After making a startling debut as a director with Talvar in 2015, Meghna Gulzar is back in the chair with another intense drama Raazi. Starring Alia Bhatt in the lead role, the film is an adaptation of Harinder Sikka’s novel Calling Sehmat, revolving around an Indian spy married to a Pakistani military officer during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
Talking about the period and treatment of the concept of patriotism in the film, Meghna tells News18, "This is the story of 1971, so the emotions, ideals and principals at that time were different than today. As the society progresses, the emotions keep changing. The kind of patriotism we are talking about in Raazi might feel unfamiliar in today's time."
After a series of intense war-drama films in the early 2000s, there was a break in hardcore 'patriotic' film genre post-Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti. Does she want Raazi to bring back those forgotten emotions onscreen? Meghna answers, "If Raazi succeeds in doing that, I don't think we will be happier with anything else the film manages to do. That wasn't our intention when we started. It was just a very powerful story that we wanted to tell but if, as a by-product of that, people start questioning what is the essence of patriotism, what is it to actually love your country or sacrifice for your country or if it opens up that debate or introspection even. I'll be very happy."
The film stars Vicky Kaushal as a Pakistani Army Officer, Iqbal, who marries Alia Bhatt. On portraying a character from a sketching ground usually showcased as an antagonist or 'dushman' in maximum war films, Vicky says, "We've been conditioned that way (to hate on a character coming from that background). But I enjoyed playing on that conditioned thought. My character breaks two molds, one is that of an army guy, other is that of a Pakistani because when you mix these two there's a certain image that you get. Iqbal might just dilute that image of a 'crude Pakistani Army Man."
The core theme of the film is to celebrate the unsung heroes who laid their lives in order to help their nation. On being asked about the unsung heroes in their personal life, Alia says, "I have many 'behind the scene' people in my life who are responsible for me. Apart from my parents, this family takes care of my eating, drinking, walking, reaching places on time, the list can go on. This whole team of mine is my unsung hero. "
Vicky seconds her thought and adds, "The entire team that makes sure that one emotion that audience connect to in a moment, is perfect. The people who work behind us and the film to bring to you a perfect story are unsung heroes."
Raazi also stars Rajit Kapoor, Shishir Sharma, Sini Razdan and Jaideep Ahlawat in key roles. The war-drama is a set to release on May 11.
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