On the raid
Nonika Singh
“For every good reason there is to lie, there is a better reason to tell the truth.” — Bo Bennett
Only truth is stranger than fiction…on the surface the tale of an income tax officer might not seem like ideal fodder for the world of fantasy that cinema comprises. But when acclaimed director Raj Kumar Gupta (of No One Killed Jessica-fame) heard about the bravado of an income tax sleuth, he was awestruck by the un-believability of the real-life person, Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, and the daring raid that he conducted way back in 1981 in Lucknow.
As Ajay Devgn-starrer Raid is all set for release today, the captain of the ship, Gupta, shares how he finds the marriage between facts and fiction a highly intoxicating combination. Indeed, compared to Jessica’s story, Raid is about both an unlikely and an unsung hero. But for the director perennially fascinated by tales of heroism, this was a story waiting to be told. You and me may believe that income tax officers are hardly worth idolizing, but Gupta dubs them as financial police ‘who fight corruption in their own way’ and many of whom like his protagonist are incorruptible.
Real touch
“When you set out to make a film steeped in facts you remain true to the soul and spirit of the actual story and can’t step out of the paradigm of reality. Yet you do need to dramatise the story.” Even when he was researching and met officials of income tax department, they understood that a film just can’t be a bland narration of actual events.
Gupta is best known for his realistic, ‘slice of life’, touch, yet Raid has its fair share of songs too. Music, already touching the right notes, is by his favourite (and ours too) music director Amit Trivedi. Then two of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s songs have been composed by Tanishk Bagchi. But, mind you, Gupta insists, “None of these will stand out like a sore thumb but gel with the narrative. Songs were required to explore the husband-wife relationship.” Though, the lovely Ileana D’Cruz gets to play Devgn’s wife in the film, he didn’t cast her just because she is a pretty face who will up the glam quotient of the film. He quips, “I never include a character if it’s not required in the script.”
As a rule, he writes his own films but this time over he has talented writer Ritesh Shah on board, for their creative process is on the same wavelength.
Write note
When Gupta writes, it’s the director’s vision, keenly aware of how cinema is a visual medium, which guides the writing. Indeed, telling the story of a department not seen in the haloed light of positivity was quite a challenge. He is not only happy with his writer Shah, but also with his lead actor, Ajay Devgn, who he praises most effusively. “A director’s actor all the way, Devgn understands both the craft of acting and direction.”
But those who deem that creative people are only as good or bad as their last film, he disagrees completely. Indeed, Gupta’s last outing, Ghanchakkar, may not have created magic at the BO and opened to mixed reviews, but he insists, “One film alone is not a director’s litmus test.” And in case your memory is not serving you right, remember he is a director who set the ball rolling for small budget films with Aamir, brought in courtroom drama with No One Killed Jessica and made a film riding on female characters work.
Big challenge
Things he deems are no more conducive for directors today for, “making a film that you set out to make is always a challenge, be it yesterday, today or tomorrow.” Raid is certainly the content-driven film laced with intrigue and reality he so wanted to direct. Will it strike the same chord as its powerful trailer has? If truth be told, the proof of cinema lies in its viewing. Be ready to raid his celluloid reality today.
nonikasingh@tribunemail.com
