Hindustan Times (Gurugram) - Hindustan Times (Gurugram) - City
‘There are 100 slums like Dharavi in Mumbai’
Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (above), in his next film, Mere Pyare Prime Minister, highlights the problems of sanitation in Mumbai and India.
Known for his sociallyrelevant films, Mehra says, “As a story teller, I want to tell stories that touch people’s hearts and create an impact. This isn’t the first time that someone is addressing this issue through a film and I am not going to be the last one either.”
Mehra acknowledges the fact that there are other filmmakers who make films on social issues. “So I am not flattering myself by saying that I am the only who does it. Films can be used to create awareness and reach masses.”
Rakeysh is associated with a NGO that works to raise awareness about sanitation and even creates toilets. Making a film on this topic was always on the agenda for Mehra. “It was always in the sub conscious, and I wanted to talk about it in one of my movies,” says the filmmaker, adding, “We all have heard about this big slum, Dharavi, in Mumbai. When I came to Mumbai, I realised that there are 100 such Dharavis in the city. I’ve always wondered how these people manage in such trying circumstances. Their lives are inspiring, and that’s what I have tried to show, through my film.”