Its critical portrayal of the Emergency period has caused Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar to repeatedly surface in the news as it nears its release. But Bhandarkar and the film’s lead, Kirti Kulhari, seem unfazed by the furore surrounding it and have been keeping busy with their film’s promotions.
The period drama is a far cry from Bhandarkar’s usual films. Take for instance his National Award-winning Page 3 (2005) which revolves around a tabloid journalist discovering the overlapping power structures of the business and film industries, or Fashion (2008) which follows the journey of an aspiring model. “I’ve made a lot of movies based in Mumbai, and a very glamorous world,” discusses Bhandarkar, “So I decided to make one in complete contrast to the rest.” Being a great admirer of the 1970s, Bhandarkar decided to set his next film against this backdrop that he grew up in and used the 21 months of Emergency to build a story. “[Practically] 70% of the movie is fiction, and 30% is documented fact about the Emergency backdrop”, the director emphasises.
Controversial subject
In his endeavour to paint an accurate portrayal of the era, Bhandarkar met individuals involved in the infamous mass sterilisation campaigns, people affected by the Turkman Gate demolition, and even those who were held in Tihar jail and prisons in Gujarat under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act). “I interacted with them and learnt of how people joined underground activism,” reveals Bhandarkar. While the director read texts from the Shah Commission Report, to Kuldip Nayar’s Emergency Retold and Coomi Kapoor’s The Emergency: A Personal History , Kulhari admits she was not familiar with the controversial period until Indu Sarkar came her way.
“Why it happened is a separate debate altogether,” opines the actor about the Emergency. “But for it to go on for 21 months and become a way of life for a country like India… it almost seemed like another freedom struggle.” Kulhari plays the protagonist, an orphaned called Indu Sarkar who has a speech impairment. “She is a poet and someone who has been made to believe that the only thing she really needs to have in life is a home, be a good wife, and settle down,” says the actor. “She marries a bureaucrat. But the Emergency instigates conflicts between the ideologies and beliefs of the two, and soon it seems like the world she has created so far is taken from her,” she shares.
Building character
Kulhari’s efforts to speak with a stammer were guided by a psychologist and speech therapist who aided her in gaining an insight into her character’s experiences and the manner in which they impacted her. “They helped me understand what kind of a child the speech impairment shapes. And what kind of an adult that child grows up to be.” She adds, “The stammer is a metaphor for the way in which India’s voice was suppressed during the Emergency.”
The actor, who debuted in 2010 and got noticed as Tanya Sharma in Bejoy Nambiar’s Shaitan (2011), has been wanting to work with Bhandarkar for long. “I saw Chandni Bar and knew that this was the stuff I wanted to do. I wanted to be like Tabu,” reveals Kulhari. It was her performance in Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Pink (2016) that made Bhandarkar think she was perfect for Indu’s role. “She has done a fabulous job,” the director gushes. “This role will put her in the league of the industry’s leading actresses.”
Battling opposition
Discussing the controversies that surround their film, both actor and director seem visibly exasperated. “I’ve received threats,” shares the director. “Some people want to blacken my face, some people want to put a chappal ka mala on my neck, and some people want to see the film before its release,” referring to Jagdish Tytler wanting to “suitably edit” the film before it hits the theatres to ensure his portrayal is not negative. Among other calls to preview the film, a woman claiming to be Sanjay Gandhi’s daughter has moved the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) against clearing Indu Sarkar .
“I’ll first show it to the Censor Board,” says the director, ironically in response to the demands to edit the film before the CBFC certified it. “Let them pass the film. Then we can take a call. I don’t understand these demands. The film is only saying what is already in the public domain,” asserts Bhandarkar.
The director’s confidence probably draws from the trailer’s smooth sailing journey with the CBFC since the Board’s chief, Pahlaj Nihalani, stated that it did not require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) as it did not mention the Gandhis. “If the CBFC says we don’t need an NOC from the Gandhis, I don’t know who else is really in a position to ask for one,” argues Kulhari, echoing Bhandarkar’s sentiments in being comfortable with waiting for the CBFC’s verdict before any discussion is held regarding the film.
As of now, Indu Sarkar is all set to release this Friday, with the CBFC Revising Committee clearing the film with fewer cuts than the original 14 that were imposed.
