"There can't be stories without conflicts": Prakash Jha on how changing socio-political dynamics influence his films

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 14 Filmmaker Prakash Jha's journey from film set spectator to director is a tale that goes beyond the glamour. His films, like 'Damul', 'Mrityudand', 'Gangaajal' and others sought to portray India's socio-political scenario. Jha explores themes like caste, power dynamics, and societal shifts in a changing economic milieu. His work also reveals the complexities of rural life, portraying the evolving roles of women and the ripple effects of political changes.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, the ace filmmaker talked about his experiences and how the changing socio-political environment shaped his movies.
"People think that I make very revolutionary films. Though, I don't think so. I'm just trying to tell the stories which are all existing or which develop over a period of time. For example, right now, for the past five or six years, I've been completely consumed by the idea as to why democracy all over the world has failed. There is a sense of insecurity in the system. People have stopped trusting. I think something new will come, will happen," he said.
Jha, who is known for making issue-based cinema and brings out a certain amount of disruption, added, "there can't be stories without conflicts. If there is no conflict, there is no story. "
He talked about his 1985 film 'Damul'. The film, which is set in rural Bihar in 1984, focuses on the subjugation of the lower castes in the area through bonded labor and caste politics. His cinema portrays the state's complicated social and political dynamics.
"'Damul' was my first...You can imagine how disturbed I must have been as a child to have seen most of those things that I saw I showed in that film. The whole untouchability, caste system, bonded labour everything. My father, my Pardada (great grand father), he had settled the basti who could not work anywhere else but the fields that was owned by my Dada. So, it was called Chamtoli of my Dada. And all those Dalits who used to work but they had no right to take water from the well which was designated for the Brahmins. But if by mistake someone climbed the well then they would purify the well with fire. After that, they would fill it with water."
Jha shared his experience of working with Gulzar in the 1984 film 'Hip Hip Hurray', saying, "The first script that I had written was 'Damul', but the first film that I made was 'Hip Hip Hurray'. That happened just kind of like, over a cup of tea. I had worked with Gulzar in the film and wrote the screenplay with Gulzar sahib. We became friends. He was also writing the songs of the film, So it worked well. Post 'Damul' most of the films I have written myself."
He also spoke about the 1989 film 'Parinati', which is based on a short story written by Vijaydan Detha.
"After 'Damul' I made 'Parinati', which is my favourite film. It was a folk tale set in Rajasthan. The original story was written by Vijaydan Detha and I came across that story and there was a collaborator on that screenplay with me. I'm forgetting the name. And after 'Parinati', we made 'Mrityudand'."
The acclaimed film director, who has chosen film as a medium to communicate, referred to two major changes that influenced his thinking process and ideas behind making movies - reforms and the Mandal movement.
In 1990, then Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh accepted the Mandal Commission recommendations, which included reservations for Other Backward Classes in employment and education. These changes in the political dynamics have had an impact on Jha.
"The backwards, OBCs, they got the political power...The economy opened...(1991 economic reforms) so there was money available. And power shifted from the privileged class to the backward class. So the right to spend, that balance shifted. And what it brought about in terms of our change of system. For good, terrible, or whatever. So, 'Mrityudand' is exactly that."
'Mrityudand' is a 1997 film starring Madhuri Dixit, Shabana Azmi, Ayub Khan, Mohan Agashe and Om Puri.
"At that point of time, a child used to introduce, mera baap kya hai zaminadar hai (my father is a landlord). And he used to feel proud about it. But then the next generation of people in Bihar stated 'Mere baap kya hai thekedar hai'...so the balance shifted from Zamindar to Thekedar. However, one common denominator from every class that continues to suffer despite all the changes that is happening are women. I tell the story of three. So through the story of these three women, Shabana Azmi, Madhuri Dixit and Shilpa (Shirodkar), I have told the story of the opening of the market and politics and power and things like that. "
Talking about meeting Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad, who were involved in Mandal politics, he said, "I met everybody. I was very actively observing."
"I remember sometimes being part of the JP movement. We were all very young at that point of time. But we were already in our colleges. So we knew that whatever was happening. And I was able to recollect and connect the things when I made 'Mrityudand', " he said.
"I was not active. actively kind of protesting or joining the protest, but I was part of it in the sense that everybody was romancing with the Left and socialism at that point of time," he added.
The multiple National Award-winning director has acclaimed films like 'Damul', 'Mrityudand', 'Gangaajal', 'Apaharan', 'Raajneeti' among others.