Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, currentlyin the news for the 48 cuts suggested to it by the censor board, projects some uncomfortable truths about society, says its writer Ghalib Asad Bhopali.
Bhopali said that while he was writing the film he never imagined the rustic movie will land in any controversy.
Asked if he had kept the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) reaction in mind while writing the film, Bhopali said, “No. The film is the reflection of our society where the character Babu played by Nazaw bhai is a contract killer because he lived through poverty all his childhood. Our film deals with some uncomfortable truths of society, it’s nothing titillating.”
The writer said he researched and met many people in real life to give shape to the story of Babumoshai Bandookbaaz.
“There are people whom we call criminal because of their activity... But what they did is probably not by choice. In our film, the character said that he killed a man throwing stones because of two bananas, as the child was hungry for days... And he learnt to use pistols from other inmates in jail.
“So, you understand what I mean? Unfortunately, when children took up guns and start getting into crime no one warned them about what they are doing, and later they got stuck,” said Bhopali.
According to him, none of the criminals he has come across so far feel proud of their work.
“We have seen one slice of the crime world in Indian cinema which is quite glamorous. This story shows another side of that world. If you think it is dirty and uncomfortable, that is what our society is.
“You know, it reminds me of Sadaat Hasan Manto who once said, ‘If you cannot bear these stories then the society is unbearable’.”
Featuring Bidita Bag and Divya Dutta among others, Babumoshai Bandookbaaz is set to release in India on August 25.
