A foot soldier in Bollywood

 

 

Why do you mostly make patriotic films?

It’s just a perception that people have and which seems to have started only when I started producing films. I have been in this industry since 1985, and have been a part of films like Ghulami, Yakeen, and Hathiyaar was based on the underworld where Sanjay Dutt was the hitman and Dharam ji the don. But at that time there wasn’t as much media exposure. So my films Border and LOC Kargil became popular because of media exposure and that’s why I think I have been associated with patriotic films. Besides, I am a patriot at heart. I love my country and the people who are protecting it. The contribution of armed forces for our country is unmatchable.

How extensively do you research for films based on the armed forces?

It is not really difficult for me as I belong to an army background. My brother was in the armed forces too; I lost him in 1987. Border was dedicated to him.

Do you recall any heart-rending story of army men?

Oh, there are many. Apart from my brother, there was a cousin of mine who had dedicated his entire life to the armed forces, and in the 1965 war he had lost his leg. I also remember the story of Vijayan Thapar, one of our brave soldiers in the Kargil War. His family told me that he'd wanted to marry a girl but her parents were against it. He went for the Kargil War and one day the father of the girl called up his dad to tell him that he has agreed for their marriage, only to be told that Vijayan was no more... this story looked straight out of a movie, and really touched my heart. You’ve made films on real war heroes. How have their families responded?

I get some really great reactions from the parents. Some of them have also thanked me for bringing their son alive for four hours. It feels like a great achievement.

Does it disturb you when actors and cricketers get all the attention while the heroes at our borders are hardly spoken about?

Bollywood, cricket and armed forces have their own place. Although I would love if there were no borders and armies, but then that’s how life is. It’s really sad to anticipate that there would never be world peace. When I make films, I always try to give them peaceful endings, be it LOC or Border or Refugee, with songs like Mere Dushman Mere Bhai and Panchhi Nadiyan. I try my best to bring out the hope of peace.

Do you believe that in war there are no winners?

Absolutely! Like Plato said, 'Only the dead have seen the end of war'. I believe that 'every bullet finds its target in a mother's heart'.

Cinema reaches a universal audience. How can filmmakers make a difference?

I believe films should be used to improve the quality of life. They should bring happiness and take away all the pain. One should try and do what touches you the most. We are all a product of our experiences. At the end of the day, we make something that we have been touched by or something that we enjoy and feel the need to bring across to the people. How do you ensure that the actors convey your passion for the subject with the same intensity?

It’s simple. It’s all about walking in the steps of the person you're portraying. The character will automatically come to you. What I tell my actors is that you're representing a man who has laid down his life for the country. I tell them to become that person.

Do you recall any incident while shooting when you felt uneasy or scared?

I feel uneasy only when I shoot a death scene. I immediately connect with it because it reminds me of my personal loss. I immediately connect with the parents I’ve spoken to... of Vikram Batra’s and many others, and can empathise with them. We have shared the loss of our loved ones. Also while shooting such scenes or making such films, one can’t be clinical about it. You automatically get emotionally involved.

How come you are hardly ever in the limelight like other filmmakers?

In one of my favourite films, Lawrence of Arabia, TE Lawrence, the protagonist of the film, after the Arab campaign that he undertook, fails to bring the Arab tribals together due to politics of that time. He went on to change his name and when asked said, “It isn’t that I hate being known – I’d love it – but I can’t afford it: no one gets so victimised by well-meaning people as a poor celebrity.”

Any message for the people of India?

There is one thing that I have been meaning to say for a long time. The Uphaar tragedy happened when Border was playing on the big screen. I chose not to talk about it then because it would have looked like I am taking mileage out of the situation… I've suffered in silence since then, I know the experience of losing my loved ones, I lost my mother, my brother and my closest friend. All I want to say is that I feel sorry for what happened. I can relate to the grief that they are going through.