Neither the censor borard, nor the Congress party is happy about his upcoming movie on the Emergency. What's new, asks Madhur Bhandarkar.
In the trailer of Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar, actor Neil Nitin Mukesh says, “Emergency mein emotion nahi, mere orders chalte hain (During the emergency, emotions do not matter, only my orders do).” His resemblance to Sanjay Gandhi is unmissable. The film, scheduled for release on July 28, hit the headlines after the Congress party voiced its reservations over the portrayal of Indira Gandhi and other leaders in the trailer. On YouTube, the trailer has already racked up more than 56 lakh views.
But, Bhandarkar is not new to such rows. Known for his hard-hitting and realistic films, the Mumbaikar has often made movies against a backdrop of the glam world. This time, he wanted to make something very different. “The Emergency (1975-77) has not been debated in Indian cinema very strongly,” he said. “There have been films that have discussed the period in the backdrop, but a film fully dedicated to the 21-month period has not been made.”
Bhandarkar and Anil Pandey wrote the story and screenplay, while Sanjay Chhel wrote the dialogues. The threesome together placed the protagonist, Indu Sarkar (Kirti Kulhari), against the backdrop of the Emergency. The titles of Bhandarkar’s films—Page 3, Fashion, Jail, Corporate—give away a lot about the premise of the story. Indu Sarkar follows the trend; Indira was fondly called Indu. “Indu is the protagonist’s name and Sarkar is the surname of her husband,” said Bhandarkar. “Hence, Indu Sarkar. But, you can look at it metaphorically.”
This story is from the July 23, 2017 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 23, 2017 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BIOPIC AND BEYOND
Randeep Hooda may have proved his acting credentials with biopics, but typecast him at your own peril
Flutter of flimsy wings
Butterfly Research Centre in Bhimtal boasts 3,500 butterfly and moth specimens
SIMILAR STATES, DIFFERENT BATTLES
The Congress seems to have the edge in Telangana while in Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan Mohan Reddy are locked in a bitter battle
A RIDE TO REMEMBER
On board Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s bus as he was attacked
Winning 14 of 17 seats is my target
Anumula Revanth Reddy is on a mission to demonstrate a democratic and egalitarian facet of power and leadership.
LOTUS TAKES ROOT
Buoyed by its slowly growing acceptance among the voters in Tamil Nadu, the BJP is mounting its fiercest offensive ever
BLANK CHECK
Several factors favour an increase in the BJP’s vote share in Kerala, but whether the party can win a seat remains uncertain
CONGRESS HAS A HISTORY OF MAKING ADJUSTMENTS WITH COMMUNAL FORCES
In April 2021, as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was leading the CPI(M)’s assembly poll campaign to win a second consecutive term, a spirited debate erupted in Kerala over an epithet that party workers had bestowed on him.
POLL PLOT
Congress hopes its five guarantees’ will blunt BJP’s aggressive push
MODI'S GUARANTEES REMAIN IN SPEECHES, MY GUARANTEES ARE FULFILLED
The transformation is unmissable. The old-school mass leader Siddaramaiah has suddenly switched into the new avatar of a master strategist.