'Mere Pyare Prime Minister' isn't political film: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is aware that his upcoming Mere Pyare Prime Minster can get politicized owing to its title but the filmmaker insists that the film is a "true blue socially relevant" project. The film chronicles the story of a young slum kid who travels to the capital with his friends to meet the Prime Minister after his mother is raped. Here's more.
It's a true blue socially relevant film, said the director
"It sounds like a political film because of the term 'Prime Minister' but it is a true blue socially relevant film. There's no politics there whatsoever," said Mehra. "It picks up the idea of rape and how we deal with it, the aftermath and the victim," he said. The director has helmed films like Rang De Basanti and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag in his career.
Things will change once people will watch it, said Mehra
Mehra said owing to the title, the film "could get" politicized but is assured things will change once people watch it. "By looking at the response after the trailer, it feels the audience has evolved beyond our imagination," he added. The film talks about the need for public-sanitation through the eyes of an 8-year-old, who vows to make things better after a tragic incident.
'Trying to see rape from 8-year-old child's point of view'
Mehra says the issue at hand is very sensitive and he has tried to look at it from the victim's point of view. "We have seen rape from various point of views. We have seen it as revenge, as justice being done in courtrooms. But here, I'm trying to seeing it from the point of view of an 8-year-old child," he said.
Film looks at the psychological damage of rape victim: Mehra
Mehra said that getting justice through law and order has always been there but there's psychological damage, a trauma which the victim goes through. "How can you erase that and carry on with your life? The film looks at that," he said.
The film will hit the theaters on March 15
Mere Pyare Prime Minister stars Anjali Patil, Om Kanujiya and Atul Kulkarni among others in significant roles. The film is set to release on March 15. Mehra, who has previously helmed big scale films like Mirzya and Rang De Basanti, says he had to be conscious of his cinematic gaze while talking about a story such as this set in slums.
Was cautious of not insulting the slums, their culture: Director
"There were lots of do's and don'ts for me. Don't insult the slums and the people down there or look down at them and have the so-called western perspective on a third world. Not show them as persecuted all the time. There's a celebration of life there and we should respect them," Mehra said. He added that all these things made him very nervous.
People in slums were extremely cooperative during shooting: Mehra
The director shot the film on real locations with no sets and was constantly aware he was "invading their lives" and had to be more respectful. "We cast from the slums. Everything was in real location and we built no sets, even for the home. So how do you shoot a whole film without completely disturbing them? But they were extremely cooperative," he said.
