Madhur
Bhandarkar's
latest
controversial
drama
Indu
Sarkar
has
registered
earnings
of
over
Rs
4
crore
at
the
box
office
in
its
opening
weekend
and
has
received
mixed
reviews
from
critics.
But
the
filmmaker
says
his
spirit
is
neither
dampened
by
the
collections
nor
by
the
feedback.
He
calls
"Indu
Sarkar" a
"niche
project
made
on
a
budget
of
Rs
6.5
crore
to
Rs
7
crore".
While
the
audience
and
critics
have
praised
lead
actress
Kirti
Kulhari,
some
critics
have
called
the
film
"a
watered-down,
bloodless
version"
of
the
Emergency
period,
a
propaganda
movie
which
offers
"half-baked"
politics.
Asked
about
the
mixed
reviews,
Bhandarkar
told
IANS:
"The
collection
is
decent
and
quite
good
considering
the
budget
of
the
film.
I
am
very
happy
with
the
response.
It
was
a
limited
budget
and
a
niche
film.
We
have
mainly
newcomers
in
the
film.
The
film
was
shot
in
42
days.
"The
film
has
already
collected
more
than
Rs
4
crore.
I
am
quite
happy.
We
will
further
collect
more
amount
from
satellite
and
digital
rights.
We
are
working
out
on
that."
While
appreciating
how
small
budget
films
like
Indu
Sarkar
and
Lipstick
Under
My
Burkha
are
pushing
boundaries
at
the
box
office,
Bhandarkar
said:
"I
am
very
happy
for
Lipstick
Under
My
Burkha.
It
has
done
very
well
at
the
box
office.
That
one
also
is
a
small
budget
film.
I
am
very
happy
that
these
kinds
of
movies
are
being
appreciated
by
the
multiplex
audience
and
the
youngsters.
"The
response
over
social
media
is
superb.
I
have
only
heard
positive
reviews
for
Indu
Sarkar."
The
anticipation
for
Indu
Sarkar
was
high
given
how
it
was
pitched
as
a
film
on
the
Emergency
period
from
1975-1977
--
considered
one
of
the
darkest
periods
of
the
Indian
democracy.
Controversies
naturally
preceded
its
release
on
July
28,
even
as
Congress
supporters
voiced
concern
over
how
former
Prime
Minister
Indira
Gandhi
and
her
son
Sanjay
Gandhi
were
portrayed.
Even
the
censor
board
impeded
its
release
by
initially
demanding
12
cuts
and
two
disclaimers.
But
the
revising
committee
ultimately
settled
for
two
cuts
and
one
disclaimer
and
a
few
beeps,
which
Bhandarkar
was
satisfied
with
as
it
didn't
tamper
with
the
narrative.
Now
that
the
film
has
released
in
India,
Bhandarkar
hopes
to
take
it
to
film
festivals.
"It
was
unfortunate
that
because
of
the
censorship
issue,
we
couldn't
release
the
film
overseas.
That
was
a
big
loss.
In
US,
Britain
and
Dubai,
you
are
required
to
give
censor
copy
weeks
in
advance.
"We
are
looking
to
release
the
film
abroad.
Let's
see
what
happens,
but
I
am
planning
to
take
the
film
to
a
lot
of
film
festivals,"
added
the
National
Award
winning
filmmaker,
who
has
earlier
helmed
movies
like
Page
3,
Traffic
Signal
and
Fashion.
He
is
especially
euphoric
about
how
Kirti's
role
is
being
lauded
by
everyone.
"She
is
a
very
talented
actress.
This
was
her
first
film
as
a
main
lead
actress.
I
am
really
happy
for
her
because
she
deserves
it
due
to
the
kind
of
talent
she
has.
I
would
love
to
work
with
her
again,"
he
added.
While
Indu
Sarkar
released
alongside
Anil
Kapoor
and
Arjun
Kapoor-starrer
Mubarakan
at
the
box
office,
Bhandarkar
said
it's
not
right
to
compare
the
two
films.
"It's
a
wrong
parameter
to
compare
my
film
with
Mubarakan.
It's
a
commercial
film.
Mine
is
a
niche
film."