Drishtikone
Shahrukh Khan is by far the biggest star right now in Indian Cinema! Here is a blog written by him on Intentblog.. this site is a must read!
Thank you for your review of my film, Paheli, on Intentblog. I did read the comments, and it was refreshing to read inputs from the viewers. The film, Paheli, was made by my own production house, Red Chillies… which sounds like a Mexican restaurant, I am told, but nevertheless, a name that we have made a couple of films under.
Many times, I hear positive and negative analyses of the films that I make under this production house. Both are welcomed and taken note of…all the time…but then again, I go ahead and make the films that I wish to, and also make the same mistakes that I have perhaps done in the past.
The reason for doing this is that I believe in two things when I make a film. First, that it is not going to make me money…and hopefully not make me lose any either. That ends the material aspect of film making in the production house.
Then comes the second reason… to tell a story to a lot of people which is extremely entertaining, and at the same time, make the viewer take back home a bit more than the semi- filled popcorn packet. I don’t wish them to change their lives after watching the film… I don’t want them to learn a new way of being after the viewing, and least of all, I don’t wish to ever preach to them what I personally cannot or am unable to practise.
Paheli was made with the same intention. A story which lends itself to intrigue, and maybe a bit fairy tale like…as one of the comment suggests. A married woman who falls in love with a ghost. It is based on a folk tale of Rajasthan written some 35 to 40 years ago. A time when we, as a society, were even more unfair to women than we are today… at least, in India. To tell a love story where a woman chose her own “man” seemed to me not only commendable and modern, but even courageous.
I am by choice a commercial actor/star or star/actor. I like to believe the former…the critics try to remind me that I am the latter time and again. I am also quite blessed…because by no choice of mine or perhaps by having no power over the choice… been bestowed by God an audience which has appreciated my work for over fifteen years. I am extremely thankful, and extremely used to the idea of being successful. Simply put…i love it.
At times, this love makes me weak enough to make choices that I feel will keep this dream to never end. And sometimes, the same love gives me enough courage to take a chance with the viewers, vis a vis the films I make.
“Asoka” and “Paheli” are two films that make me feel the strength of the love that the audience has had for me. I cannot make any tall claims about the virtue of Paheli as a film…that decision i am very clear rests with the audiences… I can only tell a story…not really force anyone to like it. But having said that, I would like to put forth why I, as a producer, decided to make this film.
1. I think being in the position I am, if I don’t take chances with the products I make..no one else should or can. I am by nature someone who wants to do things differently…not for the sake of being different, but because I feel the different approach will make a difference to many other film makers to take chances and make films which can say something thought provoking.
2. I have a deep regard for things Indian and for our culture. Unfortunately, I am myself not so culturally aware, and whenever something comes my way which introduces me to a part of our country, I want more people like me to be introduced to it.
3. I have a huge amount of respect for women. I was brought up by a very beautiful woman, my mother, and surrounded in my life by really talented and hard working ladies. Some of them are my actress friends and others in my family, like my sister and wife. Many times, when I hear a story which brings forth any dimension or a problem that a woman faces in her life, I feel compelled to partake in that story. Paheli is about emancipation of women. The right a woman should have in her life…the right to make a choice without being branded as a wrong doer. In our country atrocities against our women are not unknown even in this time and age…and through Paheli, I wanted to bring forth the strength a woman has to muster, even in dealing with very simple issues…like an arranged marriage.
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