Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra REFUSES To Hold A Special Screening For PM Narendra Modi; Here’s Why

Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra says he has no plans to hold a special screening of his next Mere Pyare Prime Minister for PM Narendra Modi as it has become 'fashionable' now. The film chronicles the story of a young slum kid who travels to the capital with his friends to meet the Prime Minister after his mother is raped.

When asked if he plans to hold a screening for Modi, Mehra told reporters, "No, not at all. We don't have any such plans, yet. It has become very fashionable, I would rather want to stay away from it."

The director was speaking at the trailer launch of the film. When asked why he wouldn't want to screen the film, Mehra said if the PM to wants to see the movie, it'll be an honour but he wouldn't use the PM's office for publicity.

"I feel the film is made for the people of the country and somewhere I don't want to dilute that by using such a big office. He is a very busy man and is running the country. To take three hours of his time, which he could devote to some national and international interest policy? Just because I want to promote, it doesn't suit me. But, If he wants to watch the film, it'll be an honour," he said.

The film, which talks about the need for public sanitation and is scheduled to release on March 15, comes just before the parliamentary elections.

On being quizzed if the film will, in any way, impact the elections, the Rang De Basanti director said that's not the movie's intention.

"It'll not (have an) effect (on) the elections and it should not. A film's job should not be to impact elections. My endeavour is to make movies which can be perpetual. Because all of us, our best novels and films, we don't remember which week we watched or read them in. We don't know when that film or novel released but for us those are our favourite films.

"If you're lucky and everything falls in place, if your work becomes perpetual, I feel achievement is in that," he said.

The film stars Anjali Patil, Om Kanujiya and Atul Kulkarni among others.

Credits - PTI