Spiking the shadows of hate
ANUJ KUMAR
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"Dhoop" might not have given him his share of sunshine at the box office, but Ashwini Chaudhary continues his quest for meaningful cinema with "Siskiyan".
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TO ME Cinema's role is more than just providing entertainment. It must debate issues like communalism. Ashwini
AGENT OF CHANGE Ashish Chaudhary in New Delhi.
`Dhoop' might not have made Ashwini Chaudhary the shining director of Bollywood, but it did prove that this fiery talent wouldn't remain in shadows for long. Now, Ashwini is ready with "Siskiyan" and again the film is making the right noises - be it its subject or the heroine.
Ashwini says his film is a thriller, which makes a political statement. "Set in Gujarat one year after the communal riots, it revolves around three characters, a Muslim journalist couple Ayesha and Javed Sheikh and a Hindu doctor played by Neha Dhupia, Sachin Khedekar and Sonu Sood respectively. All of them are affected by the ideology of hate but the film speaks individual losses should be seen in perspective of the larger good of the society," says Ashwini.
Here Ashwini tries to skip the storyline but it is being said that it centres on the alleged criminal assault that Ayesha had to endure during the riots.
One night when the doctor happens to visit their home, she thinks that he was party to that assault and wants to take revenge.
The doctor denies the charge and her journalist husband gets into the dilemma of whether to support his wife or see the larger social good. Something very similar has already been seen recently in Kanika Verma's "Dansh" against the background of Mizo insurgency? "True. Rape has been used as a weapon in all the riots. But the film doesn't focus on rape or revenge. They are incidental to the drama. As for the similarities, both the films have been inspired from the play `Death and the Maiden'. So the drama part might look similar at places."
Director Roman Polanski brilliantly adapted the Ariel Dorfman-play in a film of the same name in 1994. "There it was democracy versus dictatorship. Here the milieu is different."
THREE TO TANGLE Neha Dhupia, Sachin Khedekar and Sonu Sood in a still from the film.
Ashwini, who first shot into headlines when his Haryanvi film "Laado" won him the National Award, says he doesn't want to highlight the subject much because he doesn't want his film to go the "Black Friday" way.
"With such a sensitive subject I don't want the general public to make an opinion before the release. To me cinema's role is more than just providing entertainment. It must debate issues like communalism. But when you tackle such issues and condemn the politics of hate, politicians who practise it get provoked and create impediments. I want them to get provoked but not before the release."
He thanks the Censor Board for clearing the film with a U/A certificate.
"I was expecting an adult certificate because of the language in certain scenes but the Board observed that youngsters should watch such films."
Guddu's choice
Turning to Neha Dhupia, Ashwini accepts she was producer Guddu Dhanoa's choice. "Except for `Qayamat', I had not seen her work and was quite apprehensive in the beginning because of her oomph image. The script required zero exposure and total commitment. However, she took it as a challenge and I am satisfied with her effort. The character is so highly emotive that audience won't wish to look below her face." He adds casting Urmila or Tabu would have been very predictable.
Stiil where do Guddu's - he has given films like "Jaal" and "Hawa" - and Ashwini's sensibilities as a filmmaker match? He laughs. "It was Guddu who invited me after watching `Dhoop' on a DVD."
Here DVD is the operative word because Ashwini says the praise for his last work remained limited to newspapers as people hardly watched the film.
"With Guddu's backing more than 100 prints of `Siskiyan' will make it to the theatres."
One, who started his career as a journalist Ashwini says the road from "Laado" to "Siskiyan" has been difficult. "Acclaim is important but commercial success is vital for sustenance."
Not any more. Come November and Subhash Ghai is launching a film with him.
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