case on the New year’s Eve. See, how quickly it brought awareness and change? And that’s what I want to tell people though ‘Halla Bol’, that if you speak up against the injustices done to your neighbour, he will speak up for you. If you don’t, he never will. I hate those who, sitting in comfy environs, talk about pesticide problem in the fields,” he elaborates. The Mumbaiite says, “Those who say, ‘Hum kya kar sakte hain? Kya farq padega?” are cowards and hypocrites. The biggest hypocrites are the so-called ‘activists’ who enjoy the best of luxuries and make others dance to their tunes. We don’t need any activist to bring about a change. We are all capable of helping ourselves. What we need is, just a little bit of courage.”

The film that stars Ajay Devgan, Vidya Balan, Pankaj Kapur and Darshan Jariwala in significant roles, is about a struggling actor who becomes a superstar and later put his stardom on the line for the cause of society. It has some popular elements “to attract the masses”, he mentions.

“My film is not for only the foreign film festivals or awards circuit in which I would talk of Indian people and their issues and the Indians themselves don’t get to see it. The songs are to bring in the massesThey form the crux of our society. They are the ones who can bringchange. What’s wrong if they take home a message with some entertainment?” he questions.

Santoshi feels that social changes cannot be brought the way it was shown in films like “Rang De Basanti”.

“I couldn’t agree with its climax. Killing someone is not the solution. Goli marne se samasya khatam nahi hoti, janm leti hai. One should hit at the problem and that too from the very beginning. Remember, our teachers used to tell us a story and highlight the moral in it? We should tackle the problem like that,” suggests Santoshi.

Though Sandtoshi says he is not tired of making such films, his next after “Halla Bol” will but be a comedy. And yes, it is not a new territory for him. He has already proved his worth as a great comedy filmmaker in “Andaaz Apna Apna”.

“My comedy film would be based on the comic subject itself. For example, when you see Charlie Chaplin, you don’t see his comedy only. His actions prompt you to know him behind the camera too. What makes a great comedian? What is his own condition while he acts like a foolhardy and makes you laugh? These are the topics my comedy film would subtly touch upon, while giving you ample situations to laugh,” promises Santoshi.

And one more film that he is investing a lot of his time in is “Samrat Ashok”.

“This will be on the making of the Mahatma. It would give you the insight into the mind of Ashok after he became a sadhu. It would talk of his inner and external conflict. It would also tell you how it became possible for such a formidable king to suddenly vanquish all his comforts and ambitions to opt for a spiritual life. It would be in an epic form,” he says.

His favourite actor, Ajay Devgan would play the role of Ashok and Bipasha Basu would be the part of his queen.

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