'Baabul' Is For Everyone With A Heart

The expectations have touched a new high for director Ravi Chopra. They had to because he is the son of Dr B. R. Chopra, one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of Indian cinema, because he is the nephew of Dr Yash Chopra who is still making history, because he has been trained in filmmaking by both his father and his uncle and because he has made a place for himself on his own especially after he last made Baghban which came as a big surprise when every other film maker was busy making love stories and escapist entertainment which were like clouds moving at breakneck speed and reaching nowhere. Baghban lived on as a landmark. And now it is just a week to go before Ravi Chopra?s Baabul is to be released. It is once again a film which takes a stand on a very strong subject with social relevance (the theme of all the films made by his father). Baabul talks about the young widow down the years, her painful plight and the need to give her a place from where she can rise again and find the dignity and the determination to lead a new life. It is a story, which has been a part of Indian society. There have been social reformers, crusaders and activists who have been fighting for the cause of the widow and for widow remarriage. Ravi Chopra knows that things have not changed for the young Indian widow and there is still a need to bring about an awareness about this never ending social evil. He uses the medium he knows best, the medium which he knows reaches the largest number of people to cast the searchlight on this burning issue which is as timely today as it has always been. He made Baghban to give the family, which has slowly been falling apart the importance it should always have. This time he has made Baabul to open the eyes of the people to a problem that plagues Indian society in spite of all the rapid strides it has made in every field of life. The film was passed with a U certificate on November 29. Ravi Chopra talks about Baabul hours before leaving for London on November 30 with the ?baabul? of Baabul, Amitabh Bachchan, the man who has made one big difference to the film.

Excerpts:

These are times when entertainment is the key, days when all kinds of films are being made to bring in the audiences. You went your own way and made Baghban and you have now made Baabul. What drives you to make these different films in a crowd of so-called different films?

As you know I have been trained by my father who made films, which were different for more than 60 years. He always believed that it was the subject and the substance that really mattered in the making of a film. He always conveyed a powerful message without any preaching or sermonizing. I am only trying to follow the path laid out by him. I succeeded in Baghban. Lets see what happens with Baabul.

Is this your own subject or has it been inspired by some other source?

Yes, it is a subject that has obsessed me for years. I have been wanting to make it since years. The reaction of the people to a film like Baghban encouraged me to go ahead and make this film.

The film, I?m told is about the widow and widow remarriage. Don?t you think that the subject has been treated in Hindi films in the past?

I was and am acutely aware of the fact that Hindi films have been made on this delicate subject but my film takes a very modern and contemporary look at the problem, which is still widely prevalent in different sections of the society.

How have you managed to modernize the subject?

You see, I was inspired by a recent real life story about a family, which is known to me. I took off with that story and worked on the script for over a year. My film is a story that happens in modern times and in a rich and highly enlightened family but a family, which will still not let go some of the traditional taboos, customs and values. One of the customs they hold on to is the almost inhuman treatment of the young widow in the family.

Naturally, t