Wednesday,
August
22,
2007
Rajkumar
Santoshi
is
known
as
one
of
the
most
versatile
film-makers
in
Bollywood,
with
movies
as
diverse
as
the
side-splitting
Andaz
Apna
Apna,
the
historic
The
Legend
of
Bhagat
Singh
and
the
hard-hitting
Lajja.
Family,
Khakee,
Pukar
and
China
Gate
are
some
of
his
other
creations.
The
ace
director
is
now
back
with
yet
another
thought-provoking
subject
in
Halla
Bol,
starring
Ajay
Devgan,
Vidya
Balan,
Pankaj
Kapoor
and
newcomer
Ishteyak.
Produced
by
Abdol
Samee
Siddiqui,
the
film
shows
a
mirror
to
all
those
who
have
buried
their
conscience
in
the
quest
for
fame
and
money.
"I
have
always
followed
my
heart,
instinct
and
conscience
and
made
movies.
I
have
made
Halla
Bol
with
great
love
and
affection.
The
film
is
about
how
we
all
can
make
a
vital
difference
to
the
society,
and
how
each
of
us
should
be
ready
to
attack
wrongdoings
with
our
collective
spirit.
It
is
only
through
such
change
in
thought
and
actions
can
we
better
the
society," says
Santoshi.
The
story
of
Halla
Bol
revolves
around
its
central
character
Sameer
Khan
(Ajay
Devgan),
a
small-town
youngster
who
aspires
to
become
an
actor.
In
a
short
span
of
time,
he
goes
on
to
become
the
most
sought-after
action
hero
of
Bollywood.
But
the
quick
success
spoils
Sameer,
he
forgets
his
modesty
and
humbleness,
and
his
reality
gets
lost
in
the
mire
of
his
roles.
He
ends
up
with
a
reputation
of
an
unprincipled
actor
and
a
dishonest
man.
One
day,
Sameer
witnesses
a
murder.
The
incident
rips
off
his
inhumane
mask
and
stirs
his
conscience
back
to
life.
While
all
the
witnesses
of
the
high-profile
murder
turn
hostile
and
defer
from
their
statements,
Sameer
decides
to
divulge
the
truth
in
the
court.
In
the
process,
though,
he
makes
many
enemies.
The
basic
plot
of
the
story
is
inspired
by
the
infamous
Jessica
Lal
murder
case.
Director
Santoshi,
however,
dismisses
rumours
that
the
film
has
been
inspired
by
murdered
theatre
activist
Safdar
Hashmi.
"Not
directly.
This
is
a
parallel.
My
film
is
in
no
way
inspired
or
based
on
Safdar
Hashmi's
life.
Halla
Bol
means
attack
and
the
film
says
that
one
must
not
take
injustice
lying
down.
I
am
not
advocating
violence
in
my
film,
but
talking
about
raising
our
voices
against
injustice," clarifies
Santoshi
The
film
finds
Ajay
Devgan
team
up
once
again
with
Santoshi
after
Khakee
(2004),
The
Legend
of
Bhagat
Singh
(2002)
and
Lajja
(2001).
"Ajay
is
very
versatile.
The
character
required
no
stylized
performance
or
a
put-on.
I
wanted
to
depict
the
star
in
a
candid
manner
and
Ajay
hasn't
let
me
down," says
Santoshi.
"Unfortunately,
mainstream
films
have
not
tapped
Ajay's
talent
properly.
It
is
quite
thrilling
to
see
his
histrionics
slowly
unfolding
up
in
layers,
film
after
film.
He
is
a
star
performer
on
Indian
celluloid,"
he
adds.
Interestingly,
this
will
be
the
first
time
that
Ajay
is
paired
with
Vidya.
The
music
of
the
film
has
been
composed
by
singer-turned-actor
Himesh
Reshammiya.
Kareena
Kapoor
too
makes
a
small
appearance
in
the
footage
from
Omkara.
"Vidya
has
a
very
responsible
role
in
the
film.
Her
transformation
from
the
small-town
girl
who
loves
a
struggling
actor
to
the
woman
who
is
a
successful
star's
wife,
and
her
strife
and
how
she
confronts
him
with
moral
ethics
is
a
remarkable
graph
of
Vidya's
character.
She
has
played
it
with
aplomb,"
praises
Santoshi.
Vidya,
too,
is
all
praise
for
the
veteran
director.
"Getting
a
chance
to
work
under
Rajji
so
early
in
my
career
is
a
treat
for
me.
I
have
learnt
a
lot
of
things
from
him.
He
doubles
as
a
teacher
for
every
newcomer," avers
Vidya.
Pankaj
Kapoor
plays
the
role
of
a
reformed
dacoit
in
the
film,
who
takes
to
street
theatre
to
bring
about
a
change
in
the
society.
Apparently,
Pankaj
didn't
shave
for
three
months
to
grow
a
beard
and
give
his
character
a
realistic
look.
"Yes,
I
didn't
have
a
shave
for
three
months.
As
an
actor,
I
am
not
comfortable
with
an
artificial
beard.
The
character
had
to
look
authentic,
real
and
a
little
menacing.
So
I
grew
the
beard
as
I
felt
the
need
to,
as
an
actor,"
clarifies
Pankaj.
While
Santoshi
just
had
to
direct
the
adults
on
the
sets,
there
was
a
six-year-old
whom
he
had
to
coax
and
plead
with
for
performing
his
part.
In
a
particular
scene,
the
kid
playing
the
role
of
Vidya
Balan's
son,
refused
to
cry.
"Instead
of
getting
frustrated,
Rajji
came
up
with
a
plan.
He
purposely
started
hitting
one
of
his
assistants.
Seeing
this,
the
frightened
kid
started
crying
and
hence,
the
shot
was
taken,"
recalls
Vidya.
Once
Halla
Bol
hits
the
cinema
theaters,
next
on
Santoshi's
mind
is
his
forthcoming
Ramayana.
Earlier,
he
had
also
announced
making
a
version
of
Mahabharata
in
two
parts
and
had
even
created
its
sets
at
Ramoji
Studio,
but
the
project
fell
through.
"Ramayana
is
on
in
full
swing.
We
are
shooting
next
May
and
it
will
be
completed
in
a
year's
time.
I
had
dropped
Mahabharata
as
it
was
not
feasible.
Ramayana
is
more
apt
for
the
Indian
audience.
Once
I
make
Ramayana,
may
be
I
will
get
back
to
making
Mahabharata,"
says
Santoshi.
Despite
a
big
star
cast
and
having
shot
in
65
locations,
Halla
Bol
was
completed
in
a
mere
75
days.
Going
by
his
experience
and
efficiency,
chances
are
we
might
see
Santoshi's
Mahabharata
rolling
very
soon.