I make normal films, says filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri

Nonika Singh

Whether you like his films or not, whether you agree with his politics or not, National Award-winning filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri refuses to fall for the bait. He has a ready and intelligent repartee for any query you throw his way.

And even before you can utter the word ‘propaganda film’, which is how his detractors described his successful film The Kashmir Files, he reminds, “The film was about terrorism, not about Muslims.” The National Award for the film is no vindication. “It’s as important as any award should be. Of course, as far as awards go, National Award is the only award that matters.”

Advocate of Free speech

Member of Central Board of Film Certification CBFC, Vivek Agnihotri does not believe in censorship and endorses free speech. Nadav Lapid, jury chief at IFFI Goa, who spoke against The Kashmir Files, too had the right to speak out his mind. “Only, he broke the protocol and the platform he chose was just not right. Besides, imagine speaking about a film that was not awarded, rather than the one which won the prize. That is unprecedented.”

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As he is ready with his latest film, The Vaccine War, being touted as India’s first bioscience film, he takes affront at the question — how do you make a subject like this entertaining? He shoots off, “This is very Bollywood line of thinking that assumes cinema is only entertainment. If it were so what would be the difference between cinema and circus? This also assumes that audiences are dumb people, who only want to be entertained. I think audiences want to move into new universes, new orbits.”

Those who are prejudging the film as pro-establishment, he once again has befitting answers. “I am by nature anti-establishment. Only I stand up against the establishment (read Bollywood), which is immediate to me, and from where I earn my bread and butter.”

He does not consider himself an outsider in Bollywood. Rather he states vociferously, “Bollywood is an outsider in India. I am 100 per cent an insider. I make films about India with Indians.” Thus he fails to understand how lauding India’s achievement such as the indigenous Covid vaccine qualifies as pro-establishment? “If tomorrow someone makes a film on Chandrayaan, would that be pro-government. If so, that is as good as conceding that the government is doing a lot of commendable things.”

Matter of choice

Talking of The Vaccine War, the biggest challenge as a filmmaker was how to make the complex science of virology comprehensible. Interestingly, as he delved into the lives of these scientists, realisation dawned upon him. How there are more women in this field and how while any science where men go, grabs attention, women-centric fields are often relegated? Interestingly, his faith in women power is not cursory. He is all praise for his talented wife Pallavi Joshi, who apart from being a ‘fine producer’ is invariably the lead actor of his films.

Been around for a while, does he think he found his voice with The Tashkent Files? “No I think it was the rebellious and revolutionary Buddha in a Traffic Jam. It took six years to make, at a budget of Rs 1 crore, and it went on to become a cult film.”

Not ready to divulge much about his next, The Delhi Files, supposedly about anti-Sikh riots, answer to why he doesn’t make one on Gujarat riots is met with an assertive, “It’s my choice to make the kind of films I want.” Cinema for him ‘is connecting viewers with your inner self and inner emotions’.

Being honest

While he takes a dig at Karan Johar brand of cinema, he does not make much of his constant sparring with Anurag Kashyap. “I admire him as a filmmaker, I was the first one to congratulate him for Dev D.” As for Agnihotri kind of cinema, he does not think his films are any more forthright than real life is. “I make normal films. Since people have stopped making cinema which tells the truth, they call my films hard-hitting.”

However, The Vaccine War, set for theatrical outing on September 28, he promises his viewers will instil them with a sense of deep pride. “After watching this film, I want children to say they want to be virologists.” See him as government’s favourite child or maker with a difference, he certainly makes films he believes in. And judging by the recent track record makes cine-goers, whom he considers ‘smarter than filmmakers’, believe in them too.