Mundra’s new film

Gaining his reputation from producing mystery and horror films in Hollywood, Jagmohan Mundra has also been busy in India producing films. His latest venture is titled Bawandar (The Sand Storm). Credited with producing as many as 19 English films like Open House, Death Mask, Last Call, Ladies Games, The Other Man and The Other Woman. In India too, Mundra has already produced films like Kamla, Vishkanya and Suraag. Kamla, based on trade in flesh, was a controversial film.

Mundra has been busy shooting for Bawandar around desert villages of Jejeu, Jodhasar in Bikaner district, Rajasthan for 50 days last winter, inspite of extreme cold. The film is based on a real life incident. It is about the struggle of Bhanwari Devi, a satin in Bhateri village near Bassi in Jaipur district, who fell victim to anti-social elements of the village about six years ago: the rape incident that stormed the whole country. Women activists and women organisations had come together in support of Bhanwari Devi. Bawandar is a bold attempt to present on screen the struggle and courage of Bhanwari Devi in fighting against influential but evil sections of society. A portion of the film was picturised at the Jaipur State Assembly’s Birla Auditorium of the Pink City.

The film, produced by Vinod Doshi and Gorang Doshi, is being made in four languages: German, French, English and Hindi, and features Nandita Das in the role of Sanwari Devi (the name given to Bhanwari Devi in the film). Deepti Naval plays the role of a social activist. She prepares Sanwari Devi to fight against the social culprits. Raghuvir Yadav plays the father of the Sanwari Devi while Govind Namdeo enacts the role of MLA, who presents the rape victim’s case in the State Assembly. Other artistes who feature in the film picturised at locales in Rajasthan include local artistes Ravi Jhankal, Vasudev Bhatt, Usha Nagar, Kuldeep Mathur, Hemant Sharma, Archana Srivastav and Renu Sharma, apart from Rahul Khanna and Gulshan Grover.

Former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao was to appear in the role of a neta who gives away a bravery award to the rape victim in the film but as the AICC did not give him the permission, he could not attend the shoot. Thus, the scene was filmed on his younger brother Manohar Prasad Rao, the former Andhra Pradesh minister. Interestingly, PV Narsimha Rao during his tenure as the prime minister had originally given away the bravery award to the real life rape victim Bhanwari Devi. Though director Jagmohan Mundra has the fancy for topical themes, the question that arises is how far will the film benefit the real rape victim in getting justice and compensation?

Yet it’s good for Mundra to make films on subjects which are in the limelight and easily understood by the viewers. By producing his film in four languages, Mundra has highlighted the incident to international forum. The film, undoubtedly, poses questions on law, politics and feudalism. It may be noted that if the film was picturised 50 percent in Rajasthan, under new rules of the State Government, the off-beat film stands to gain 100 per cent exemption from payment of entertainment tax.

Minister in real life and reel life

Nathu Singh Gurjar, the former Panchayatraj minister of Rajasthan plays a double role, that of an army officer and a dacoit in the film Jwala, which is being produced and directed by Vicky Ranawat. After the defeat of BJP ministry at the hustings, Nathu Singh alias Nagesh Kumar has now turned towards cinema. Even as a minister, he had appeared in the title role of the Rajasthani film Dev, the legendary lok devta of Gurjar Samaj, which achieved a modest success at the box-office. Still involved in state politics, after ‘shooting’, he devotes time to party affairs.

He also finds time to keep himself physically fit as well as for dance practice. He has attained skill in Ghoomar, the Rajasthani dance form. The film Jwala also features Hindi film artistes Ranjeet, Raza Murad, Shakti Kapoor, Shiva, actress Humangni and Kiran Kalyan. Nathu Singh is also doing a film with Dharmendra titled Dharti Ki Saugandh as well as Lady Killer. Nathu Singh disclosed that he is currently doing his Ph.D. on ‘Panchayti Law in India, with special reference to Rajasthan’’. It may be added that Nathu Singh entered into politics soon after the declaration of Emergency in 1977.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha as its youngest member after defeating veteran Nawal Kishor Sharma from Dausa constituency. He was Panchayatiraj minister in BJP ministry headed by Bhaironsingh Shekhawat. However, he lost in the last State Assembly elections.

MP Garg