By:
Upala
KBR,
Mid-Day
Thursday,
April
27,
2006
Producer-director
Jagmohan
Mundhra's
Provoked,
starring
Aishwarya
Rai,
Nandita
Das,
Miranda
Richardson
and
Naveen
Andrews,
was
to
release
five
months
ago.
But
there's
still
no
sign
of
the
film.
The
latest
from
the
camp
is
that
the
film
is
set
for
a
July
or
August
release.
We
quizzed
Jag
about
the
delay...
Why
has
Provoked
been
delayed?
We
got
the
first
copy
only
in
the
first
week
of
March.
Provoked
will
be
premiering
for
the
world
media
at
Cannes,
on
May
18.
Lee
Daniels
and
Associates,
the
marketing
company
of
the
film,
have
a
proper
strategy
planned
out
for
the
release.
It
is
a
deliberate
decision
to
give
the
film
a
profile,
build
it
up
and
then
release
it.
We
aim
to
release
Provoked
in
July
or
August.
Is
Ash
happy
with
the
film?
She
hasn't
seen
the
film
as
yet.
Ash
has
committed
to
come
to
Cannes
on
May
18
and
19,
and
be
there
for
the
film's
publicity.
Any
intimate
scenes
in
Provoked?
There
are
no
intimate
scenes
in
Provoked,
not
even
a
kiss.
I
know
my
reputation
precedes
me,
but
this
time
the
film
doesn't
deal
with
sexuality
at
all.
It's
about
female
bonding.
It's
been
adapted
from
Kiranjit
Ahluwalia
and
Rahila
Gupta's
(journalist)
novel,
Circle
of
Light,
based
on
Karanjit's
life
as
a
victim
of
marital
abuse,
who
killed
her
husband
and
was
sent
to
jail.
Why
did
you
make
Provoked?
What
inspired
me
to
make
a
film
on
her
was
when
she
was
asked
in
jail
how
she
felt.
She
said,
'I
feel
free'.
It
was
such
a
telling
statement.
Then
a
small
motley
of
under-funded
social
workers,
the
Southhall
Black
Sisters,
took
on
the
British
judicial
system
with
sheer
grit
and
got
Kiranjit
released
from
a
life
sentence
through
their
protests
and
rallies.
Have
you
shown
the
film
to
Kiranjit?
No,
but
I
have
been
speaking
to
her
frequently.
Kiranjit
came
for
the
wrap
party
(the
last
day
of
the
shoot)
in
London,
to
meet
Ash.
Her
two
children
are
big
fans
of
Ash
and
wanted
to
meet
her.
Currently,
Kiranjit
lives
in
Slough
and
works
for
the
Royal
Mail
in
the
same
job
her
husband
had.
You
had
a
special
trial
for
the
minister
of
health?
Yes.
We
had
a
screening
for
her
and
other
ministers
involved
in
the
investment.
The
UK
Film
Council
isn't
the
sole
investor.
Provoked
is
considered
a
complete
British
film.
Patricia
was
earlier
the
Minister
of
Culture
and
started
the
Bollywood
initiative.
Provoked
is
a
mainstream
British
film,
meant
for
the
English-speaking
audience,
so
naturally,
they
wanted
to
see
the
film.
Any
plans
for
Cannes?
We
are
waiting
to
unveil
Provoked
at
Cannes,
then
sell
the
film
to
the
international
market.
There
has
to
be
a
proper
marketing
campaign,
which
Lee
Daniels
and
Associates
has
planned
out.