Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s film ‘Buddha In A Traffic Jam’ has been courting controversy ever since the film’s trailer was released. The film features Anupam Kher, Arunoday Singh, Pallavi Joshi and Mahie Gill and takes a strong stand on how naxal activities are crippling the growth of the society.
As Agnihotri travels across the country and screens the film at various colleges in India, certain sections of the society have been openly opposing the film. The filmmaker met angry, violent protestors in Jadavpur University in Kolkata recently.
Why is there so much opposition for the film in the first place? “My film is anti-naxal. They have controlled the narrative for the last 70 years and no one has the courage to write or make a film about them. The film is based on true stories and no one can say it is biased or prejudiced. And perhaps that’s why there is an opposition on the film- because it speaks the truth,” said the filmmaker in an exclusive chat with News18.com.
Having screened the film in 35 educational institutions across the country, Agnihotri claims that the film has faced opposition only at JNU, IIT Madras and Jadavpur University. He even mentions that at IIT Kanpur, the student wing of the left party invited him to screen the film and there were heated discussion about the film but it wasn’t violent in nature.
“I did not intend to screen the film at colleges, it were the student groups who invited me to screen the film. The film was canned initially. No one had backed it. IIT Gandhinagar approached me first to screen the movie and since then ‘Buddha In A Traffic Jam’ has been screened in colleges across the country,” clarified the director.
'My film is anti-government as well'
Many feel the film is pro-BJP considering it has been screened by ABVP at various colleges. But the filmmaker denies having allegiance to any political party and calls his film pro-India instead. "The film is is anti-government, anti-Hindu right wing as well. It is a very balanced, modern and progressive film. The issue is no one wants to watch a progressive film that gives solution,” Agnihotri said.
'Not a BJP supporter but I'm pro-Modi'
The director though doesn’t shy away from stating that he is a Modi supporter. “I am pro-Modi, but anti-BJP. I don’t give a damn to BJP. My wife (actress Pallavi Joshi) and I were the first from the film industry to voice our opinion against Gajendra Chauhan’s appointment at FTII.”
'Arvind Kejriwal has refused to watch 'Buddha In A Traffic Jam''
According to Agnihotri, the film is being criticized not only by the left leaning political parties but also his peers in the film industry. “Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has refused to watch my film. He has not given any reason as to why he doesn’t want to watch it. My own friends, who claim to be Indie filmmakers, are not backing me. They don’t like the fact that a commercial filmmaker who makes films like ‘Hate Story’ is suddenly making a political film that people are lapping up.”
'Buddha In A Traffic Jam' gives solutions'
So what message does ‘Buddha In A Traffic Jam’ convey? “We always talk about problems but it's time to talk about solutions. That’s the message I want to send across. Political films only raise questions, my film gives a solution.”
'I became friends with the leader of the protesting group at JU'
Calling the agitators who gheraoed his car at JU ‘naxals and leftist’, Agnihotri claimed that his film talks of innovation and that it talks about how the tribals can be empowered if the middle men and corruption are removed from the system.
While news has it that the film’s screening was disrupted at Jadavpur, Agnihotri claims that it was ultimately screened despite agitations and protest. “I walked up to the leader of the protesting group and we ended up having a discussion over a cup of tea. He became my friend.”
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