Producer Farhan Akhtar takes ANOKHI on a tour of the quirky, controversial world of Bangistan.
Karan Anshuman's Bangistan — a sardonic comedy about two hapless wannabe terrorists (Riteish Deshmukh and Pulkit Samrat) running amok in the titular fictional country — arrived in theatres on August 7. As you might expect given the subject matter, it’s attracted its share of controversy, including a ban in the United Arab Emirates. The film was co-produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s company, Excel Entertainment, and ANOKHI recently got the chance to speak with Akhtar about creating the “quirky,” “satirical” world of Bangistan, a much-buzzed cameo by a certain Bollywood bombshell that uses comedy to take aim at terrorism.
Farhan Akhtar: It was a script that was submitted to our office by three young writers: Karan Anshuman, Puneet Krishna and Sumit Purohit. We loved the script, found it very funny, relevant and poignant. We are happy to have got a chance to associate with very young, talented, quirky, mental and out-of-the box thinkers to make a film like this.
PS: The term "producer" can mean many different things. How exactly are your fingerprints on Bangistan?
FA: As producers, it is important, for both Ritesh Sidhwani and me, that directors we trust and have confidence in are able to make a film which has their fingerprints and voice, not ours. We just want to be there to support them in their vision and give them the best possible platform to be able to tell their story in as effective a manner as they would like.
FA: The story is satirical, so there’s a lot of humour. Usually, humour is at somebody’s expense, so it’s kind of irreverent in the film, which is how I believe all comedy should be. At the same time, it’s very quirky and kind of new in the way it’s written. The film is also very engaging because it of its strong storyline.
PS: Given its seemingly tongue-in-cheek engagement with fundamentalism, terrorism and politics, would it be safe to say Bangistan is a film that's courting controversy?
FA: We have made a film that we think people would like to see. It is about two completely aimless youths who are used by other people for their own personal goals and how they discover that there’s a lot more to life and other people who may not belong to the same race, religion or community as them. The film makes a strong point about the futility of terrorism and is not made at all to attract controversy.
FA: Bangistan is a very quirky world. That’s the reason why we found the script so enjoyable. The protagonists are too obsessed with their own problems to worry about what’s going on in the rest of the world. It is only when they travel to Poland that they realize how insular they are in their approach and there’s so much that can be learned by interacting with other people. I think that’s true about each of us.
PS: At one point, your terrorist characters kind of swap identities and go undercover as the exact opposite of themselves; was this the plot device that gave you the most opportunities for satire and social commentary?
FA: Yes, to a certain degree. That’s because by pretending to be somebody they don’t like they get an opportunity to learn more about them. During the process, they realize that besides a few things here and there, people are not so different from each other.
FA: Jacqueline plays the character Ritesh Deshmukh and Pulkit Samrat run into when they arrive in Poland. She has a certain belief system, which I can’t reveal now. There is one conversation of hers in particular which is quite important to the plot.
FA: As a producer, I have Raees, starring Shah Rukh Khan and the Pakistani actress Mahira Khan. I am producing another untitled love story with Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif, directed by Nitya Mehra, rolling in August. Shooting for my production Rock On!! 2 starts in September, and Wazir, a film in which I co-star with Amitabh Bachchan, is releasing this December.
PS: Have you given any more thought to doing a sequel to Dil Chahta Hai?
FA: No, I’ve not, actually. People have been chasing me for the last 15 years to do it. But it’s nice at times to keep people wanting things. [laughs] If I make a sequel they would stop asking.
PS: You are one of the most multi-faceted personalities in the Indian film industry. Which role of yours do you enjoy the most?
FA: I really don’t have an answer to this. I truly enjoy doing what I do and engaging with the crowd in the role I play. Right now I’m enjoying being a producer with Bangistan.
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Priti Salian
Author
Priti Salian is an international features writer covering culture, travel and human interest stories for CNN, The Christian Science Monitor, The National, GOOD and Takepart.com, among others. She has been contributing to Anokhi as the magazine's...
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