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On song, unsung

Juhi Chawla on her association with an Oscar-nominated film

PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

BEYOND THE REGIONAL LINES Juhi Chawla

Silently, almost imperceptibly Waaris Shah - Ishq Da Waaris has gained recognition across the world. And equally silently, the film has also made it to the Oscars in the general category, competing for honours for the best film, best actor, best director, best supporting actor.

Yet Juhi Chawla, who stars alongside Gurdas Mann and Divya Dutta in the Punjabi film, is not a happy person these days. The film's director, 36-year-old Manoj Punj, is no more.

And the media, as usual, has decided to ignore the rare feat of a Punjabi film making it to the Oscars. Hardly any encomiums to the director, hardly any splash with the latest achievement at the Oscars.

Says Juhi, her voice choking with emotion at the 37th International Film Festival of India, "I don't know how to react to the news of the film making it to the Oscars. It is a tribute to Manoj who is being paid homage here at the festival.

I fail to understand why the media ignores the film. Why do they think in terms of a regional film or a Bollywood film? It is either a good film or a bad film." The point is seconded by Manjit Mann, the producer, who also wonders aloud as to how the byte-hungry media had no space and time for an Indian film making it to the Oscars.

Incidentally, the same media had gone overboard when the co-star of Juhi Chawla's first film, Aamir Khan, had his film, Lagaan, sent to the Oscars a few years ago. And devoted reams to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti being nominated for the same award earlier this year.

Stopping shy of calling it a part of male prejudice, the soft-spoken actress says she does not regret doing Punjabi films.

"I am a Punjabi too. Honestly, when I was first approached for a film in the language I was not comfortable with the idea. However, after listening to the script, I immediately said yes. Then I had second thoughts.

That was the time I caught up with Manoj's earlier film, Shaheed-e-Mohabbat — later Gadar was made on the same subject. I watched the film at one go and decided I had not made a mistake. Now I feel proud to have been associated with the film that has been sent to the Oscars. Whether we win or not is not in our hands. I just seek support."

Still glowing and blessed with an almost creaseless face, Juhi, who carved out a niche in Bollywood with her perky portrayals in countless Hindi films, is not saying goodbye to Bollywood for all the success of Waaris Shah. "I am not in favour of calling any cinema as regional. It is just Indian cinema," she tries to be politically correct, adding, "I am doing a few Hindi films. I will be seen in Salaam-e-Ishq, Swami and Bhootnath shortly. As for Punjabi, I have not signed any film, but I am keeping my fingers crossed for the film at the Oscars."

ZIYA US SALAM

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