‘The film is fictional’

Jitendra Tiwari, director of Shorgul, says the film is a love story

A LOVE story set against a violent, communally-sensitive backdrop, Lucknowbased Jitendra Tiwari and P Singh’s debut Hindi feature, Shorgul, is already in political hot water. The film’s release has been pushed to July 1, even as BJP MLA Sangeet Som warns of agitation and a fatwa is issued against lead actor Jimmy Shergill and the filmmakers. But the directors are unfazed. In an interview to Talk, Tiwari tells us why they expect a happy ending.

What is Shorgul all about?

It is a love story set against a political backdrop. It has nothing to do with any political party. We have shown how, when certain events or incidents occur, people try to get political mileage out of it. In that sense, it’s a universal story.

So do you feel that people are taking political mileage out of your film, particularly since the UP assembly elections are not too far off?

I won’t say that people are taking political mileage out of this, because everyone has their own stand point, but you can’t say anything simply on the basis of the trailer and without watching the film.

Is the film based on the Muzaffarnagar riots?

It is to do with riots but not the Muzaffarnagar riots specifically. We have tried to show how during riots it is the humanity of people that suffers the most. After watching the film, viewers should feel that what happened was wrong and that if something like this does happen in real life, they will resist it.

BJP MLA Sangeet Som has alleged that the character played by Jimmy Shergill is based on him. Even the publicity material has a picture of Som alongside Shergill.

No, none of the characters are based on any real people. To depict any character realistically and to situate them in a particular context, we need to have some references. That is the only purpose of the publicity material.

Have you organised a special screening for UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav?

We’re trying to see if that can be done. The UP government, down to the district level, has been supportive, even when we were shooting. Even with these recent controversies, the CM has asked the police to ensure law and order.

What do you have to say about the fatwa issued? A fatwa has no constitutional validity, so we have also only heard about this through reports. But the hope is that we will release the film by next Friday. It’s a subject close to my heart and I hope to bring it to people.

Jitendra Tiwari