The theatrical release of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior had proven to be a successful biographical warfare film for the two times National-Award winner (for Zakhm in 1998 and The Legend of Bhagat Singh in 2002). Taking the cue, as if, he will be next seen in Bhuj: The Pride of India, another biographical war film set during the Indo–Pakistan War in 1971.
The historical film narrates the story of Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik, who was then in charge of the Bhuj airport. Even as audiences wait to see their favourite actor to light up the screens with his almost life-like performances, the film — which was meant for a theatrical release — is premiering on Disney Hotstar from 13th August 2021. We spoke to the actor about all that excites him about his upcoming film and the industry in general. Excerpts from the interview:
Bhuj, like Tanhaji, is also a biopic. Is it a conscious decision to do biopics? How realistic is this one too?
I believe in being real to the character and not making it too filmy. Whatever you have seen in my biopics is very real. When a person is fighting for his country, he is not showing off. It comes naturally from within. So a film needs to be made true to its craft and should be based on reality. We have shown it to Army and Air Force personnel and they have been happy about it.
How important is it for the recent generation to know about Indian history and these unsung heroes?
It’s very important for people to know our history, which has not been depicted a lot. The British tried to push our history under the carpet so that the sacrifice of our true heroes shouldn’t come to the forefront. There is not much written about many unsung heroes in our school textbooks too. During our school days, Tanhaji’s bravery had a mention of half a page, which has disappeared altogether now. We should talk about it.
This generation does not know who all fought and sacrificed their lives to get us freedom from the clutches of the British. When you understand the difficulty that has gone into achieving independence for the nation, you’ll come together. Real people have worked selflessly and their sacrifice needs to be remembered. Recently, we met a few families belonging to the Army and Air Force. Listening to the stories of their family members gave us goose bumps and we teared up.
Bhuj was meant to be a theatrical release but it’s releasing on an OTT. Would you like to comment on the losses incurred especially since theatres are slowly opening up around the world?
We recently watched our film on the big screen for colour corrections. And watching on the big screen was altogether a different experience. We have indeed been facing losses since the theatres shut, but I’d like to believe that it will all get covered up. And while all over the world wherever theatres have been opened, people have gone into the theatres to watch the film, we have no surety if the third wave may also begin. But as I see it Bhuj will at least be seen on the OTT.
Do you agree that big producers’ muscle power fetch them more theatres?
When making a film, we work so hard with many people involved in the filmmaking. Then there is all that money getting spent. You naturally want your product to go all the right places and you’re looking at the best possible release for your film. So it’s not about muscle power and it’s not that we’re trying to create loss for others but that we’re trying to get maximum theatres to be able to show our product to many more people.
I don’t see anything wrong in it and such competitions will carry on because the number of theatres is less compared to the number of films made every year. We mean no harm to each other but we have no choice and so this ‘fight’ will continue.
You debuted on the OTT with Rudra. How different did you find it to be working on the platform?
I find working in films and for OTT platforms just the same except that filming on OTT takes fewer days in comparison to that for films. Also, we have to up our sleeves in terms of filmmaking and its storytelling etc. If it’s not up to the mark, even children will shun it in a minute and say, “Yeh kya bakwas hai (What rubbish is this!).”
Many actors are moving to work on OTTs. What’s your take on it?
What do actors want? They want to be seen to the maximum. So, with the advent of platforms, I think it strikes a good balance between theatres and OTT platforms. In fact, I also see OTTs as a very good change for the film industry. For instance, most filmmakers keep complaining about not getting enough theatres. So now when theatres open sometime, producers like us will strike a good balance as some films will be seen in the theatres while others can be watched on the OTT. I see this change as a growth for the film industry, enabling filmmakers to show their work to people all over.
What are your thoughts on social media? It has also become the deciding factor for reviews.
I believe the deciding factor is the film ultimately. With regard to the meter gauge of the film on OTT, that is there. We don’t know exactly about it. But we do get a sense of how well the film has been received on OTT. As for comments on social media, we can’t do anything as everyone takes on the role of the media when they comment on the film. The best way I see around it is to stay away from it. In any case, I’m not much on any other platform. I only use social media when I feel like conveying something
How do you handle trolls on social media?
Honestly, I am not operational on any social media platform via my phone. I think the best way is not to stay updated with all of this. So also, most times, I remain disconnected.
