Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
Hollywood

Creating Fear Is Not Good For Society: Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt

Darpan News Desk IANS, 22 Oct, 2015 11:50 PM
  • Creating Fear Is Not Good For Society: Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who has often spoken out on issues of national importance quite in contrast to others in the film and entertainment industry who choose to remain silent, has raised his voice against the growing atmosphere of intolerance in the country, saying that such acts "ridicule" our constitution and "debunks" India’s claim of being a democracy.
 
Bhatt, who has made "Janam", "Arth", "Naam" among other acclaimed films, said that although he is happy that the nation has collectively responded to the shameful deeds, the ink attacks and the banning of Pakistani artists like legendary singer Ghulam Ali and actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan from performing or working in Maharashtra is a question mark on our democracy.
 
"It kind of ridicules our constitution, it shames the police, and it debunks our claim of being a democracy. And when you tamper with a god-given gift in men of free thought and free speech, to create fear is not good for any individual, nor for society," Bhatt told IANS in an interview.
 
Last Monday a group claiming to the Shiv Sena workers, blacked the face of former BJP ideologue Suneendra Kulkarni with ink while he was on his way to the launch of a book by former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri in Mumbai.
 
A week later, Kashmir legislator Engineer Rashid, who has been protesting against the killing in Udhampur of a truck driver for allegedly carrying a cow in his vehicle, had his face blackened while addressing a press conference here.
 
Ghulam Ali, who was scheduled to perform in Mumbai, was forced to pull out after the Shiv Sena threatened to disrupt the proceedings. As for the two Pakistani actors, they have been told they would not be permitted to promote a film that is currently being shot in Mumbai.
 
At the same time, Bhatt admitted that one would have to live with the kind of elements that staged the attacks.
 
"Instead of using this moment to create a further gap between them and us (the attackers and civil society), I would request them (the protesters) to fall in line with what our forefathers fought for. In a country which has such diversity, the most important thing that we need to do this time is to fight for the right of somebody else to be different, which we are not doing," the "Hamari Adhuri Kahani" producer and writer said.
 
And, in an attempt to find common ground between India and Pakistan, Bhatt is coming up with a play titled "Milne Do", which is a collaborative effort of theatre actors from the two countries.
 
 
" 'Milne Do' is through theatre. Theatre has got a limited audience but nevertheless reflects the ideology of civil society; celebrating the human values, those values which are as much sacred in Pakistan as they are sacred in India. 'Milne do' would celebrate those values," the 67-year-old said.
 
The play is an intense love story between two culturally-crossed individuals during times of abject hatred. It will be staged on April 24 at Shri Ram Centre here before travelling to other cities of India and Pakistan.
 
In another attempt on the same lines, Bhatt who made his directorial debut with "Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain" in 1974, has upcoming Punjabi film "Dushman" in his kitty, which will unfold a new chapter of friendship between the two countries.
 
" 'Dushman' is a Punjabi film because I feel that this is the time the regional cinema all over the country today is asserting itself; there is a resurgence of regional cinema. India doesn't live only in Bollywood. Bollywood doesn't represent the voice of India alone. There is Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Hyderabad, Bhojpuri and Punjab!," he said.
 
"Punjabi cinema has an audience of its own and it has suffered a lot during partition. There is a yearning to make a Punjabi film which looks at the issue of Indo-Pak hostility with enlightened eyes. I think 'Dushman' also revisits that idea of the enemy and there is a great quote of Nizamuddin Auliya that to live is to love your enemy...," Bhatt said.
 
Associated with the Hindi film industry for over four decades, Bhatt is now seen as a narrator, exploring tales of some of Bollywood's most iconic personalities in the The EPIC Channel TV show "Khwaabon ka Safar with Mahesh Bhatt", which started on October 19.
 
Talking about the quality of the narratives in Bollywood movies today, Bhatt said these have gone down even as technological progress had taken the films to global standards.
 
"The mainstream is not as adventurous as our predecessors used to be. If you look at the stories of the people in the past, they were very brave people who went against the tide and told stories in their own unique way. They did not worry so much about whether it will work or not work. We have today lost the spark of being unique and distinct. We are frightened of being ourselves," he concluded.

MORE Hollywood ARTICLES

Shekhar Kapur Congratulates Actor Bradley James

Shekhar Kapur Congratulates Actor Bradley James
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has congratulated actor Bradley James for bagging a role in the film "Underworld 5".

Shekhar Kapur Congratulates Actor Bradley James

Spice Girls May Reunite in 2016: Geri Halliwell

Singer Geri Halliwell says all-girls band Spice Girls are "in talks" to reunite to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut single "Wannabe", in 2016.

Spice Girls May Reunite in 2016: Geri Halliwell

Sofia Vergara, Kaley Cuoco Are Tv's Highest-paid Actresses

"Modern Family" star Sofia Vergara and Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting of "The Big Bang Theory" fame have emerged as the highest earning television actresses -- both taking home $28.5 million for 2015.

Sofia Vergara, Kaley Cuoco Are Tv's Highest-paid Actresses

Few True Independent Artists In India: Grammy Winner Ricky Kej

Bengaluru-based musician Ricky Kej, who won the Grammy Award for his album "Winds of Samsara" in February, laments that there are few "true independent artists" in India. He says there is a need for musicians to write about "real topics".

Few True Independent Artists In India: Grammy Winner Ricky Kej

Mandy Moore's India Visit: Assesses Services For Women In UP

The health advocate is here as the global goodwill ambassador of NGO Population Services International (PSI). 

Mandy Moore's India Visit: Assesses Services For Women In UP

Rapper Dex Osama Killed In Detroit Shooting

Rapper Dex Osama Killed In Detroit Shooting
Rapper Dex Osama, who was signed by rapper Nicki Minaj's boyfriend Meek Mill, was shot and killed here by an unidentified assailant, reports here confirmed. He was 26.

Rapper Dex Osama Killed In Detroit Shooting