Vidhu Vinod Chopra says his films are 'reflection of society'
What's the story
Acclaimed filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra recently opened up about how his movies, including the 1989 gangster drama Parinda and his latest, 12th Fail, are influenced by societal issues. Speaking at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), he said that his work is a response to "the times" he lives in. "I react to times; an artist is not independent of the times he lives in," Chopra said.
Societal reflection
Chopra offered examples of Shakespeare's and Van Gogh's art
Chopra said, "Shakespeare wrote what he wrote because he was doing plays there, and Van Gogh painted what he wanted to." "I'm a reflection of society. For an artist, the right thing is to represent what he's going through in his work." "Sanjay Dutt told me, 'You're the only one who uses paper and pencil to write scripts.' Now they just say...this is sold to Netflix, Amazon, this is sold to this profit." "They don't even write scripts anymore."
Film inspiration
'12th Fail' was a reaction to systemic corruption
Chopra revealed that his film 12th Fail was a response to the rampant corruption in society. "I'm personally sick and tired of the level of corruption. I'm sure everybody's trying to make sure that it kind of calms down a bit." "But '12th Fail' was my attempt at saying that, 'Let's be honest for a change.'" The film stars Vikrant Massey as Manoj Kumar Sharma, who defied poverty and educational setbacks to become an IPS officer.
Film legacy
Chopra's steadfastness in 'Parinda's controversial ending
Chopra also spoke about his 1989 film Parinda, which depicts the cycle of violence in the underworld. He revealed that distributors had offered him a large sum to change the film's ending, but he refused. "I can't do that because what I'm saying in the film is that violence begets violence," he said. The movie starred Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, and Madhuri Dixit-Nene.
Personal influence
Chopra also touched on his personal life
On a lighter note, Chopra credited his wife, film critic Anupama Chopra, for bringing a sense of "calmness" to his life. He humorously said, "When I made Parinda, I was a very violent man myself, I'm far less violent now." "Thanks to Anupama, who married me and stayed married for 30 years. She has calmed me down," he added.