I feel happy that my name is always connected to controversy says Karan Razdan
Filmmaker-writer Karan Razdan, who is gearing up for the shooting of his upcoming untitled film based on the lines of love-jihad, has said that he feels happy when his name and his films are connected with certain controversial issues. He added that he makes films on real subjects and that’s the reason why his films gets embroiled in controversies
Karan Razdan was interacting with the media on Saturday in Mumbai.
Razdan’s upcoming untitled film is about a love triangle, involving two religions and love jihad. It tells a tale of friendship and polarization in today’s times.
Talking about the film, Razdan said, “My film is about a love triangle. It is non-controversial. It just shows a mirror to society and the time we are living in. In the film, during the interval, we have shown that how abrogation of article 370 affects principal characters of the film, and post interval, we have shown that how Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 affects principal characters of the film. I am very happy that my name is always connected to controversy because it shows that I make live, real films. If you make something dead, then you will not be controversial. If you make something which is real and which provokes debate and brings out the emotions, then it is bound to be controversial.”
He added, “Today, more than filmmakers, it is the press who is seeking controversies to sell their channels, blogs and news papers, so I am imitating the press or the press is imitating me? I have decided the title of the film but knowing the nature of the press, I don’t want to reveal the title. I will reveal on the day of Muhurat of my film in Uttarakhand. I feel my film is a highly charged emotional film which will bring tears to the audience in the end.”
Razdan is known for directing films with controversial themes like ‘Girlfriend’ (2004), ‘Hawas’ (2004) and ‘Souten: The Other Woman’ (2006). He also wrote and directed the hit TV series of mid 80s, ‘Rajani’ and the detective TV serial ‘Tehkikaat’ starring Vijay Anand.
When asked Razdan why his every film is based on bold subjects and it gets embroiled in controversies, Razdan gave examples of films on which he worked as a screen-play writer, he said, “There was a time when the press was not seeking controversies. If you look at my films like ‘Dilwale’ (1994), ‘Diljale’ (1996), ‘Deewane’ (2000), ‘Trimurti’ (1995) and ‘Dushmani: A Violent Love Story’ (1996), during that period, the press was not looking for controversy. There may have been something controversial like Ajay Devgn playing a role of a terrorist in ‘Diljale’ but they were received as emotional films.”
He added saying that the media deliberately targets one particular person and labels him as a controversial figure, he said, “I think the press deliberately targets and makes somebody controversial and then wants to keep him controversial. I feel you should look at a man in totality. In ‘Mr. Bhatti on Chutti’ (2012), Mr. Amitabh Bachchan did a cameo role because he loved what I showed him. I did another film ‘Mittal v/s Mittal’ (2010) is a film on marital rape and film like Umar (2006) about three old men and Jimmy Sheirgill which was shot in the United Kingdom, so I feel do justice to a man and then look at his career.”
The film is written and directed by Karan Razdan and produced by Natarajan Balasubramanian, Mukesh Gaba, Sharon Nadan and Karan Razdan.
It will be shot in a start to finish schedule of forty-five days in Uttarakhand and the shooting will begin from 28th January 2021.