New Delhi: Shoojit Sircar emerged as a capable filmmaker after 'Vicky Donor', in which he sensibly advocated the cause of sperm donation. This time he has come up with a film which is set in the backdrop of a civil war, so the basic premise of 'Madras Cafe' is going to be entirely different from 'Vicky Donor'.
The controversy
At a press conference, Sircar and the film's producer John Abraham, who also plays the lead actor in the movie, were asked if permission was sought from the Congress party to essay an important sequence in 'Madras Cafe' on lines similar to the Rajiv Gandhi assassination.
Sircar said: "This is not a biopic on him, this is not a story based on him. Yes, you can say that there is a similarity to that incident. There is a similarity in the facial structure (of the actor who plays the said role)."
For the uninitiated, the film, which is set in the late 80s and early 90s, revolves around the political and military histories of Sri Lanka, the Research and Analysis Wing and Lankan rebel group LTTE's activities.
Former Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi died when an LTTE suicide bomber detonated a bomb at an election rally in May 1991. A similar incident has been showcased in the film's trailer.
"I would like to urge all of Chennai to support 'Madras Cafe' as a film and release it as it is a credible film made with a lot of heart and it gives audiences something novel to be entertained about," John said in a statement.
'Madras Cafe' is also facing the ire of Tamil activist groups Naam Tamizhar and MDMK. The members sought a ban on the film contending that it portrays LTTE cadres as terrorists.
The idea
Sircar, who invested seven years into researching the project, says it was important for the 'Madras Cafe' team to deal with the issue in the movie with sensitivity. But, he says, whatever side he may have taken in the movie, what it finally goes to show is 'human loss'.
"It shows that there are so many civilians who just lost their life, and others lead a displaced life," he said.
Establishing the time and era of the Sri Lankan civil war for 'Madras Cafe' was the most challenging part for Shoojit Sircar.
"Since the film is based on a serious subject like terrorism and civil war, the main challenge was to create that genre and time. It's not an action-packed combo with a Rambo-like character, but it's based on what has happened in the past," Sircar told IANS.
The civil war
He has admitted to using real bullets in sync sound to make it a realistic action film. Sircar also recently said that when the audience will enter the theatre, he will 'transport you to a civil war' with the film.
The 'Chennai Express' has died down to a good extent by now and 'OUATIMD' failed to do well at the box-office, so 'Madras Cafe' has a good chance to excel. The team of John Abraham and Shoojit Sircar would have been hoping for their second hit with 'Madras Cafe'. (With inputs from PTI and IANS)
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