'Bastar: The Naxal Story': Based on real events.

'Bastar: The Naxal Story' is based on the real incidents of Naxalism in Chhattisgarh. It has been directed by Sudipto Sen and Vipul Amritlal Shah

By Bollyy 08 Mar 2024 | Updated On 08 Mar 2024 17:24 IST in Interview

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'Bastar: The Naxal Story' is based on the real incidents of Naxalism in Chhattisgarh. It has been directed by Sudipto Sen and Vipul Amritlal Shah, directors of the film 'The Kerala Story'. The film was written by Sudipto Sen, Vipul Amritlal Shah, and Amarnath Jha. Adah Sharma, Naman Jain, and Anangsha Biswas will be seen in the lead roles in this film based on a true incident.

Your film ‘The Kerala Story’ was a super hit, and after that what was your vision behind bringing such a film?

Vipul Shah- The real success of ‘The Kerala Story’ is that it has become a topic of national debate today. Now no one can deny that manipulative conversions are not taking place. Before this film, people used to deny this but now they have accepted that it happens. Sudipto Dada had brought the story of ‘Bastar’ to me. He showed me all his research. We all are aware that 76 CRPF soldiers were killed in Bastar. We all know that this massacre was celebrated in a prestigious university like JNU. There were many other things in that research. A four-month-old baby was killed with an iron rod. Eight children were snatched from their mothers and burnt alive in the scorching fire. Thousands of people were murdered there in a similar manner, including police force personnel. This issue, which should have been a part of the national debate, never reached people's minds. You cannot build roads, schools, hospitals, and mobile towers in Bastar because Naxalites will not allow you to build there. No one knows about what is happening inside our country. We cannot hoist the Indian flag in Bastar. In the story of this film, we are showing a woman whose husband was brutally killed for hoisting the Indian flag. There the Naxalites have made a rule that every house will have to give one child, if it is not given then they will destroy the entire family. People are not aware of this truth of the country. People do not know that Bastar is a part of Chhattisgarh state in India. When I saw all these things in the research, my heart was shaken. I felt that just as it was my duty to make 'The Kerala Story', similarly it became my duty to make Bastar. We decided to make a film as true and bold as 'The Kerala Story' and we followed that path and made a bold and true film.

Sudipto Sen- These stories of Bastar were kept hidden for the last 50 to 60 years. And even if it is said that it was not kept hidden, still no national newspaper or TV channel wanted to talk about it. I went to an institution where there were 450 orphan children whose parents were brutally killed by these Naxalites in front of those children. He said that when 50 to 60 people die together, the national media takes an interest in it, but there is no news in the media about those people who are dying a painful death every day. It is the irony of our country that the stories of those whose stories have no flavor are not told.

Did you think of making this story only when ‘The Kerala Story’ was released?

Sudipto Sen- No, we had thought about it long ago. I have been working on this for the last 10 to 12 years keeping the story of the film in mind and I have been following this thing even before that. We planned that after Kerala Story, we would make a film on Bastar.

The heroine of your previous film 'The Kerala Story' is also the heroine of your film. Tell us about how her casting was done for this film.

Sudipto Sen- There was a process to cast Ada in Kerala Story because Adah's character Shalini Unni Krishnan is a South Indian. Earlier we wanted to get an actress from Chennai or Kerala but that did not happen, after that, we got Adah whose background is from Kerala. Adah has given such an excellent performance in Kerala Story that it has had an impact on people. After Kerala Story, Adah has become a bigger household name than any other film heroine. When we were casting for Bastar, it was a very easy decision for us to cast Adah because she had proved herself as to what she could do.

Vipul Shah- Adah has given the proof of a versatile actor in 'The Kerala Story'. After playing a comedy-action spicy heroine in 'Commando', she played a different role in Kerala Story and played it very well. We all agreed that she was the perfect choice for Bastar. After seeing this character of Adah, people will not believe that she played the character of innocent Shalini in Kerala Story.

You have shown Adah's character as an IPS officer, so is her character real?

Sudipto Sen- This is the world of Maoists, all the characters in it are from us. The police officers who work there are the police officers of our house. Whoever is there are common people. Those who are IAS officers in cities and those who fight Maoists in Bastar are trained differently. Whatever character is in this story, it is a part of our story, but some part of them will look similar to some officer or the other, but we have not done this intentionally. Now since this is a real-life story, this can happen. In this film, we are telling the story of the brave police officers of Bastar working there and the people living there.

Vipul ji, you have worked with Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar. What was the vision behind creating such a story?

Vipul Shah- In today's environment, we can tell any story with courage, truth, and honesty, we do not need to adulterate it. Earlier people were afraid of making such stories but it is not so now. When Sudipto Dada came to me with this story, I felt that this kind of story should be made and then I have been making films for the last 23 years. This is a new stage of my life, I am doing something different and new. I always wanted to make such films that could bring something better to this country and people would not forget those films for the next 50 years. I think these are those films which will be remembered in the history of India. Such films bring change to our society and make our country and society a little better.

Sudipto ji, you had stated that there was a time when politically biased films were made in Bollywood and now that era has changed. Tell us something about this.

Sudipto Sen- I don't remember which statement you are talking about but I believe that every person has his politics. So it can happen that when we create any art, our politics are visible in it and it is limited to this only. But if we are making a story like Bastar or Kerala Story, then believe me, our aim is that if a daughter of the country is also going through this phase, then as an artist it is my responsibility to tell her story to the people. Be brought before. In this way, the story questions your morality and when the question arises on morality, then politics does not hold much importance there.

Would you both like to tell us something about your upcoming projects?

Vipul Shah- After this I am making a film on a bank robbery which is not 'Aankhe 2', this film will have a different subject. Apart from this, there are two to three more films which I will talk about when the time comes.

Sudipto Sen- I have some scripts on which I want to make films. But after doing two films back to back, I feel I have the right to take a break. I have not yet decided which film I will work on next, right now I am only thinking about 15th March.

What would you like to say to your fans?

Vipul Shah- It is because of their love and support that we can work. He is before our eyes, we salute him. He supported me even when I made a commercial film, even when I made Kerala Story. Now it is expected from him that he will give a chance to Bastar also. This film will force you to think, and there will be change within you. Please maintain what you have given for so many years.

Sudipto Sen- We have made this film by working very hard. We hope that after Kerala Story we will live up to the expectations of the audience. We have made this film with complete honesty so we deserve the love of the public.

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