We are an insensitive society, says filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar

Mumbai: Noted filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar, whose `City of Gold` highlighting the plight of Mumbai textile mill workers in early 80s is releasing next week, says we as a society are "insensitive" towards social issues and problems."We as a society are not much bothered about the problems our brethren face. Even I was not completely aware of the gravity or intensity of the mill workers` issues till I read the script by Jayant Pawar," Mahesh told reporters.

"Pawar had already written a play on the issue. Later, he also wrote a script for the movie, which he showed to me." "It was only after reading it that I got a complete idea of the aftermath of the mill workers` strike. Over three lakh mill workers were affected and eigh lakh people who depended on them are still suffering." Hence, better late than never, said the 56-year-old filmmaker, detailing the reason for making a movie on an issue which is almost three-decade-old. "Today Mumbai has become a city of gold. And increasingly the common man, the middle class is finding itself out of place," he rued. On whether today`s youth who are completely oblivious to this problem and would be able to connect with it, Mahesh said they ought to. "Have not they connected with `Jodhaa Akbar`? Similarly, they also lap up Hollywood and international stuff dealing with Nazis. So why not a problem that unfolded in their backyard itself," questioned Mahesh. `City of Gold`, bilingual movie set in the backdrop of the mill strike that shook and changed the face of Mumbai, is releasing nationwide on April 23. Explaining the rationale behind making the movie in Hindi and Marathi, Mahesh said the mill workers` domicile and the need to give this subject a pan-India exposure led it to be a bilingual product. "Most workers were Marathi. Many were from Konkan. The fun of their language, interactions could be depicted only in Marathi." Also, there is a dire need that the entire nation comes to know about this problem. Hence, the Hindi version, he said. I feel the government is positive towards the demands of these workers. They now just need to be accepted, he said. Mahesh was also upbeat about the response the Marathi version, `Lalbaugh Parel` is getting, especially from the textile mill workers. "There is absolutely pin drop silence when they are watching the movie in Bharatmata, (the theatre known for exclusively screening Marathi flicks)," he said. Mahesh, who has earlier made movies like `Astitva` and `Vastav` said he is aspiring both commercial and critical success for `City of Gold.` "Both critical and commercial success are utmost necessary. Only when the producer would recover his money, many more such ventures are encouraged," he quipped.Buoyed by success of 'Lalbaugh Parel', its team has already planned a sequel to it. "The movie (Marathi version) has got extremely good response from the movie goers. The collections for first week in Maharashtra are between Rs 1.6-1.8 crore," said Arun Rangachari, movie's producer Arun Rangachari. We would be again working with Mahesh only, he added. However, it is still not clear in which period the movie would be set in. For sure the sequel too would be bilingual (Marathi and Hindi), again shot simultaneously. It may be some another untold story related to Mumbai. Nothing has been finalised yet, he added. PTI