When reel life goes into poll-mode by can(n)ing netas...

“Yeh public hai yeh sab jaanti hai,” laughs Sachin Pilgaonkar who has completed his golden jubilee in showbiz last year. “Just because people don’t speak up, doesn’t mean they aren’t aware of corruption, black-money, underhand dealings or the nexus between crime and politicians.” He was interacting with this writer soon after wrapping up post production of his soon-to-release Sanngto Aika (Listen to what I have to say) a film about the hero within. “There's no messiah coming, we'll have to dig deep within and pull her/him out of our own reserves,” smiles the 57-year-old who debuted at the age of four.

The film is raising several eyebrows even before its release timed with the Maharashtra assembly poll-preparations for a song - Fu Bai Fu Chuklaas re matdaara tu- which tears into corrupt netas. But aren’t there fears of reprisal in these politically-charged times? “We aren’t taking names, we’re just making fun of the corrupt and having a bit of fun ourselves while doing it. Those who react will end up shining the torch on themselves as guilty,” he quips. 

Isn’t the film simply trying to encash on sentiment in the poll-bound state? “You could say that,” admits director Satish Rajwade known for back-to-back Marathi hits like Premachi Goshta and Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai. “If I try to release the film later, say in November it’d come across as stale and redundant. Strategically timing releases is part of the game these days. If it means tapping into the anger of people against politicos, so be it.”
Pilgaonkar points out how the songadiya (stand-up comedian/mimic) who was a part of tamasha troupes is inspiration for the film to take up current issues. “The songadiyas'd read newspapers and used latest political ups and downs for tongue-in-cheek jibes at the goings-on which unfailingly found resonance with audiences.”

While agreeing roots of “these echoes of contemporary realities” come from folk forms like tamasha and wagha natya, well-known film critic Amit Bhandari reminds us that Sanngto Aika is not the first to do this. He cites instance Zenda (Flag)  a 2010 film inspired by the real-life feud between Raj Thackeray, chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray, executive president of Shiv Sena and Gallit Gondhal, Dillit Mujra (Creating chaos in one's alley, prostrating in Delhi) which was about politicians who like to throw their weight around in their own backyard but are ever willing to bow down to the party leadership in Delhi.
“It is to the credit of both audiences and the culture of open criticism in Maharashtra that these films have struck gold,” says Bhandari recounting the critically acclaimed 1974 – Saamna (Confrontation) which set on the dynamics between heavyweight sugar barons of Maharashtra, and how they muscle their way up through the milk, poultry, sugar and wine co-operatives creating an illusion of regional development only to line their own pockets, buy MLAs and bring down or form governments.” 
The brilliant screenplay by Vijay Tendulkar, bang-on direction by Jabbar Patel and superlative performances by Shreeram Lagoo and Neelu Phule in this must-watch has a stinging song which asks: “Ya topi khaali dadlay kaay? (What're you hiding under your Gandhi cap?).' Bhandari recounts how Patel followed this up five years later with the even more hard-hitting Sinhaasan (Throne). The political drama scripted by Vijay Tendulkar  based on its namesake novel by writer-journalist Arun Sadhu on the political struggle for CM's chair. “You know the then chief minister allowed portions of it to be shot in his official residence,” chuckles Bhandari. “Imagine what must've happened once the film released.”

But why hasn't Hindi cinema been able to take on similar subjects? “Who will back them?” asks poet, lyricist and filmmaker Gulzar who recalls his isolation after Aandhi, his 1975 political drama. “Yes Suchitra took many cues from Indira Gandhi on her mannerisms and style, but the plot had nothing to do with her or her life. It was about dynamics between a couple which play out against a political backdrop.” When asked whether he faced any backlash from the Congress party or the government of the day particularly for the no-holds-barred qawwali Salam Kijiye, Aali janab aaye hain/ Yeh paanch saalon ka lene hisaab aaye hain. “But I was lucky the film released two years before Emergency.  Had it come then, I'm sure it'd have been banned or censored very heavily.” He however has issues with his own “ready-to-crawl-when-expected-to bend” fraternity though. “They felt my films would put them in the bad books of the government and producers and financiers refused to get involved with my work.” 

Not that he's allowed that to come in the way of his creative pursuits. “I'd made an intensely political Mere Apne four years before Aandhi and made Hu Tu Tu 24 years later. As long as I'm convinced, I'll make films I want to.” A song from Hu Tu Tu - ghapla hai ji ghapla – had led to a political furore in 1999. “The producer was so scared that even before anyone said anything he ended up getting the film edited very badly. That made the film suffer,” remembers a bitter Gulzar. 

Hope that's a thing of the past...