The ace producer-director is now ready with another realistic film ‘Aarakshan,’ based on reservation. The movie, which has a galaxy of stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Manoj Bajpai, will hit the screens on August 12.
Jha, who was in Patna recently, told
Abhay Kumar of Deccan Herald that his forthcoming movie shows crass commercialisation of education. “The relation between a teacher and a student is not that of guru-shishya. It has become more of a client and service provider relationship,” he argues.
Excerpts:
More than 20 years after Mandal Commission report was implemented, you have raked up the issue and made a movie. Do you support reservation?
Neither I support reservation, nor do I oppose it. I am a film-maker, not an opinion-maker. I prefer to make realistic movies. Reservation for the backward class has been a major issue in our country. And whether one likes it or not, we simply cannot wish away the caste system, which was prevalent much before we got Independence.
But don’t you feel ‘Aarakshan’ will stoke up the issue again and widen the gulf between the backwards and the forwards?
The youth of our country are already divided in two groups. ‘Aarakshan’ basically shows the disharmony that arises among students due to the reservation system. It’s an alarming issue, and a movie based on this subject will reflect the true picture of the present education system.
You have cast Amitabh Bachchan for the first time in your 30-year-long career? Any specific reason?
Amitji is a true legend. And he was the most suitable person to play the role of a principal, who has strict principles and believes education to be a universal right. Deepika plays his daughter while Saif Ali Khan is a dalit student, who falls in love with her. Prateik Babbar is an upper caste Hindu student. The movie revolves around these people.
There were some protests regarding Saif playing a dalit boy?
True. Actually, the movie was being shot in Bhopal, the home town of Pataudis. Some people just could not fathom how Saif could play a dalit. But I stuck to my gun. The matter was sorted out amicably.
You shot ‘Rajneeti’ too in Bhopal. Why don’t you shoot your movies in your home state Bihar, particularly when most of the issues are Bihar-based?
Reservation system affects the entire country. It’s another matter that Bihar too was engulfed in Mandal fire. But then, there were protests in other parts of the nation too...So far as shooting in Bihar is concerned, I avoided it because of lack of logistics support. Bringing such a huge star cast here and arranging accommodation for them would have been quite challenging.
You have repeated Manoj Bajpai, but not Ajay Devgan, who has been part of your every movie made in the last one decade?
(Smiles) That’s because Ajay never takes me as director in his each and every movie. But jokes apart, Manoj plays a teacher who believes in using education as a source of income. In fact, the film shows that relation between a teacher and a student is not that of guru-shishya. It has become more of a client and service provider relationship.
These days we produce very few scientists and researchers. Almost every student wants to be an engineer or a doctor or an MBA. My movie shows that education has become more of a business, and it is very difficult for middle-class parents to afford good education to their children.
Will Aarakshan serve that purpose?
As I said, I am neither in its favour nor do I oppose it. I am a film-maker, not an opinion leader.
Does this mean you have bid adieu to politics?
Yes, long back. I contested Lok Sabha elections twice. But could not succeed. I realised politics is not my cup of tea. My job is to make films. And I am doing just that.
You have made movies based on issues like abduction, caste system, Bhagalpur blinding case, and now reservation. What next?
I haven’t yet given it a thought, but it could be corruption. Corruption is a serious and perceptible problem in our society and it affects all of us directly or indirectly. Pehle lakhon mein corruption hota tha, aur ab crores mein. (Earlier corruption was in lakhs, now it’s in crores). But then, frankly speaking, we all are corrupt in some way or other.
How come?
I have noticed that even those who participate in anti-corruption movement enthusiastically, will not bat an eyelid before indulging in corrupt practices, once they are back home. It could be paying Rs 200 extra for a confirmed ticket in trains, or getting their wards admitted in prestigious schools through the back door. But I can only present the problem. Ultimately, it’s the society that has to solve the issue.