DURING NINETY-MINUTE open house discussion (OHD) over the film ‘Amu’ on Friday late night several pertinent questions were asked by the students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-K) from the producer, director and the writer of the film Sonali Bose and her husband who was the executive director of the movie.
Since the theme of the film revolved round the 1984 riots, the students wanted to know as how could Sonali achieve her goal of producing a movie which could attract the political wrath.
Sonali admitted that she had to face trouble in raising funds for the movie. None of the investors dared to finance the film after listening to the story. Shooting of the film also created difficulties as the followers of the leaders allegedly involved in the riots opposed shooting in their respective constituency.
Consequently, she had to tell lies to them that the movie was a love story and thus she could succeed in shooting at the affected areas of Delhi.
Sonali said that the film aimed at young citizens of the country. The message of the film to the young generation was that they should not be guided by the past. They should forget the past and should try to fight against the evils, which turned the past horrible.
The film also aimed at discouraging the state-sponsored terror in a democratic society. In the end of the film, the main characters Kaju and her friend Kabir sipping tea at a ‘Dhaba’ get the news of Gujarat riots. But the news did not disturb them. Thy in a very cool mood leave the Dhaba and walk on the railway track to reach their destination with a confidence to have better days ahead despite the state terrorism.
{{/usCountry}}The film also aimed at discouraging the state-sponsored terror in a democratic society. In the end of the film, the main characters Kaju and her friend Kabir sipping tea at a ‘Dhaba’ get the news of Gujarat riots. But the news did not disturb them. Thy in a very cool mood leave the Dhaba and walk on the railway track to reach their destination with a confidence to have better days ahead despite the state terrorism.
{{/usCountry}}Sonali was asked to comment on the plight of the riot victims today and why their present state was not depicted in the movie. Sonali said, “I have amply shown the insensitivity of the government and the administration towards the victims as none of the culprit was punished. But it was the indomitable spirit that they were fighting their cause in the court in the most civilised manner.
This kind of spirit and character was required for making a country strong.
She said that there was no wrong in the political system any where in the world.
It is the people who have ruined the systems. The need was to fight against the corrupt people, who use the state power to cater to their vested interests. On being asked as why the end of the film did not contain any revolutionary traits, the writer producer said that inducting such traits in the end might have distanced the film from the realism.
The auditorium with a capacity of 2000 viewers was jampacked and there was absolutely pin-drop silence till the movie was screened. The OHD was assisted by the members of the Students’ Film Society Atul Jain, Sukrit Goel, Abhinav Biyani Ashutosh Madheshiya and others.