The Hindu : New Delhi News : Film-making is the culmination of creativity: Raaja Bundella

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Tuesday, Apr 05, 2011
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Film-making is the culmination of creativity: Raaja Bundella

Madhur Tankha

Raaja Bundella

New Delhi: Cinema can also be a means for generating employment and bringing prosperity to a region. Actor-turned-film-maker Raaja Bundella has demonstrated just that by producing a bilingual film Son of Flower in his native place, Bundelkhand, using local artistes and technicians.

“Producing a film in my region makes sense to me because it provides employment to out-of-work local artistes and technicians. In 1995, I became part of the Bundelkhand agitation but continued my association with films,” says this crusader for Bundelkhand.

As director and co-producer, Raaja shot Son of Flower for 45 days in Panna. The film revolves around a love affair between a boy and a girl from divergent cultural and social background. Set against the backdrop of the freedom struggle, the film depicts the period of great revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad who fought for independence against the British rulers.

Veteran actor Tom Alter is playing a British political agent based in Bundelkhand. He wants to take leave to see his indisposed wife in London but is not granted permission by the British Government.

“The political agent's wife expires and the son (James Anderson) comes over to India and witnesses the injustice and horror perpetrated by the British. So James joins hands with the freedom fighters and takes the battle to the imperial forces. ”

Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri are playing freedom fighter. “They are both brilliant and versatile actors. They are responsible for keeping alive the parallel film movement,” says Raaja, an alumnus of National School of Drama and Film and Television Institute of India. Raaja's next production Dil Toh Deewana Hai that releases in theatres towards the end of April is about second generation Indians settled abroad who are averse to the idea of returning to their motherland. “The children tell their parents that if they are so connected with their motherland they should wind up their businesses and return to their homeland,” says the film-maker. Shot in Kuala Lumpur, the film has Zeenat Aman playing a distraught Malaysian woman. She marries an Indian who ditches her when she becomes pregnant. She brings up the child all on her own and inculcates values in him.

Raaja wants big stars to make films in their own States. “When you are a known star you can easily get films shot in your State. Why can't our Bollywood stars who come from Uttar Pradesh and other Northern States tell filmmakers to shoot their films there? Even South Indian stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Chiranjeevi are shooting films down South. But then multiplicity of authority in States has to go.” Noting that a single window clearance was the need of the hour, Raaja says when he was chairman of the U.P. Film Board he saw to it that the best equipments were made available to technicians.

As a character artiste, Raaja has appeared in dozens of Bollywood films and acted alongside Sunny Deol in the hit film Arjun and with superstar Amitabh Bachchan in critically appreciated Main Azaad Hoon.

“Honestly speaking acting no longer attracts me. My last role as an actor was in 23 {+r} {+d} March 1931: Shaheed based on the life of Bhagat Singh. I played Lala Lajpat Rai and the film was Sunny Deol's production. Though I have had a good innings as an actor, I feel more complete as a director. As an actor you have to work according to the dictates of the film-maker. So you work on borrowed ideas. But as a film-maker you get a chance to put your imagination to productive use. Film-making is the culmination of your creativity.”

Raaja, who tendered his resignation from the Congress party this past week after working for eight years, is advocating a separate State of Bundelkhand. “When I felt that the party could not create a separate State I decided to bid adieu to Congress. Bundelkhand is a neglected region. People in Bundelkhand have been demanding a separate State for the past many years. It is a backward area. The only solution to problems like poverty, hunger, lack of development and non-existent infrastructure in the region is to create a separate State of Bundelkhand.”

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