“My Tenure In Tv With Crime Patrol, Saavdhaan India And Crime Alert Has Made Me Mature As Well As Faster As A Filmmaker”- Manoj Giri

Jyothi Venktesh

Tell us something about the late Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya on whom you have completed making a biopic called Deen Dayal Ek Yug Purush!

The late Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay was the co-founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, fore-runner of Bharatiya Janata Party. He was involved in social work and also participated in the Indian freedom struggle. Not just this but when after freedom, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was blamed for Mahatma Gandhi's death, he worked day and night to clean its image. He believed that after freedom the country needed a strong opposition to keep the government in check and he continued towards achieving this.

What went wrong? How did he die mysteriously?

Just a few days after being appointed as RSS chief, he was found dead under mysterious circumstances on the railway track. A lot of people thought it to be a political murder so the government was forced to start an investigation, which was stopped abruptly midway. After years, his death still continues to be a mystery like that of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Were you inspired by the film The Tashkent Files when you set out to make Deen Dayal Ek Yug Purush?

Not at all. The Tashkent Files had bigger actors and a bigger budget than I had for my film. I was not at all inspired by Tashkent Files to make Deen Dayal Ek Yug Purush.

Deen Dayal Ek Yug Purush is your third film as a director and is slated for release on November 15. Which were your earlier two films?

I had directed two films earlier. They are Khudiram Bose and Gaalib. Both are yet to see the light of the day though as a director I have over 3000 shows of popular series like Crime Alert for Dangal, Crime Patrol for Sony India, Saavdhaan India , Crime Files etc.

You started as an assistant with Gurdaas Maan’s film Zindagi Khoobsoorat Hai directed by Manoj Punj.

It is 17 years since I had begun my journey as an assistant to Manoj Punj with Zindagi Khoosoorat

Is Deen Dayal Yug Purush a biopic?

The film is 60% a biopic on the late Deen Dayalji and sets out to talk about his ideology. It also tackles his unsolved murder mystery and centers on a journalist who sets out to investigate a political murder mystery. The film ends on an open note like Tashkent Files did.

How did the idea germinate to make a biopic on the late Deen Dayalji?

I wanted to make this one as a TV serial but it did not materialize till luckily I was able to get a producer who wanted to make it as a biopic.

Is it true that at the age of 9, he had succeeded in reforming a band of dacoits?

Yes. At the age of 9, Deendayal showed his bravery to a bunch of dacoits who had swooped down in his uncle’s house and reformed them by bringing about a transformation in their hearts. Deendayalji was a rebel in the sense that he did not want to be a part fo the celebrations for Independence Day because he was not happy that India was divided into two parts at the time of Independence.

How tough was the casting for the film?

The casting was indeed tough. I zeroed in on an actor called Imran Hasnee because I needed not a known actor but a real actor who can get into the shows of Deen Dayalji with effortlessness. I did not want to make a film like Balasaheb Thackeray where Nawazuddin Siddiqui only ended up mimicking Balasaheb and did not act like him.

How did you think of casting yesteryear actors like Deepika Chikhalia and Anita Raaj?

I had worked with Deepika Chikhalia earlier in Gaalib which was a film based on the Kashmir issues in the role of a mother and felt that then character that she is playing in Deen Dayal fitted very well with her attitude in real life. I cast Anita Raj as Deen Dayalji’s sister because she fitted the part to the T.

If you shot Deen Dayal Ek Yug Purush in 15 days, how many days did Gaalib take for you to shoot?

I shot Gaalib in 20 days with Dipika Chiklia.

In how many days did you shoot your film and where?

I shot my film in just 15 days in places like Madh Island in Mumbai, Allahabad and Prayag Raj because making TV serials has made me mature and fast as a filmmaker

What is your dream project as of now?

I am toying with the idea of writing a script keeping in mind Amitabh Bachchan as the protagonist. I will be delighted the day I narrate my script to Amitabhji and he also agrees to be part of my film.

What next, after Deen Dayal Ek Yug Purush?

After the release of Deen Dayal Ek Yug Purush, I have plan to get my films Khudiram Bose and Ghalib first. I am already ready with 52 episodes of my serial Koppa which has been produced by Ramesh Sippy. It has the backdrop of Assam and has Kasturi Chhatri playing the main lead. I am also ready with 52 episodes of another serial called Kasturi. Both will be telecast on DD Arun Prabha. The idea is to promote the seven sisters of North East in Hindi. As I hail from U.P. I had to keep a language expert to help me to go for the right language and diction in both the serials.

 

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