Despite battling objections from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's family, Gumnaami, says Prosenjit, is having a positive effect in society
A still from Gumnaami
Bengali star Prosenjit Chatterjee, last seen in Traffic (2016) with Manoj Bajpayee, is in Mumbai to release the dubbed Hindi version of his controversial Bengali movie, Gumnaami. It is the positive response that the makers received from viewers in Kolkata that inspired them to take the film to different parts of the country.
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"Considering the way it is running even today in West Bengal, it will achieve a cult status. Though it released with War and Joker, Gumnaami and War were the only two films that ran to a full house, starting from the 8.30 am show. In each theatre, everybody cried in the last scene, and gave the film a standing ovation. This film does not have a particular language. That's why we decided to release it across India; the issue is a national one," says the actor, who plays the part of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, in the film.
"I employ Hindi and English in about 90 per cent of the film, and barely use Bengali. Surendra Rajan, who plays Mahatma Gandhi, and Sanjay Motilal Gurbaxani, who plays Jawahar Lal Nehru, are both Bollywood actors. The Hindi version, which was released yesterday, has been dubbed by Kay Kay Menon. We know it will go to all the film festivals."
The movie is based on the Mukherjee Commission hearings, which took place from 1999 to 2005 in Rabindra Sadan, and posed questions on Bose's death. "Srijit [Mukherji, director] wanted to question why the mystery [around his death] has not been solved yet. The backdrop is the Commission, where we show Netaji in parts. The movie is a dramatisation of the hearings, where an investigative journalist supporting the Gumnaami Baba theory locks horns with the lawyer who supports the theory of him having died in a plane crash."
Even before the original released on October 2, director Mukherji courted controversy after Bose's grand-nephew Chandra Kumar Bose, criticised him for the portrayal of Gumnami Baba as Netaji in the film. But, despite the backlash, Chatterjee says the team did not struggle with acquiring a censorship certificate. "The censor board received many letters, and several cases were filed against the producer and director. A PIL in my name too was issued from various people, including political parties. Some people said the movie was being funded by the BJP. But, it is not true. It's a controversial film, but we had it censored within a day, and got the uncut version [approved]. I liked the fact that, sitting in Kolkata, a Bengali director raised a question on Netaji, and now political bigwigs want to watch the film. The new generation has started researching about the [issue]."
In a bid to become the character he was set to play, the actor says he would disconnect from society and spend time closeted in a room. "I had to immerse myself if I needed to [successfully enact] Netaji, including [mimicking] how he looked, walked and spoke in Hindi and English. We have used lots of prosthetics. I even spoke to Rajkummar Rao, who did the web series, Bose: Dead/Alive [for references], because I was astonished at how perfectly he took to the character. He told me how he worked on Netaji's role. His performance gave me a kick; [and urged me to] perform right too."
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