FILM INTERVIEW: OM PURI

 

“Cinema has become business-minded. It has become more greedy and money-minded. I am not happy about it,” Mr. Puri told the press last week. “I don’t believe in cinema that only entertains. I believe entertainment is important, but at the same time, it is also important that we raise social issues. We need to talk about or show issues through the medium of cinema.”

 

The veteran actor thinks Sinha’s Khap is one such film that shows the very issues he believes the media of film should show. Specifically, Khap is about honor killings and the case of Khap Panchayat.

 

Of course, Mr. Puri thinks the whole gamut of issues affecting everyday Indians should be on display in Hindi film. Unfortunately, he believes, that is not the case.

 

“There are several other issues -- like unemployment, crime, and corruption -- that need to be highlighted. In villages, people do not have electricity, water, and proper roads. If we talk about Mumbai, there is so much dirt on the street, due to which diseases spread. There is mosquito- and rat-breeding,” Mr. Puri told the press. “The municipality is effective only in places where high class society people reside. Like in Malabar Hill area, you will not find dirt, while in Ghatkopar, Malad, Charkop areas you will see unclean environment.”

 

Perhaps the economies of scale are also affecting the very roles offered Mr. Puri, who had most recently starred in films such as Teen Thay Bhai, Mere Baap Pehle Aap, Singh Is Kinng, and Hera Pheri.

 

“Aging is there, not only in films. You grow. You age. You retire. I am not happy with the roles I am getting. I think I deserve better,” the actor confessed to the media.

 

Perhaps Khap will put Mr. Puri back at the forefront of substantive roles, especially with his taking the issue of honor-killing head-on.

 

“I heard about the issue through newspapers. I am against this. I believe any person does not have the right to kill anyone. There is no law existing in our country that allows anyone to kill someone,” Mr. Puri told the press. “The need of the hour is to implement the law. You make people aware about the issue, and you expect people to raise their voices against it and hope the government changes the laws to make effective laws. The movie will evoke some kind of debate in the society.”

 

Indeed, this weekend we will find out whether Mr. Puri’s words will ring true and the issue of honor killings, which was last tackled by Ajay Devgn and Bipasha Basu in Aakrosh, will rise to the forefront.

 

In the meantime, Mr. Puri will be awaiting the release of Khap, which battles head-to-head with Bubble Gum for box office supremacy on July 29th. After Khap, look for Mr. Puri to star with Hrithik Roshan in Karan Johar’s remake of Agneepath.

 

‘Khap’ is produced by Sangita Sinha and Siddhant Sinha of Ananda Film and Telecommunications, and releases on July 29, 2011.