Recreating the Chittagong armoury raid

Actor Abhishek Bachchan is "effortless" as Master-da Surja Sen and Deepika Padukone has an "uncanny resemblance" with Kalpana Dutta, gushes Bollywood director Ashutosh Gowariker as he raves about their performance in lead roles in his latest film "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey".
Gowariker, whose film on the Chittagong armoury raid of 1930 releases on December 3, rejects the apprehension about how Abhishek and Deepika would pull off the period film genre since none of them had worked on such a project earlier.
Since the novel "Do or Die", is written by eminent Indian journalist Manini Chatterjee, daughter-in-law of legendary revolutionaries Kalpana Dutta and P C Joshi, and the script is well researched, there is no reason for harbouring any misconception about the abilities of Abhishek and Deepika, insists Gowariker.
"Actors essay what is given to them in the story and script. Deepika was always my first choice for the role of Kalpana Dutta. She is growing with every film and has brought simplicity on the screen. If you see the real Kalpana Dutta's photograph, Deepika bears an uncanny resemblance to her," he said.
The director said the biggest challenge for Deepika was to de-glamourise herself, which she did very well in the film.
On why he chose the Chittagong armoury raid as the subject for his film, Gowariker described the event as "one of India's greatest freedom struggles".
Gowariker said Manini Chaterjee's "Do and Die" left him stunned. "I did not know about this uprising led by Surjiya Sen and the other revolutionaries of the 30s. The story fascinated me enough to make a film".
"Not much is not known about the Chittagong Uprising. It's a true story and yet we know so little about it. I though it was important to bring it before the nation,” said the director who has showcased patriotic passion in movies like "Lagaan" and "Swades" and "Jodha Akbar" in different ways.
"I connect naturally to the emotion of patriotism and it has come out in different flavours in 'Lagaan', 'Swades', 'Jodha Akbar' and now 'Khele Hum Jee Jaan Se'. At the risk of sounding clichéd, I would say that it is just a coincidence that I have expressed the sentiment of patriotism and national pride through my movies," Gowariker said.
The filmmaker said he was never interested in history as a school boy. "I think I am compensating for it," he said referring to his upcoming movie.
"Manini the daughter-in-law of Kalpana Dutta, has interacted with all the survivors and hence had a first hand account on the uprising. Despite her busy schedule as a journalist, Manini has helped me with all the detailing like language, clothes, to keep the historical accuracy intact," he said adding "The adaptation of the book into a script has been done with the consent of Manini Chaterjee".
Gowariker said making the film was tough because it has the biggest ever cast of 64 that he has handled and also because it is his shortest film--of less than three hours in contrast to his earlier films whose longer duration has often come in for criticism.
He said in the book by Manini Chatterjee, there is a hint of romance between Surjiya Sen and Kalpana Dutta and it has been captured in the film as well. But the focus in on the uprising.
"Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey" sees Abhishek and Deepika for the first time on screen and Gowariker thinks the pairing is unique.
Gowariker is not concerned about the fact that another film on the Chittagong Uprising is being made by US-based director of Indian origin Shonali Bose in which another Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpai stars in the role of Surja Sen. Bose's film is slated for release next year.
"It's a fact that two directors are making films on the same subject. I have spoken to Shonali but we are taking different angles in our works," said Gowariker.