EXCLUSIVE! Vipul Shah On The Kerala Story: Shame On Those Who Want To Prove That We Are Against Any Religion

Vipul Amrutlal Shah's latest film The Kerala Story has completed one month in the theaters and the film is still going strong. It has emerged as the first super duper hit Hindi film of this year. However, the makers of the film believe that the real success for them will happen when every citizen of the country watches the film.

The Kerala Story has been the talk of the town ever since its release. Despite all the controversies, it remains the choice of the audience. In an exclusive interview with Filmibeat, producer Vipul Shah talks at length about the film's box office success, the controversies surrounding it, and the term propaganda.

Excerpts from the interview.

Q. The film has done exceptionally well at the box office. As a producer, were you expecting such big numbers?

A. To be honest, when we were making this film, we had only one goal that how can we take this film to the maximum number of people? We were not focused on how much the box office collection would be. About 2 crore people have seen this film in theaters. And at least 5 to 10 crore people have seen its pirated version. Yet I think there is a very large section of people that are yet to see it. So we just request all of them to go to the theaters and watch this movie because it is an important subject. When every citizen of this country would have watched this film, then we will feel that we have been successful. For us, the measure of success is how many people are watching this film.

Q. Has any final decision been taken regarding the OTT release of the film?

A. No. No decision has been taken regarding the OTT release yet. At the moment, we want more and more people to go to the theaters and watch this film. I can't say anything about when the film will come on OTT.

Q. Film is still facing ban in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu?

A. Yes, forcefully they have put a ban in these two states. Even if someone wants to show the film, the theater owners are getting threats. They are being threatened that their license will not be renewed, the police force will not be sent if anti-social elements vandalize the theater. So it is obvious that there is an atmosphere of fear. We also would not want any theater to be vandalized or riots. The law and the orders of the Supreme Court are being flouted in those two states and these are the two states which keep on crying out for democracy on everything.

Q. The release of the film in the UK and Mauritius has also been troubled. When you were working on this story, did you expect this to be a fight that would go on for a long time?

A. When you bring a very bitter and uncomfortable truth in front of people, then you have to be prepared for the fight. Some people will try to prove you a liar, some will discredit your work, and when all of them are not able to stop the audience from going to the theaters, now they are showing their real faces. Some are threatening to bomb the theaters, and then they say that we are very democratic and very open-minded people. When they could not stop the audience, this is their way of stopping them. In a way, this film is exposing only those who make big claims. And Britain, which is such a big democratic country in the world, the government there is so helpless that it cannot even stop a mob of 500 people. This is all vote bank politics. No one is interested in the truth coming out. So yes, the fight is long. It's just that we are fighting within the purview of the law, but for them the law means nothing.

Q. The reactions to the film, both positive and negative, have been quite extreme.

A. When you call it the extreme reactions, then see what is its ratio. If out of 100, 95 people are saying that the film is heart-touching and based on truth and 5 people are saying that it is false and propaganda, then how can it be called equal reaction? According to me, every film has to bear so much margin in the reactions. You will definitely find some people who will even criticize the biggest film of the country. So, if 95 percent of people are leaving the theater and saying that this film has shaken them, and touched their hearts, then according to me that is the truth. In this country, the majority government is also formed with 40 percent votes, here we are still talking about 95 percent.

Q. Be it the recent Delhi murder case or any other such incident, the film The Kerala Story comes in the limelight of the discussion on social media. How do you see it?

A. It is wrong to link the incident of Delhi with any film or any religion. The person who killed someone with this barbarity should be given the harshest punishment and I think the whole country wants the same. Such a terrible act cannot be linked to any religion. And we have said the same thing in our film The Kerala Story, but those who oppose say that we are against any one community. No, we are not. Now what would those people like to say on the Delhi incident? From which community or which religion will you associate this boy? We have always been saying that terrorists have no religion, they are terrorists and they should be punished. Even after this incident, if someone tries to discredit our film by saying that we are against any religion, then they should be ashamed. They should go in front of that girl's parents and say this. If we learn to speak the right and stop being afraid to bring the truth in front of people, then it will be a very good thing for our country and for the whole world.

Q. The word propaganda is being associated with the film since its release. Recently Kamal Haasan and Anurag Kashyap also commented on this. What do you want to say on this?

A. It is obvious that when you don't have the courage to face the truth, people try to discredit it by calling it a propaganda and agenda film. As far as Kamal Haasan ji and Anurag Kashyap are concerned, one is a very senior actor in our industry, while Anurag is also my friend and a very talented director, so I would not like to react to their comments. I just tell everyone that first you watch the film once. If you are saying something without seeing the film, it does not suit your stature.

Q. What was the reaction of the real-life victims when they saw the film?

A. I can't even tell you how emotional they were. They have thanked us in a way that's beyond explanation. I have never heard so much praise from anyone in my life. I have never met such an emotional reaction from anyone to date. I am very grateful to them that they have accepted our effort to show their pain and sorrow. Their feedback means a lot to us, we wanted the girls to feel satisfied with the film. This film has given them power and courage.

Q. After The Kerala Story, which films are you working on?

A. To be honest, The Kerala Story has been keeping me very busy right now. Will think ahead from the end of June.