Veteran filmmaker Prakash Jha on Sunday came out strongly in support of colleague Rajkumar Hirani, whose laugh-riot “PK” has set the box office ablaze with its record revenue collection.
The Aamir Khan-starrer, however, has also ruffled the feathers of self-styled religious gurus, who have demanded a ban on the film, besides arrest of the lead actor.
“In a democracy, janata (the public) is supreme. And the public has given its mandate by helping the film rake in more than Rs 300 crore in a fortnight,” said Jha, in Patna to promote his forthcoming flick “Crazy Cukkad Family”, slated for release on January 16.
“No religious group or leader should behave like a quasi-judicial body and make unreasonable demands to ban a film without realising its gravity. A person does not protect religion. It’s the religion that protects the person,” said Jha, while slamming those critical of “PK”.
Jha, who himself had courted controversy with his previous films like “Gangaajal”, “Apaharan” and “Aarakshan”, said he was starting the New Year by giving break to a fresh talent Keralite Ritesh Menon, who has directed “Crazy Cukkad Family”, abbreviated as “CCF”.
“I have made several serious films based on social issues. But this time I thought of giving break to other talented directors. 'CCF' is a story about a wealthy individual slipping into coma, and his four estranged children, whom he has left his huge estate in the mountains.
The film, with Shilpa Shukla (of ‘Chak De India’ fame) and Swanand Kirkire in the lead, is a true-to-life, hilarious and heart-warming story of a family estranged for years, but brought together by greed,” Jha told Deccan Herald on Sunday.
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