|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In this age of remakes and remixes, the film fraternity talks to
Jyothi Venkatesh
Pasha of
patriotism THIS is the age of the remakes because what the filmmakers lack these days is imagination. I do not want to insult the filmmakers of yesterday by suggesting that someone should make a remake. Saira Banu wanted me to remake my own Purab Aur Paschim but I refused. A corporate house wanted me to remake my Roti Kapda aur Makaan. I said no, because I am not stagnant. I’d rather go ahead and make my new film Kahani Mein Kahani instead of going in for a remake.
I was born in slave India though it was a united India. It makes me proud that I am today a citizen of a free India. But why should we show our spirit of patriotism only on Independence Day or Republic Day? If you are attached to your motherland, every day should be Independence Day or Republic Day for you. I remember, Sathya Sai Baba telling in a discourse that though 60 seconds is a minute, 60 minutes is an hour, 24 hours is a day, 7 days is a week, 4 weeks is a month and 12 months is a year, if there is no second, there is no year at all. Like every other year, this year, too, I plan to celebrate Independence Day by hoisting the flag on the terrace of my building with pride and distributing sweets to everyone in my neighbourhood. Gaiety@GenNext ADAH SHARMA,actress of 1920 and Phirr My favourite patriotic film till date has been the vintage Sohrab Modi-starrer Pukar and the song I cherish is "Aye mere pyare watan aye mere bichchde chaman tujh pe dil qurban" from Kabuliwala. I do not feel that we have the right to remix any evergreen patriotic number. I am a patriot at heart and like hoisting a flag on Independence Day every year. In fact, every year I make it a point t go to my former school Auxilium Convent and hoist the flag in the presence of my old teachers since it is just a walking distance away from my house. I am a patriot 24 x 7 and do not believe that we should remember our country only on special days. I am proud to be an Indian because it is only in India that even total strangers readily come forward to help you in case you are in a problem. I have been abroad and know for a fact that people are oblivious of each other’s presence even at trying times. Saluting SwadesSONALI KULKARNI, actress
I’d suggest that Ashutosh Gowarikar should remake Swades though it is relatively not an old film. I’d like to play the role that Gayatri had essayed, if the film is ever remade. As for remixes, I think patriotic songs, like "Aye mere watan ke logon, which brought tears to Jawaharlal Nehru’s eyes, should never be retouched as that will be blasphemous. I used to celebrate Independence Day in Pune every year by saluting a plastic paper flag with the other members of my family and taking an oath to be a true citizen of the country. I am proud of being an Indian but why get patriotic just on August 15? Though it is just on one day that I salute the Indian flag, but I feel like an Indian every day. Remaking reel classic
In these times of remixes, patriotic songs should never be tweaked, especially classics like "Mere desh ki dharti" from Upkar, "Mera rang de basanti chola" from Shaheed, or "Yahan daal daal par sone ki chidiya karti hai basera" from Sikander-e- Azam. My favourite patriotic dialogue is the one Shaktimaan had written for my film Gadar, where Sunny Deol says: Is Desh mein Pakistan se zyada Musalmaan rehte hain aur unke dil Hindustan zindabad ke naare se dhadahkthe rehte hain." I am proud of being an Indian because it is the land where Gandhi, Nehru and Lord Krishna were born. We should celebrate patriotism all 365 days in the year. You can take away an Indian from India but you can never succeed in taking India away from an Indian. On Independence Day every year, I make it a point to join the flag-hoisting in my building. I may attend a kavi sammelan either outside or host one this time. Karma
calling
My favourite patriotic song is "Aisa desh hai mera" from Veer Zara, which I feel should never be tampered with or remixed. Yet another patriotic song which I like very much is "Yeh jo desh hai mera" from Swades. The dialogue on freedom I really like is "Tum mujhe khoon do main tumhe azaadi dunga." I am proud of being an Indian, because India is the only country where people belonging to different castes and religions live together, whether they belong to the affluent strata or they live below the poverty line. It is a matter of pride that we in India have all the resources and are self-sufficient and do not need a foreign country to help us. The way I have been brought up, I have been attached to the Tricolour right from childhood. From my mother’s side, every one in the family belongs to either the police or the Army. In fact, I, too, wanted to join the Army while I was in college but because I have minus power as far as eyesight is concerned, I could not join it. I will spend this Independence Day in a rather selfish way by reading all the reviews that my film Phirr fetches since it is being released three days before August 15. I would like to go to different theatres where Phirr releases to know the reaction of the audience from close quarters. I would also spend the day by watching Aarakshan since it stars my favourite actor Amitabh Bachchan. Simply Shaheed The one and only patriotic film which I have enjoyed watching again and again is Manoj Kumar’s Shaheed, because even I feel that the values and morals which the film taught us then should be imbibed by the youth of today. "Aye mere pyare watan" sung by Manna Dey in film Kabuliwala is one song that comes to my mind immediately when I think of patriotism. As for remixing, why just that song, I am of the opinion that any song, whether patriotic or otherwise, should be left untouched by the people who are into doing remixes. The dialogue in Manoj Kumar’s film Upkar, "Mera Bharat Mahaan", is enough to charge me and put me in a patriotic mode. I have every reason to feel proud to be an Indian every second of the day. But it is a sad thing that today patriotism gets whipped up inside us only when Pakistan attacks us or there is a reference to Pakistan in any context. Patriotism is a sentiment that ought to be experienced round the clock, every minute of the day, 365 days of the year. Improving IndiaRUPALI GANGULY, actress
I love the all-time patriotic hit song "Oye rang de basanti chola" from Manoj Kumar’s Shaheed. It is the one song which I think should never be re-mixed at all. The one patriotic dialogue I remember and like is "Jab sarfaroshi ki tamanna humare dil mein hai, dekhna hai zor kitna bazuey katil mein hai," which is also from that film. Nothing much in independent India today makes me feel too proud of being an Indian. In fact, I am very sorry and ashamed of the sordid mess that the politicians have made India into today. It is corrupt to the core and not like what it used to be what it was before Independence, during the days of my father’s youth. I will celebrate
Independence Day only the day when we are truly independent from all
the vices and corrupt practices that we have in India today and all
the corrupt politicians step down from their posts voluntarily. Small salutes Small-screen stars spell out what Independence Day means to them Sara
Khan, Mona of Ram Milaayi Jodi, says, "I remember my
school days when we used to get together early in the morning on
Independence Day and sing patriotic songs after the flag- hoisting
ceremony. Participating in skits was always an attraction for the
budding actress in me. I'll be a hypocrite if I don't Says Sushant Rajput, Manav of Pavitra Rishta , "I used to be the school prefect. So, I was once called upon to make a speech in front of the entire Independence Day assembly. Initially, I could barely find my voice because I was very nervous, but later I mustered enough confidence to give a fairly fluent, impactful speech. I had never made a speech in front of a large audience until then and it was a good feeling when people said I spoke very well. This year, if I get time off from shooting on August 15, I'll head to the hills for some relaxation!" Javed
Ali, judge of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs, says,
"Living the way I want to, is freedom for me. And for this, I have
to thank the great forefathers of our country — Gandhiji and
Jawaharlal Nehru. The world today recognises the tremendous efforts of
men like them. Gandhiji has become a role model for the world to emulate
with his trademark of non-violence. The world today would benefit
greatly from revisiting his philosophies in life." —
JV
|
||
|
|
||
My favourite patriotic
dialogue is written by me for film Kranti: "Hum aapke
khoon se akash pe inquilab likh denge", though I had given
the credit to both Salim and Javed, because Salim is my friend since
1958 and he had suggested that the family should reunite at the end of
the film.
The one patriotic song
that really strikes a chord is "Yeh Jo Desh Hai Tera"
from Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Swades.
I would love to see the
remake of a patriotic film like Purab Aur Paschim. Yet another
film which I would love to watch is Shaheed. Incidentally, both
the films star Manoj Kumar, whom I have always admired as a filmmaker.
Since I had made my
debut with Vikram Bhatt’s 1920, as a product of new-age
cinema I feel Subhash Ghai’s Karma was a nicely made
patriotic film. Almost every song in Karma stays with you.
SAILESH LODHA,
In this age of remakes,
the only classic patriotic movie that I would love to see is Rang
De Basanti, because it is a satire on what politicians can do to
ruin your country and rid you of the sweet smell of freedom.
