Prakash Jha about on-screen and off-screen politics.
‘Raajneeti is not just about politics’
Rajneeti’s tagline is ‘politics and beyond’. So the film is not just about how a political outfit functions but also about the politics of life. It’s about how there are political connotations to almost everything that happens around us and not just a stark comment on the current political scenario. It’s the story of a family and the politics of power.
‘I don’t preach’
If the audience takes home a lesson after watching the film, I will consider it a bonus. But first and foremost, my film is meant to entertain. I am not claiming that it will awaken the youth and make them aware of their rights. It offers interesting insights without preaching.
‘No reference to Sonia Gandhi’
Sonia Gandhi is an inspiration for sure. But Katrina’s (Kaif) character is based on her. It’s not based on the life of any politician. Soniaji’s life may have inspired many but it’s the muse for Katrina’s character. She has worked really hard to make it look and sound authentic. She’s learnt the language well and even dubbed for her part. I’m proud of Katrina.
‘No one came to the sets with any baggage’
No actor threw any tantrums on my sets. Nana (Patekar), Naseer (Naseeruddin Shah), Arjun (Rampal), Manoj (Bajpai) and Ajay (Devgn) are all National Award winners. Katrina and Ranbir (Kapoor) are youth icons. But they didn’t come to the sets with any baggage. Instead, they came well-prepared with their lines. There was absolutely no pressure even though I was handling such a huge star-cast. It was all smooth sailing.
‘Casting your vote is not enough’
I think politics should be taken more seriously. It needs attention from the educated classes. Casting a vote is not enough. If we don’t do enough for society, then demanding extra from the leaders is not fair. I don’t support the ideology of any one political party. ButI do my bit for the constituency in Bihar I fought the elections from. I may have lost but doesn’t deter me from working for the people there. I didn’t contest the elections for obvious reasons. I did it because I wanted to do something for this part ofBihar. And I’m doing it. I’ve worked towards the rehabilitation of these people after the Kosi floods. Sure you haven’t heard about this. I didn’t fel the need to talk about this. That’s how things should ideally be.
‘Casting your vote is not enough’
I think politics should be taken more seriously. It needs attention from the educated classes. Casting a vote is not enough. If we don’t do enough for society, then demanding extra from the leaders is not fair. I don’t support the ideology of any one political party. ButI do my bit for the constituency in Bihar I fought the elections from. I may have lost but doesn’t deter me from working for the people there. I didn’t contest the elections for obvious reasons. I did it because I wanted to do something for this part ofBihar. And I’m doing it. I’ve worked towards the rehabilitation of these people after the Kosi floods. Sure you haven’t heard about this. I didn’t fel the need to talk about this. That’s how things should ideally be.