Sons-of-soil angst spills on to celluloid

Mumbai Aamchich, a Marathi film that attacks migrants, is set for release on January 18

MUMBAI: This is one movie premiere that Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray and his estranged cousin and chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNC) Raj Thackeray would both want to grace as guests of honour. Mumbai Aamchich (Mumbai is Ours), due for release on January 18, is a Marathi film right after their hearts.

Mumbai Aamchich spews venom on the city’s migrant population; its message is loud and clear: “Eliminate every anti-Marathi”. Written, directed and produced by advocate Sharad Bansode, Mumbai Aamchich, with its xenophobic take on the migrant influx into Mumbai, promises to be the season’s – if not the year’s – most provocative film.
 
It was just the other day that Uddhav gave his judgment on the Juhu molestation case, when he said that the migrants were “defaming” the city. His cousin, on the other hand, is well-known for targeting those who come for job interviews from outside the city.

Mumbai Aamchich addresses all these issues, and more. The protagonist is a police officer – Marathi-speaking, of course, — who is disturbed by the influx of migrants in Mumbai. The officer resigns from service and forms a group which goes on to eliminate every ‘anti-Marathi’.

With such explosive content, the Censor Board refused to certify the film. But the films tribunal quashed the board’s decision and gave its nod to release the film as it is.
 
On Sunday, the crew had gathered near Sena Bhavan at Dadar to shoot the film’s promo. In the promo, set against a backdrop resembling Lokmanya Tilak Kurla terminus, two buffaloes enter Mumbai and a Mumbaikar – naturally, a Maharashtrian — asks them to keep the city clean as it is already made dirty by other buffaloes.

The film shows non-Maharashtrians, especially North Indians, as villains who grab land and rights of the sons of the soils using money and muscle power. In the film, a North Indian character says, “Mumbai tumchi, bhandi ghasa aamchi (Mumbai is yours. But your only ability is to clean our utensils)” to a Maharashtrian character. The Censor Board had taken objection to the dialogue as it was derogatory.

Bansode defended his idea for the film. He said, “With so many migrants coming to Mumbai, life has become tough for the locals. My film is a wake-up call to all Maharashtrians have been pushed to the brink by the migrants. I want migrants to assimilate with the locals and not grab their land and rights.”

Bansode himself plays the protagonist. Padmini Kolhapure, Mohan Joshi, Upendra Limaye, Sachit Patil and Kamlesh Sawant are in prominent roles. Bansode has reportedly spent Rs75 lakh for the film.

t_kiran@dnaindia.net