Mumbai: Filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, whose next film "Laxmi" is on human trafficking, says he is not worried about its box-office results.
Nagesh said the film is a tale about a 13-year-old-girl, who gets pushed into prostitution and fights back her tormentors.
"I feel this story needs to be told to the audience it is not to shock anyone.. It's a true story. I don't think of box office results when I make a film. I don't think how many number of people will watch it. There is an audience out there for such kind of films. I want to make a film every year where I don't think of numbers," Kukunoor said.
The idea for this film came to Kukunoor from the NGO he supports. It rehabilitates children who gets pushed into sex trade.
During his interaction with several girls there, he came across a lot of harrowing cases but the story about the 13-year-old stood out and grabbed his attention. "This tale I felt was best as it encapsulates all these stories. I have incorporated many stories into this film but the central story is of Laxmi standing up against her traffickers. I cannot imagine the kind of courage and strength it required. I have been drawn to human stories that display heroism," he said.
According to Kukunoor, 44,000 children get abducted every year out of which 11,000 are untraced and NGOs say about 55,000 on an average are forced into sex trade.
Through this film, he plans to try and reach the largest possible audience. They also intend to reach people through NGOs, social activists and even in some red light areas. Incidentally, playback singer Monali Thakur is playing the protagonist in the film. Kukunoor saw Monali at a party and thought she would be fit to play the role.
"I started auditioning girls who were 14 and 15 year old. The matter was so sensitive that when I began interacting with their parents I felt it was too early for them (girls) to get exposed to this thing," he said.
"Then I started auditioning again and was looking at people who are bit older.. I happened to see Monali in a party and felt she was the right choice. I was not sure if she would act in the film but she agreed," the director added. Monali says she never planned to be an actor. "When I heard the script, this topic I was thrilled. I don't know what I was prepared for.. the crew and Nagesh made me do everything. I followed them," she adds.
The film, which will have a January release, also stars Kukunoor himself as a pimp. Besides, there is Shefali Shah, Ram Kapoor and Satish Kaushik. "If I feel I can do some role and have confidence about doing it then I step forward. The problem was this role is Hyderabadi, if I take actors for this role they mess up with the accent. I think I have done a better job and now it is upto the people to decide," he added.
Comments
0 comment