'I've done this film because of my father'
November 02, 2006
What takes you from war films to a period love story?
I went from guns to roses. I wanted to burn my experience in war films.
My trilogy is not over yet. I made Border and LoC, and I
see the proxy war from Pakistan is not over yet and I may make another
film on that subject.
A filmmaker's job is to reflect his time1, and I have reflected that in
my films -- be it the zamindari system in Ghulami, the underworld
in Hathyar, or the Kargil war in LoC.
Whenever I did a film, I did it with a lot of commitment.
I did Umrao Jaan because my father (O P Dutta) always
wanted to make this film. He shot it with actress Nimmi, back in
1952. He shot some four reels and then the film got shelved for some
reason. He had named the film Umrao Jaan and always had the desire to make
this film. Back then I was a child, learning to walk.
After so many years,
he expressed a desire to make this film and therefore I did it, after
reading Ruswa's book. The 19th century was a renaissance period
for art and literature.
How do you relate to the subject of the
film?
Like Shakespeare is to English, Ruswa is to
Urdu and I've done this film because of my father and this book. The flesh
trade is the oldest profession. We still look at a female as if she is
just for amusement and sexual desire. We don't give her dignity and it is
very sad. Even today when a girl is born, many families are not happy and
that is very disturbing.Men forget that it is only women who can give
birth to a child. They have the womb. If women decide not to reproduce,
this world will not exist. It is like lyricist Sahir Ludhanvi said,
Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko, mardo ne use bazaar diya (Woman
gave birth to man, man took her to market).
Don't miss: The Umrao Jaan special section
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