I was cautioned to tone down 'Aarakshan': Prakash Jha

Jha, known for highlighting socio-political incidents through his movies like 'Damul', 'Bandish', Gangaajal', 'Apaharan' and Raajneeti', is now bracing himself for controversies as the film hits theatres during the Independence Day weekend.

"There are some people out there who are already trying to have their views being heard even before the release of the film. Alternatively they are trying to request or caution me to keep the content of the film subtle. I am just listening to them as of now and not reacting. I would be happy to respond to all accusations, if any, once the film releases," Jha told PTI.

The director says the film is the truth of what is happening in the country.
"We cannot deny the fact that we are a caste based society. This means that there is a difference in strata that comes in. Due to this the moment you start bridging the gap in the society, it is but obvious that while you would be bringing someone up, there is also someone else whom you would bring down. It is this 'satya' (truth) of the society that 'Aarakshan' explores," Jha told PTI.

With the success of 'Raajneeti', Jha seems to have found a way to make his hard-hitting films commercially viable. The director says he finds real-life incidents more intriguing than a typical Bollywood potboiler.

"My attempt is to pick a story which is relevant enough to be told through a visual medium to a wider audience. In real life stories there is such tremendous amount of drama and conflict. Also the way our society is moving ahead comes with its own criticalities. These are the real people that we deal with so I am bound to pick references from them.

"My endeavour is to weave it all into my stores and come up with a film that is not just good on paper but is also engaging enough to be liked by people so that it becomes commercially viable."

'Aarakshan' is slated for a global release on August 12. Produced by Firoz Nadiadwala, 'Aarakshan' boasts of a powerful cast comprising of Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Deepika Padukone and Prateik Babbar.