Ashutosh Gowariker’s next film on Chittagong Uprising

Abhishek Bachchan

Ashutosh Gowariker loves challenging movie-making. After making epics like "Lagaan", "Swades" and "Jodhaa Akbar", he switched to frothy romantic comedy with his forthcoming "What's Your Raashee".
The director has now switched right back to serious cinema. The director plans a film on the Chittagong Uprising of the early 1930s, starring Abhishek Bachchan.
"Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey" is based on newspaper editor Manini Chatterjee's book, "Do and Die: The Chittagong Uprising" (Penguin).
The book, published in December 1999, highlights the heroism of those who spearheaded the Chittagong armoury raid. It won the Bengali literary award, the Rabindra Puroskar, in 2000.

About the Chittagong Uprising
Many would not know that the Chittagong Uprising had a direct link with the non-violent freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi. All six leaders of the raid -- Surjya Sen, Nirmal Chandra Sen, Lokenath Bal, Ambika Chakrabarti, Ananta Singh and Ganesh Ghosh -- took part in the Gandhi-led Non-Cooperation Movement of 1919."
Thoroughly disgruntled by Gandhiji's decision to call off the movement in 1922 in the wake of the Chauri Chaura incident, these leaders, in their individual capacity as members of the district Congress committee and other mass fronts of the Congress, planned and trained for the armed attack on the Chittagong armoury, police headquarters and European club on April 18, 1930.
"The architects of the rebellion hoped it would yield them a sufficiently large quantity of arms and ammunition and that it would pave the way for a general uprising. The master planners also formed an 'army' comprising teenage recruits who were given rigorous training to take on their enemies -- the British.
Manini Chatterjee visited Chittagong to get a feel of the place. "It was a great experience," she says. "Though Bangladesh does not have too many historic remains of the uprising, Chittagong still houses the district magistrate's bungalow and the railway club -- two most prominent witnesses to the armoury raid."
When Ashutosh Gowariker got interested
"The first offer to make a film on the book came in 2001," recalls Chatterjee. "Digital Talks, headed by Shekhar Kapur, signed an agreement with me. The agreement said if the company did not make a film within two years of signing the contract, the rights would revert to me. I had no personal meeting with Kapur though."
"As no film was made, I got the rights back in 2003. In 2005, Ashutosh mentioned to me that Kapur had spoken very highly of the book and that he was keen on making a film on it."
"Ashutosh had just made 'Swades' and I was under the impression that he would start filming my book immediately. However, he started 'Jodhaa Akbar' instead. Riding on the success of the latter, he approached me again in 2008 and bought the rights," the journalist points out.
Chatterjee seems happy about Gowariker making the film. "I am really lucky he has taken up the project," she says. "Those who have seen Jodhaa Akbar or Lagaan know that here is a guy who has a passion for history. As a director, no one can question Ashutosh's sincerity and integrity. I am sure he will do justice to my book."

About Abhishek Bachchan playing the lead, Surjya Sen
"I have full confidence in Ashutosh's choice. At the moment, I don't have any issue with Abhishek Bachchan playing the lead. However, all depends on how the film turns out. My perception may change afterwards," Chatterjee says.

Compiled by Correspondent