Madhur Bhandarkar to reveal life behind bars in new film
He has carved a niche for himself as Bollywood's “realistic” filmmaker, having focussed on the squalor and seamy side of life in large metros.
Be it the life of dance bar girls, the ugly side of high society party circuit, life of beggars around traffic signals in Mumbai or the shady goings-on in the corporate world or the green room of fashion shows -- he can rightfully say “been there done that.” That is the story of director Madhur Bhandarkar who is ready with his next project “Jail” slated for release next month.
Bhandarkar's latest film, starring Neil Nitin Mukesh, Manoj Bajpai and newcomer Mugdha Godse, is the story of the discovery of life in prisons as seen through the eyes of a businessman who lands up in jail due to a series of unfortunate circumstances.
Bhandarkar, who was here recently to promote his film, said Hindi cinema has “glorified” life in jails but claims “Jail” is going to show certain facets of prison life hitherto not seen in films.
Nitin Mukesh plays the role of the businessman who lands up in jail and Bajpai appears as the jail warden.
To get a first-hand account of life in prisons, the director said he had visited jails in different parts of the country and tried to know from their inmates their true condition.
Bhandarkar said he was moved by the condition of jail inmates and the common desire running through them was how to get early release.
He strongly denied “Jail” was inspired by the Hollywood film “Lock Up” starring Sylvester Stallone in the role of a convict.
Winner of a national award, Bhadarkar has already directed films like “Chandni Bar,” “Page Three, ” “Corporate, ” “Traffic Signal” and “Fashion”.
Admirers of Bhandarkar have praised his courage to deal with subjects none in Bollywood would touch but his critics have flayed his works as a “tour de force” as they oscillate between documentary and feature genres.
Bhandarkar also took the opportunity to travel down memory lane recalling how he had struggle to eke out his place in Bollywood -- from running a video cassette shop and delivering cassettes to the homes of some of Bollywood's big names without ever having the chance to meet them to an award-winning director.
Comments