'Satyagraha' will not be shown to Anna Hazare's team before release
Rumours were rife that Prakash Jha's political thriller Satyagraha was based on social activist Anna Hazare, and worse still, that the film shows Hazare in an unflattering light. On the back of that, the activist's team had requested to see the film before it hit theatres on 30 August.
The latest however, is that Jha has refused to bow down to pressure and is in no mood to accommodate their request.
"They are free to buy tickets and see the film when it releases on 30 August 2013. It's a free country. No one can stop anyone from seeing any film," said the filmmaker.
Ajay-Kareena in Satyagraha
Beyond that, Jha refuses to be drawn into any debate on who the film is modelled on.
"Characters in Satyagraha are not modelled on Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal. People are free to speculate. During Raajneeti, there was widespread speculation that I had made a film on (former prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi and (his wife) Sonia," he said.
"I know there is a suspicion among Anna Hazare's supporters that I've made a film on him. My film is about a 'jehad' against corruption. But it is not based on any one particular character or campaign," he added.
Jha then quipped: "Just as democracy is our birthright, films about cleansing the democratic process are every filmmaker's birthright. Every film about fighting corruption has its own logistics."
Satyagraha stars Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpai and Amrita Rao. It was scheduled to release 15 August but was postponed by two weeks to avert a clash with Chennai Express and Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobara.
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Video: Raske Bhare Tore Naina - Satyagraha
