Urban Naxals: The Making of Buddha in a Traffic Jam

by Vivek Agnihotri

I call Kher saab. He takes a long pause after I inform him about my fears that there may be a chance of not many people coming to see the film, and media and opponents of the film, who suddenly popped up from nowhere, will try to show pictures of an empty hall to suggest that no one is interested in the film and therefore justify Ira’s discriminatory action. Anupam Kher listens to me patiently and then he says something I needed to hear most. ‘Vivek, our real job is to make movies and show them to our audience. Even if ten students come, we must show the film to them. Just because ninety people don’t want to see the film doesn’t mean we can take away the right of those ten people who want to see it. A film is successful even if it changes just one heart. I think your film has that power. In the end, you will get what you deserve.’ ‘Will you come?’ ‘Yes.’ In the film industry, no star worth his salt will ever do something like this. He is the only person, besides my wife Pallavi and my DA Naireeta, who wants me to screen the film, whereas everyone else is telling me why I shouldn’t be showing it anywhere before the formal release.