Raman Raghav 2.0 | Official Trailer | Nawazuddin Siddiqui

[Don_Draper]

 

[Don_Draper]

After his last mega-movie Bombay Velvet tanked at the Box Office, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is back with a new thriller, Raman Raghav 2.0.

The film, which features Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead role, is inspired by a real life criminal who was active in Mumbai in the 60s.

Considering the dark thrillers that Kashyap is known to make, Raman Raghav 2.0 perfectly falls in his court.

Here's what the filmmaker has to say about the film, the idea behind it and his filmmaking style:

Why is your new directorial venture called Raman Raghav 2.0?

We had made a classic movie last year (laughs) which no one can forget, especially my producers. After that, I decided to make Raman Raghav but I could not make a period film so we thought of making Raman Raghav 2.0, which is a contemporary version.

Who is to blame for when a film fails?

I think it is 100 per cent the director's fault if the film fails. It is nobody else's fault because the director is the only person who has the power to say no. And there were a lot of things in the film for which I should have said 'no'. I should have taken a stand but I did not do so. So it was entirely my fault. But if the film does well, then it is everybody's contribution. And I feel this honestly; I am not being humble.

Does Raman Raghav 2.0 glorify crime?

No, I am not doing that. This film does not glorify anybody. If you watch this film, you will understand. The movie is on everything that is happening in our society but it is fictionalised. There are a lot of things that happen around us that we choose to ignore and it has been threaded into a story. It is a genre film; and genre films -- be it horror, thriller, chase dramas -- usually have deep politics inside it of the society which cannot be explained or expressed in any other way.

Do your films reflect your personality?

I have a theory that people who make many comedy movies are very dark from inside. Meet them sometime and see for yourself. While, people who take out all their darkness on the screen are actually very light from within.

So does each film change your perspective?

It changes all the time. There is a much deeper understanding. For me, this film is a character study of two people and while it is a cat and mouse chase, there are a lot of other things in the movie.

How difficult is it to make a film based on a real person?

It always gets difficult. But this is not based on a real-life character. This is actually inspired from it, because this character is there now. It is difficult because you are taking a new path and you have a sense of responsibility. If you are telling a story like this then you have to say it in such a way that you have to show the full story and make it all look relevant so that we get to understand the movie. In the character development which you do with the actor and the whole team, you have to keep in mind everything about the movie. That is the most difficult thing.

Sriram Raghavan has also made a documentary on Raman Raghav.

No he has made a short one-hour film on Raman Raghav. And that was the first film that I worked on when I came to Mumbai. I have been obsessed with the story since then. I joined them when they had finished shooting the movie and the movie was in post production.

Reports suggest that the film has got six cuts at the Censors. Thoughts?

In a way, the Censor Board has been the kindest in this film because they actually like it. But in this film there are many things that I want them to keep intact. I will not be satisfied with a single cut. I will do whatever it takes to avoid any cut.

Raman Raghav 2.0 is being called your comeback after Bombay Velvet. What do you have to say?

I am the same; I had not gone anywhere. Whenever someone says he is back, I feel: 'Did I come back to Versova by the same road?' I work from the same place. I stay at the same place. I am the same. Things just change in the eyes of the people.