The recent controversy over the release of two big films on the same day caught my attention. One was a typical no brainier the other a period film bringing to limelight the exploits of one of the forgotten generals of the Maratha empire albeit as well marred with slight controversy over the accuracy of the film.
But above all this I was intrigued more with the director of the period film. The primary reason being why would he decide to take on a huge Bollywood star by releasing his film on the same clashing weekend.The math just did not add up. His period film was much more expensive film. It had taken him a significant time to bring into celluloid his vision and somewhat make justice to the period and the era in which the movie was set it in. After all the film was based on one of the greatest empires of pre-colonial India and not an ordinary general on top of that.
This made me look into greater details of this man and where he has come from and what has he done in the past. As it turns out taking risk and doing the unconventional has been his forte since his first steps in the industry. His first movie was a big flop and then the same director went onto to make three consecutive hits without any change in his style of craft just to be followed by another super flop for which he was criticized heavily.
For someone coming from this recent history and then going onto making Bajirao Mastani and having the audacity of clashing it with Dilwale not only takes guts but also very solid convictions of life. It reflects greatly on his personality and character. Legends and great personalities come into their own when faced with adversity and leave us with a lesson in life to follow and emulate.
His singular statement " I make films knowing my grandchildren are going to watch the film", sums it up all nicely for him and us. It is our collective responsibility as society to encourage the artistic and cinematic brilliance coming out of our own land not cause we own something to these personalities but we owe that to ourselves. What choices that we make no matter how elementary reflects a lot about us. India is a land of greatness and brilliance especially in the field of arts and performing arts. If we choose to accept and live with anything less than brilliant and something that would make our ancestors and future generations not proud of us we would be making grave injustice to ourselves.
Kudos to SLB films !!!
But above all this I was intrigued more with the director of the period film. The primary reason being why would he decide to take on a huge Bollywood star by releasing his film on the same clashing weekend.The math just did not add up. His period film was much more expensive film. It had taken him a significant time to bring into celluloid his vision and somewhat make justice to the period and the era in which the movie was set it in. After all the film was based on one of the greatest empires of pre-colonial India and not an ordinary general on top of that.
This made me look into greater details of this man and where he has come from and what has he done in the past. As it turns out taking risk and doing the unconventional has been his forte since his first steps in the industry. His first movie was a big flop and then the same director went onto to make three consecutive hits without any change in his style of craft just to be followed by another super flop for which he was criticized heavily.
For someone coming from this recent history and then going onto making Bajirao Mastani and having the audacity of clashing it with Dilwale not only takes guts but also very solid convictions of life. It reflects greatly on his personality and character. Legends and great personalities come into their own when faced with adversity and leave us with a lesson in life to follow and emulate.
His singular statement " I make films knowing my grandchildren are going to watch the film", sums it up all nicely for him and us. It is our collective responsibility as society to encourage the artistic and cinematic brilliance coming out of our own land not cause we own something to these personalities but we owe that to ourselves. What choices that we make no matter how elementary reflects a lot about us. India is a land of greatness and brilliance especially in the field of arts and performing arts. If we choose to accept and live with anything less than brilliant and something that would make our ancestors and future generations not proud of us we would be making grave injustice to ourselves.
Kudos to SLB films !!!
