Love him or hate him

Maverick filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV), who off late has been rather active on social media too, is awaiting his latest film Dangerous, which features Naina Ganguly and Apsara Rani in the lead. The film, a crime drama, revolves around the love between two lesbians, and RGV has especially been promoting one of the film’s songs, Khatra on his Instagram.

The poster for the film/song, with the lead pair oozing sex appeal, has a bold look to it. In the caption of the post RGV is marketing the film as India’s first lesbian romantic duet since the Supreme Court annulled section 377. We speak to the filmmaker about his latest moves in the industry.

Tell us something about the bold poster of Dangerous, which you have on your social media.

This is my contribution to the LGBT cause. Despite the Supreme Court legitimising Section 377, I feel the subject still needs to be talked about and explained and that people still need to be educated on it. I imagined the best way to completely normalise the scenario would be to treat this love story as I would one between heterosexual couples.

Have you been waiting for homosexuality to be legitimised so that you can make a film on it?

My intention of making Dangerous has been to give love its due, no matter whom it is between. I also hope to send a message out there that love stories should not be restricted to heterosexuals and can be made in four other communities namely LGBT. Especially since the highest court of the land has legitimised it and decriminalised it, saying it’s normal, I believe you and I cannot segregate against it or look at it in a degrading or demeaning manner. With that in mind, I thought the best way forward was to make a regular film.

But why the title, Dangerous?

That’s contextual to the storyline of the film. It’s actually a drama based on crime, action, love, sex and drama. It’s never been done in the world.

The film’s poster has a very passionate kissing scene. Was that intentional to get the audiences into the theatres?

I believe that if you’re making a passionate love story of two people in love, you need something that defines their love. I can’t have them just shaking hands or just touching elbows on the poster. This will not justify the intriguing and intense storyline, would it?

Why choose a story on lesbians and not on, say, homosexuals? Was it for the film’s saleability around women?

[Laughs aloud] Because I’m a man and am not a gay. And no, I won’t do a film with male couples at all — at least not with me as the director. So, yes, it’s a big no-no from RGV for making a gay story on the celluloid.

Off late, there are a lot of aggressively bold videos with female friends/actors dancing etc., in your social media posts. Would you like to elaborate a little?

I think I was always posting videos on social media just like everybody else doing their stuff aggressively too. I think I am just as tranquil or not tranquil as any of them. As for uploading more party and bold videos with girls, it’s because I want to live life my way and enjoy it. I don’t care what anyone says. That’s my point of view and so I do what I want to do. I also believe that showing all of it to the world is no crime as long as it is within the limits of the social fabric.