New Delhi: With 'Department', Ram Gopal Varma is back on familiar grounds. In some ways, in fact, his new film featuring the silver-haired Amitabh Bachchan stands like a companion piece to 'Sarkar' but Varma is unwilling to draw any parallels.
In both, Bachchan plays a dreaded politician — and sports the same hairdos. "His mannerism and style is totally different here. His ways of dealing with a situation is unique, but the most amusing thing about him is that there is no certainty whether he is in politics to do good things or bad things. That should make this character a huge hit," promises Varma.
If there's one actor who has been constant in Varma's oeuvre — irrespective of hits and flops — it is Big B. In fact, he is known to be close to the entire Bachchan clan. "With Mr Bachchan, there is a relationship of respect and trust. Although he is much more senior to me and my work is nothing compared to his, when I instruct him something, he listens to me. He is a director's delight."
Does Bachchan get infuriated when a film turns out to be a disaster, like 'Aag'? "He knows that my intention is always to make a good film. Sometimes, it works and sometimes, it doesn't. He is not the kind of actor to bother about all this. He is a superstar despite the bad films he may have done."
In 'Department', Varma explores the politics that goes behind closed-doors in the enforcement system. There is also the nexus with mafia, a pet cause with him since the time he made and established his name with 'Satya'.
"For some reason, people expect a mafia film from me all the film but as a director, I am interested in dark subjects and dark areas. I cannot make innocent love stories or simple comedies because that's not what I do. If I make such a film, I don’' know whether it will come from my heart."
The director has no regrets about 'Aag' (loftily titled 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag'), his career's notorious nadir. The 2007 film, virtually starring the who's who of Bollywood, undid much of his reputation, but he is earnest enough to take the blame.
"Media loves to write me off. Every time there is a flop, they say I am outdated and that I am gone. My job is not to focus on what they say. I am here to make films. When I do a good job, a film like Satya or Rangeela is the end result and when I do a bad job, I end up with Aag." Speaking about the media reminds one of his controversial image. He tweets regularly and often, ends up with a foot in his mouth.
"I only express my opinion. There is nothing wrong in that, is it? When things are quoted or taken out of context, I cannot do much." Truth is RGV loves seeing himself in the papers. On hearing that, he laughs out aloud: "I love everything about myself. Why not? Let people make whatever they want to make of me. I must make films."
Comments
0 comment