Vipul Amrutlal Shah talks about the film ‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’ — Telling the truth is never an easy journey | Hindi Movie News

“Just because films like ‘Kerala Story’ and ‘Bastar: A Naxal Story’ depict certain aspects, it does not divide the country. They are mature enough not to be hostile. Sometimes fault lines unite people.” – Vipul Amrutlal ShahVipul Amrutlal Shah’s journey as a director of star-studded commercial capers took a turn with the film ‘Kerala Story’. The film delved into the sensitive topic of religious conversion and was both successful and controversial. Now, in Bastar: The Naxal Story, which releases tomorrow, he once again ventures deep into dangerous territory – the world of Naxalites. In an interview with BT, he opened up about his new film (directed by Sudeep Sen and starring actress Adah Sharma) and what drives him to make films with these sensitive and tough themes. . excerpt:

When dealing with such a complex subject, how do you make sure your story is balanced and based only on facts?
The rise of the Naxal movement, especially in Chhattisgarh, was facilitated by the government’s repressive actions Babasu For local people. But after they (Naxals) took control of the situation, they became even worse oppressors. “Buster” is not a one-sided story. As filmmakers, we consider the other side when telling the truth. Attempts to destroy our country will not be tolerated at any cost. Ultimately, people will determine the truth, especially with access to today’s wealth of data. Our depiction is supported by verifiable documentation available online. Our depiction is based on concrete evidence.

Adah Sharma stills from ‘Bastar: The Naxal Story’

The film’s protagonist (IPS Neerja Madhavan, played by Adah Sharma) makes the following statement:In vanpantiyon ko sadak par kada kal saariam goli maar duungi, chada dena parsi par.” Don’t you think it might provoke people? This is the expression of a frustrated police officer who has been stopped from taking action against an assailant. We’re also talking about “.”Un Vanpantillon, they are trying to destroy our country. when someone is afraid of losing 76 jones, if we still cannot get enough backup to fight the Naxalites, a strong reaction is inevitable. It is important to capture the intense emotions and sense of betrayal that the officer felt.

When you make films like ‘Kerala Story’ and ‘Bastar: A Naxal Story’, people see you as a propaganda filmmaker. How do you answer that?
This movie is not about politics. It depicts human tragedy on a gigantic scale. People have no logical rebuttal to these facts, so they label it political. How can depicting the endless suffering of people become political? Exposing an ideology that is supported by facts and data does not make it an ideology. In our country, there is a fear of speaking the truth. We tend to dilute the story and make politically correct films. I have made over 20 films, 18 of which had Hindu villains. Does that make me anti-Hindu? When I made those films, I was credited with being a bellwether of secularism. But when you show a group of people involved in something dangerous, they get branded as anti-Muslim because of the prevailing political discourse.

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Politically sensitive films often provoke polarized reactions. What do you think about that?
We live in a time when reactions are often based on incomplete information, and these very people may dismiss a film as inauthentic. When we tackle such themes in film production, it is common for people with vested interests to target us and label our work as political propaganda. Critics may resort to baseless arguments, such as attributing the release date of a film to an upcoming election, even though there is room for intense scrutiny. That’s a very strange argument. Elections will be contested based on government performance, not movies. That being said, I don’t care about them or the criticism. If you’re telling the truth, you know it’s not an easy journey. You will face isolation, attempts will be made to discredit your efforts, and your life will be threatened.

Adah Sharma in a still from ‘Kerala Story’

Is it difficult to get cast together for films like ‘Kerala Story’ and ‘Bastar: A Naxal Story’? How open are actors to such subjects?
I don’t know if they are hateful or not, but a lot of artists and technicians are scared because they don’t want any trouble or threats to come. Some artists may not want to participate in films that may cause political debate, and some may not want to engage with us after watching these films. Ultimately it is their decision and we need to respect their choice. I believe that the truth will prevail and that we can finally get them back. It may take time, but it will happen.