‘I don’t believe in the supernatural’

Ram Gopal Varma is back with his new film Agyaat. Rann — his take on the Indian media is also awaiting release. The unconventional director in a tête-à-tête with Ritesh Sharma 

YOU are back with yet another horror film, Agyaat

Well, I am back, as you said but Agyaat isn’t just a horror film. There’s more to it than just the fear factor. It’s rather an adventure thriller, with elements of horror, suspense, and, of course, there is a strong emotional undercurrent too.

Yes, I think that is an integral part of films. Be it a film like Satya, Rangeela, Bhoot or Agyaat, I have always given an emotional touch to all my stories. After all, you have to entertain the audience. If it’s an underworld story or even a horror film, emotion always plays an important role in the storytelling process.

Well many think that I am obsessed with supernatural but see after all I am a storyteller. Whatever attracts me can become a subject for me. I love making films, experimenting with subjects that haven’t been tried much or are very new. Horror was never tried properly in India and that’s what gave me a chance to experiment. But I neither believe in ghosts nor in supernatural.

It’s about fear and as the name suggests, it is fear from the unknown. At times, you are sacred of things, which you haven’t seen. An empty room at times scares people. Agyaat is exactly that. We have shot very aesthetically because here the facial and body expressions of the actors were of prime importance because I had to capture the fear factor on lens, as the object of fear was missing.

That was a matter of concern and during one of the occasions, our crew were also suspected to be members of the LTTE but we were lucky to have not faced any such problems. Sri Lanka is a great place to work. Not that there weren’t any jungles in India but I was looking for a location where I could shoot in peace and would also enhance the fear factor when the shots got captured on camera.

(Cuts in) Why? My last film Paanch was one of the surprise hits last year. It was also a horror film with no such big stars but it made good box office collection and was a hit.

At times, it happens. I gave my best effort as a director. You don’t know what is going in the minds of the audience. At times, they like one film, while you give them a better film next time, they might reject it. I have always tried to give something new. Even all the horror films that I have made so far are completely different`85 from the story to the treatment to everything was different.

Watch her this time. She has done her best and I am very satisfied. Her facial expression in every frame proves her acting prowess. She is a good actress after all, may be she hasn’t given blockbusters.

See, I can never ever imagine distorting my National Anthem. Why should I being an Indian? A minor change has been made owing to the demand of the script but I never intended to hurt millions of Indians. It’s in the court now and eventually I will accept the court’s verdict.

Of course I am trying. The National Anthem has been used in many films earlier. I don’t know why it happens with my films. Eventually, the court will have the final say and being a responsible citizen I will abide by that.

I never said I would for sure make one. For the time being there are no plans of making a sequel of Sarkar Raj.

That’s right but I haven’t decided anything yet. I haven’t thought of a plot or script. May be if I get something interesting I might do a sequel but nothing is on the cards as of now. I will start shooting for Rakhta Charitra with Vivek Oberio after Rann. So there’s a lot in the pipeline already and I am really busy.
— TWF

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