The Prakash Jha Chat
Prakash Jha came in after a trial show of Mrityudand and set about fending off a barrage of questions about his move to commercial cinema, why he had sought to pander to populist tastes by making Madhuri Dixit the main protagonist of Mrityudand, whether he was in love with Ms Dixit etc. The poor man even promised a disapproving fan that he would hack off his pony tail. Details of the chat:
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Rediff On The Net (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:8 IST)
Mr Prakash Jha will be logging in another 15-20 minutes as he is busy with the press conference.
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:19 IST)
Here I am ready for you.
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ngo (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:19 IST)
Welcome, Mr Jha, to the Rediff grilling ground
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ngo (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:20 IST)
We read your interview and we wonder if you have not betrayed our trust.
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Madhuri (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:21 IST)
Mr Jha, why did you choose Madhuri for the main role?
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Indian (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:21 IST)
Hello Mr Jha, Why is parallel cinema so quiet these days. Is it very difficult to produce art films?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:23 IST)
NGO: Well I have tried my best and so has everybody else in the film, the technicians and the artistes in the film alike.
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Laloo Yadav (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:23 IST)
Will you join politics after all your films flop?
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S R Balasubramaniam (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:23 IST)
Are you in love with Madhuri?
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A R Narayan (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:25 IST)
Mr Jha, pleasure to speak with you. I loved Damul. I liked Hip Hip Hooray. Never got to see Bandish. People told me it was terrible. Do you think making a commercial film is beyond the ken of guys like you? They need an IQ of 5 and you have an IQ of at least 140!
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Madhuri* (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:27 IST)
Tell me Mr Jha, why the commercial film? is it because Art films don't work any more?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:27 IST)
Indian: It is difficult and not quite viable to make parallel cinema these days. Unless a film gets released in cinema theatres its almost impossible to recover the production cost and for the film to get released in the cinema one has to cater to the popular market, some of us are trying to find a middle path by using the popular cinema language and saying what we want to say, we have tried to do that in Mrityudand. It's being in cinemas all over the world and it's success will definitely be encouraging for other film-makers interested in meaningful cinema.
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Laloo Yadav (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:29 IST)
Why are Biharis so pretentious? Are you also a JNU type with intellectual aspirations?
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Karpoori Thakur ka spirit (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:30 IST)
Do people like Madhuri work at a fraction of their price for you? Was she co-operative?
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NANDINI (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:31 IST)
Hello Jhaji... I bet you were looking out for me and wondering why I hadn't landed up... Remember the first time we met? I bet you don't! *S*
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ngo. (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:32 IST)
What we sought to highlight is your move from meaningful cinema, exploring some facet of society or human psyche to emotional manipulation of audiences. That looks like betrayal. If not, could you explain?
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ngo. (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:34 IST)
Damul was a dark experiment. Are you planning any other such films? Or do you still claim that you are still certain somebody (not you?) will make art movies
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:34 IST)
Madhuri: She has popularity and a very good range, her face is perfect for communicating messages very powerfully; besides she was very involved in the film which made things simpler.
A K Narayanan>> I always thought making commercial films is far more difficult, it is very difficult to portray absurdity with some kind of conviction.
S R Balasubramaniam >>> Never thought about that, I quite appreciate her work though.
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Madhuri* (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:35 IST)
Prakash.. you always have a rural background in all your films. Why? Have you grown in such a atmosphere?
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juhi (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:36 IST)
Mr Jha, Why did you move to commercial cinema?
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Madhuri* (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:41 IST)
Prakash.. You said in a interview that this film is about women. How sympathetic are you to women's problems?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:41 IST)
NGO: Must apologise for the faulty telecast of Damul. Believe me, it wasn't as dark as it was made out to be. I don't really know if I am the same man as the one ten years ago. I probably think differently , look at things differently and as I'm growing older I guess I'm beginning to enjoy some kinds of emotions, some kind of sentiments. Rationale is okay, but it doesn't answer all my questions. It's quite possible you will note some softer moments in Mrityudand. I only hope you don't get misled.
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Indian (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:42 IST)
Mr Jha, Could you please tell us, is Mrityudand based on a true story?
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S R Balasubramaniam (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:43 IST)
What happens if Mrityudand fails -- God forbid? Will you go back to Bihar?
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The Prakash Jha Chat
Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:44 IST)
Madhuri: I just want to learn to respect their dignity. That's not really true because Hip Hip Hooray and Bandish are both city-based. But I must admit that I am more comfortable with the rural ambience.
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:47 IST)
S R Balasubramaniam : Do you have any alternative suggestion? But don't worry this satisfaction of having made Mrityudand is rewarding enough and......I shall continue . Indian>>>> Its a lot of incidents woven together.
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Madhuri* (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:48 IST)
But do you think that by rebelling women really solve their problems? you must know that physical hurt is hard to bear than the mental or emotional one....
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bolly (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:48 IST)
What is this? One of those serious chats? Hey, when are you going to star oomphy Urmi? Or ravishing Raveena. Madhuri, face it bub, is getting passe. Ray in the MTV age? Shiver me timbers!
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juhi (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:49 IST)
Mr Jha, Why are your films based on social problems. Is it related in some way to your life
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anurag (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:50 IST)
PJ:In Mrityudand you have depicted the "pandits" as the "bad guys". Why is it that in our Indian films its always the pandits who are the bad guys. I bet no one could show Muslims or Christians clergy in such bad light in India because their communities wouldn't tolerate it. Why do movie makers like you take advantage of the Hindu community which is more tolerant.
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ngo. (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:51 IST)
Is the ending of Mrityudand populist? You know, the suppressed women rising up to overthrow their tormentors. Or is it realistic, as real as the rape of those women who inspired the film?
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Indian (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:53 IST)
Mr Jha, Which is your next release.
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bolly (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:53 IST)
All this feministic stuff. So serious, so worrisome, so high brow. Excuse me when I eructate and thereafter indulge in some reverse peristalsis...
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:56 IST)
Juhi: Yeah the society intrigues me all the time and especially I'm interested in the growth of the rural society, maybe its because I belong to a village from Champaran in Bihar. Madhuri*>>> Its not really rebelling. The most important thing is to learn and respect your self-dignity. Only then can we respect others; it's important that we bring up our children as equals.
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ngo. (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:58 IST)
Why Ms Dixit. Even in Dharavi, the earlier parallel film she endeavoured, she played a fantasy. Do you think she can play shades as well? Or is she the 'Heroine', mushy and firm alternately?
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bolly (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:59 IST)
Slice the cowdung! Madhuri, Shabana. Oh, wearisome life. Why does Jha reminds me of a pony-tailed Ibsen? Does he too swig a dram too much and burn the ears of those women who don't believe they oughta be emancipated?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 22:59 IST)
NGO: The ending of Mrityudand maybe a fantasy but that's the way I would like to see it. Anurag: That definitely is not the intention, Mrityudand is the story of a Hindu village. And so obviously the characters have to be relevant.
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:0 IST)
NGO: Watch her in Mrityudand, that's it!
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bolly (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:1 IST)
Could you tell me, Mr Jha.
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ngo. (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:1 IST)
In Mrityudand, is empowerment of women the issue or is highlighting the problem itself.
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Death Sentence* (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:1 IST)
Mr Jha.. how do you classify your films? art or commercial..
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Indian (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:1 IST)
Mr Jha, Which is your next release.
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:2 IST)
NGO: Mrityudand is a whole lot of things; it's just that the women are the main protagonists.
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bolly (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:3 IST)
Ah, how I love fantasy. But then, Mr Jha, why not a Hedda Gabler? Why not shock 'em all.
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Death Sentence* (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:3 IST)
Mr Jha.. how do you classify your films? Art or commercial.
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:3 IST)
Indian: I haven't started working on it... I mean the film.
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anurag (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:4 IST)
PJ: Do you believe killing (as Mrityudand advocates) is the answer? I would think education, better accountability and community awareness would be better solutions?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:4 IST)
Death Sentence*: Somewhere in the middle.
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(Madhuri) (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:5 IST)
Prakash.. how do you like the computers? Are you savvy enough?
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juhi (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:5 IST)
Mr jha, Why have you kept pony tail? Is it something to do with your life.
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ngo. (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:5 IST)
What are your upcoming movies.
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:5 IST)
Anurag: I agree with you absolutely. If all that you suggest were done there certainly wouldn't be the need for another Mrityudand.
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Death Sentence* (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:6 IST)
Mr Jha.. are you confident that Mrityudand will click at the box office? Bandish didn't. How could you make a film like that?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:7 IST)
Juhi: Don't worry pretty soon I'm going to cut it short.
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bolly (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:7 IST)
Why the tortured tale of women? 'Cause it leads the leches in by the nose? Hah, why not those wrinkled, sunburnt wretches, the bonded labourers - the weak, the weary, the worn, that sorta rot? Maybe the greasepaint flakes on them. You know, not photogenic...
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:8 IST)
Death Sentence*: The narrative in Mrityudand worked very well and I'm afraid it didn't in Bandish.
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ngo. (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:8 IST)
Whereas you have attempted earlier films with talent of an established nature, you have eschewed use of talent from NSD and other institutes of repute. Comment
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:9 IST)
Last 5 Mins :-)
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Death Sentence* (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:9 IST)
Mr Jha.. you make documentaries too.. which is fulfilling.. films or docus..
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anurag (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:10 IST)
PJ: In any case "Mrityudand" is NOT the solution! Did you think of any other alternatives when making this movie (for the final ending)?
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Indian (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:10 IST)
Mr Jha, You mean today it's impossible to make an art film? Please comment.
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ngo. (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:10 IST)
Naseeruddin Shah did a convenient volte face recently when he said that if 'art' film-makers wanted to highlight the problems of the poor, they should work in rural areas instead of pontificating in urban refuges. What do you say about it?
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juhi (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:11 IST)
Mr Jha, What role NFDC is playing in promoting parallel cinema in India?
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bolly (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:11 IST)
Is he flinging in the towel. Already? Why? Do the gremlins of the Net cause a pang, methinks even of conscience?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:12 IST)
Anurag: Mrityudand's story had to have this ending. Death Sentence: Both really I am going to do a documentary before I do my next film, It's just going to be about faces.
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anurag (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:12 IST)
PJ: The kind of people you depicted in the movie would never have an opportunity to watch your movie (people from small remote villages). How do you suppose this movie helps their cause?
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mike (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:13 IST)
Mr Jha I saw the titling of your latest movie to hit the screen. I myself am into 3D animation and stuff like that and I have done some titling demo's for Mrityudand. If I wanted to show them to you how would I be able to do it?
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Yasir (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:14 IST)
What made you choose the particular storyline for Mrityudand?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:15 IST)
Juhi: Not much I'm afraid, its being more and more restricted to regional cinema. NGO: I'm always amazed at what Naseer has done as an actor, and what he keeps on saying about the art cinema , I wish him all the best.
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anurag (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:15 IST)
PJ: What is the difference in what you advocate in Mrityudand and what Phoolan Devi did?
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:16 IST)
ANURAG: Mrityudand is in popular cinema format and I hope that it gets released in all the cinemas.
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Indian (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:17 IST)
Mr Jha, You mean today it's impossible to make an art film? Please comment.
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Prakash Jha (Wed Jul 9 1997 23:18 IST)
Thanks guys, and goodnight. Bye, friends.
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