Babul Supriyo talks about PM Narendra Modi's policy on Bollywood
The Prime Minister has had quite an impact on Bollywood celebrities
By : subhash k jha
Update: 2014-12-01 15:11 GMT
Mumbai: If Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tiwari is to be believed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants clean films to go with the campaign for a ‘swachch Bharat'. However singer-actor Babul Supriyo who is the new Minister of State for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in Mr Modi’s cabinet, says the Prime Minister has no plans on intervening in the quality of films being made.
Babul explains “Modi Saab is close to some personalities from the film industry like Bachchan Saab. But he has a very hands-off attitude to those industries that are working fine. It is the ailing sectors of our society that Modi Saab is concerned about. I think the biggest USP of our new leader is that he is a visionary. He has a dream for a poverty-free India.And he will walk towards that vision confidently.” Babul sees the Prime Minister ‘Swachch Bharat’ campaign as being far more generic than sector-specific. “I wouldn’t like to comment on what Manoj Tiwari said because he’s a friend. But why only filmmakers? Every artiste and every citizen of India should work towards a ‘Swachch Bharat’. Modi Saab has great respect for the film industry. You will never see him being patronizing to the film industry, or pretending that he has never seen films. He is very knowledgeable about films.”
There has been an increasing tendency towards communal-sensitivity towards the way our films are treated. In Prabhudheva’s new film 'Action Jackson' the word ‘mandir’ has been censored. Babul quips, “There is a completely autonomous censor board in the country and films are certified according to their content. Our government doesn’t interfere in its workings. In my personal opinion, every artiste must be allowed his own or her own take on life . Every artiste should have creative freedom. Having said this, we must also keep in mind the fact that there are great filmmakers who make films only for creative reasons while there are others who do so with ulterior motives.”
Babul feels the Swachch andolan should touch every walk of life. “Whether it is a filmmaker raising the creativity level of the people with his cinema or that social worker trying to convince people at the grassroots to use indoor toilets, the endeavour is to bring a passion and sincerity into every walk of our life.” The Prime Minister has no issues with film artistes pursuing their careers while being part of the BJP. “In fact I’ve asked Modi Saab about my singing career and how happy singing makes me. And he told me, ‘You must definitely continue to sing because that is your way of connecting to the people.’ Modi Saab has given me permission to sing. But since I hold a portfolio in the government I shall see to it that I do nothing to tarnish my name or the party’s name," adds Babul.