Interview: Cast of “Rajneeti”

By: Simran Mody, India Correspondent

When the Rajneeti cast and crew officially teamed up during the film’s production, they were quickly made aware, by director Prakash Jha, of what lay ahead of them leading up to its June 4th release — a political battle that was as juicy and dramatic in real life as it was depicted in the movie. Loaded with undercurrents about India’s Congress Party, the lives of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, and the dynastic political saga that is the world’s largest democracy, UTV Motion Pictures’ Rajneeti is an epic political drama featuring Ajay Devgn, Naseerudin Shah, Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Manoj Bajpai and Susan Thompson. In addition to the political overtones, there are hints that the film is also a modern-day reprisal of the Mahabharata. Jha joined Kaif and Kapoor in defending the film, which barely earned a U/A certification by the India Censor Board after the director cut out several risqué scenes.

Ultimately, through all the political controversy, religious outcry and the cast’s collective development of thick skin, Jha reminded audiences that, in the end, Rajneeti is just a movie. In talking to the media earlier this week, the acclaimed director indicated he hopes people do not lose sight of its entertainment value.

“I just want people to get entertained. We want to be awarded and rewarded for this film. I have no intention to teach or preach,” the director informed the press. “Rajneeti is not a dry political drama. At an edited length of about three hours, we want viewers to be glued to the edge of their seats.”

To think movie fans almost were not even given the opportunity to buy some glue to bring into the multiplex in order to apply to their respective seats, mostly because the Indian government took issue with the film’s themes, with Kaif strongly resembling Sonia Gandhi and Kapoor apparently mimicking Rahul Gandhi.

Playing the card of partisan politics, a Congress Party worker reportedly sent Jha a formal letter in protest of Rajneeti, warning the director that his film was viewed as a blatant attack on the Gandhi family and the development of one of India’s most powerful political machines.

“When I got the letter from the party worker, who shall go unnamed, I read it and tore it up. I called the gentleman and said, ‘If you think I’m going to respond in writing to you a letter so you can get mileage and publicity out of it, you’re mistaken. I want to thank you for your concern, but I have nothing to say to you,’” Jha protested to the media when asked about the purported letter. “If the Congress high-command has doubts about the content of my film, they’re most welcome to watch it when I’m ready to show it to them. Before that, there’s nothing to be said to anyone.”

Accordingly, Jha tried to put some perspective on his film, claiming that the Congress Party and other misguided detractors were reading too much into the overall message of Rajneeti.

“Rajneeti has different meanings, and that is what has been shown in the film. It is about the political mentality and manipulations. It is about the belief that victory is the only option, no matter at what cost,” he said.

Aiding Jha in his defense earlier this week was Kaif, who agreed that she did not see a connection between Rajneeti and the Gandhi family, who played a major role in developing India as the world’s largest democracy.

“I know my character is not based on Sonia Gandhi’s life,” Kaif, who plays Indu Pratap in the film, so aptly told the press in a televised interview moments before describing her role. “Indu is very outgoing, fiery, brash, and wants everything in life. She is quite shameless in love, meaning, without any caution, she goes to the person she loves and pushes him to love her back. When it doesn’t get reciprocated, she feels jolted and realizes she can’t get everything she wants; that way, my character is pretty glamorous. The so-called unglamorous part comes only in the later half of the film, when I am pushed to live a politician’s life out of business compulsions.”

Kaif added that she developed her character after watching a series of relevant videos featuring talks hosted by various political leaders, all of which gave the actress a wide range of personalities to choose from in determining how best to portray Indu. If people see shades of Sonia Gandhi in Indu, it is not because of Jha’s direction but instead because Kaif studied some of the more publicly known attributes of one of India’s most powerful women.

“The key was to observe the body language and the way they conduct themselves on stage. I took a little inspiration from everyone and composed a new character of my own,” she confessed.

In portraying Samar Pratap, Kapoor said his character is in no way based upon the life of Rahul Gandhi, who is the son of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi, even though the actor took in some scenery by traveling on a local train through Mumbai in similar fashion to what Rahul did several years ago.

“I don’t think my character is at all close to that of Rahul Gandhi,” he proclaimed to the press. “What Rahul did (traveling by local train in Mumbai to connect with citizens) was a great thing. He met common people and spoke to them. I had gone as part of the promotional strategy for Rajneeti to make people aware about the film’s release.”

Whether Kapoor’s promotional campaign or Kaif’s physical resemblance to Sonia Gandhi are both sheer coincidence or intentionally planned by Jha will ultimately be judged by audiences as Rajneeti hits screens worldwide this weekend. Either way, those planning to watch the film should set aside the typical three hours and plan for a hard-hitting political thriller that is sure to take audiences on an emotional roller coaster.

Rajneeti is now playing.