RGV sends out 'Jana Gana Mana Rann' music video copies to 500 MPs

A few days before the matter of Ram Gopal Varma's revisionist version of the national anthem goes to the Supreme Court, Ram Gopal Varma and his co-producers Madhu Mantena and Sheetal Talwar have prepared CD's of the their 'Jana Gana Mana Rann' music-video and sent them off to all the members of parliament in the country.

Explains Mantena, "We did this so that the people who lead the country would have a clear idea of what we've done. See, it's easy to believe hearsay, and fall for malicious attempts to prove that we've played around with the National Anthem. Protest in our country is always based on ignorance. We wanted to change that."

This week 500 CDs of the Rann anthem were sent off to the MPs. "This is not meant to influence the judiciary, only to ensure that no one gets the wrong picture," says Mantena.

The Rann publicity machinery claims the film will be released on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti. But the inside information is otherwise.

Says a source, "The October 2 release date was Ram Gopal Varma's attempt to be as defiant and politically incorrect as possible. We've not fixed a release date for Rann."

Ramu's battle over 'Rann' continues

Censor board refused to clear his new movie

The Supreme Court on Monday (May 25) asked noted film director Ram Gopal Varma to approach a tribunal set up under cinematogrophy laws to challenge the censor board's direction against showing the movie "Rann".

The censor board refused to clear "Rann" unless it removed a song that's a take-off on the national anthem. Varma has refused to remove the song.

A vacation bench of Justice V.S. Sirpurkar asked the tribunal to decide within a month Varma's application challenging the censor board's decision.

The bench also asked Varma to come to it after a month if he is not satisfied with the decision.

The Censor Board of Film Certification refused permission to air the controversial song. It said the national anthem was distorted in the movie.

Surya from Tamil Ghajini will play Vivek's nemesis in RGV's Rakta Charitra

This is turning out to be some frantic time at the Ram Gopal Varma office, what with an announcement a day being made, courtesy three of his films being at different stage of production - Agyaat, Rann and Rakta Charitra.

The latest piece of news that has made a sudden impact is that of an actor finally being finalized to play the role of Suri in Rakta Charitra. He is none other than Tamil superstar Surya who played the part of the lead protagonist in Ghajini much before Aamir Khan reprised the same role in the film's Hindi version. Making a mark with dozens of tattoo marks on his body years back, he created history with Ghajini before Aamir Khan took the film to an altogether different level.

Now Surya has been cast as Paritala Ravi's [Vivek Oberoi] nemesis in Rakta Charitra, one of the most ambitious ventures of Ram Gopal Varma in the recent times. This has come as a complete surprise since till about a fortnight back; Manoj Bajpai's name was floating around the industry circles. Even though Ramu had denied Manoj's inclusion by stating that it was not yet decided that who was going to play the part of Suri, he had re-emphasized the point that his character was very integral to Rakta Charitra, especially in the second part of the film (for the uninitiated, Rakta Charitra is a two part film that would be released in January and April 2010 respectively).

With Surya's name being confirmed for the said role, it dashes the hopes of countless Bollywood followers who were hoping for a casting coup of sorts by seeing Ramu make peace with both Vivek Oberoi and Manoj Bajpai in one go.

Says a source attached to the film, "This character is quite strong and Ramu was mighty impressed with what he saw of Surya in Ghajini and some other films that he has done. He felt that for a strong role like that of Suri, a stronger personality was the need of the hour. Also, bringing Vivek and Surya on the same platform is bound to make heads turn as their roles are such that their scenes together would get some high voltage drama on screen."

Though Surya was unavailable for comment, sources close to him state that he was just waiting for an opportunity like Rakta Charitra to come his way. "He was noticed by Hindi filmmakers after his Tamil Ghajini but came into quite some limelight once Aamir's version of the film released. Suddenly, Bollywood woke up to him and he was being approached with interesting offers. However, Ramu's offer turned out to be the most tempting of the lot and he grabbed it with both hands", he says.

Ramu can't be punished for distorting national anthem

Director Ram Gopal Varma has irked the censor board by tampering with the national anthem for the song "Jana gana mana rann hai" in his upcoming film "Rann" which stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Lawyers say there is no specific law to prevent people from doing so.

"There can't be anything disparaging on the national anthem or flag or any such property. One can't play around with these things. But sadly, no legal action against any person can be taken if he or she tampers with the anthem because there is no law for it," Lalit Bhasin, president of the Society of Indian Law Firms, told IANS.

According to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, a person could be charged with a criminal offence with regard to the national anthem only if he or she "intentionally prevents the singing of the Indian national anthem or causes disturbances to any assembly engaged in such singing".

Bhasin also said that nothing can be done to prevent Varma from using the anthem under the existing law.

Varma faced the ire of protesters and a ban on the song by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after he showcased the first look of "Rann" last week. But the filmmaker maintains it does not portray the national anthem in bad light.

"Through this song, we are talking about the (ongoing) disputes in the country but there were no intentions to ridicule anything. It's something I felt in my heart and it was my idea to place the song like this. It is based on the script of my film and I don't think there's any offence in it," Varma had said.

The promo, however, led to protesters burning effigies of Varma and Bachchan in Mumbai and Ranchi a few weeks ago.

A Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader, who was among the 100-odd protesters in Ranchi, had said: "We cannot tolerate twisting of the national song. It is dishonour of the national song and the country. We are planning to file public interest litigation in the Jharkhand High Court seeking banning of the movie."

But such acts of protest are futile, say lawyers.

"I don't see why justice is going to the roads. When there is no punishment for the act according to the law, nothing can be done about it. I have heard the song and there is no dishonour to the national anthem," said Supreme Court lawyer Pinki Anand.

"Freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right of every Indian citizen. And when there is no system of law against what the filmmaker has done, no amount of people taking to the roads and agitation can help," she added.

Jayant Bhushan, a senior advocate, echoed similar sentiments and said: "Freedom of speech is important. One shouldn't be too sensitive. I don't think the filmmaker has dented the national anthem by just changing a few lines. The dignity of the national anthem is not so fragile."

Varma is now moving Supreme Court after the censor board refused permission to air the song, said producer Madhu Mantena.

However, Lalit Bhasin said that the CBFC can ban either a part or the entire film "if its content is socially misgiving and creates unrest among people".

"But if the filmmakers are going to appeal to the court, only the judges will have the final say," he said.

Rann to release on Gandhi Jayanti

While it was confirmed last week itself that Ram Gopal Varma's much hyped and already in controversy Rann would be releasing in the month of October, the latest piece of news that has just come in is that 2nd October has been locked in as D-day for the film's release. Considering the fact that the film comes with a volatile theme and is expected to boast of a power house drama, a Gandhi Jayanti release is obviously not just a coincidence.

"The world knows that 2nd October was the day when the Father of the Nation was born. He taught the world the power of tolerance. Now on the same day, Rann will show the world something that will make them lose their faith in this blinded tolerance to each and everything", comes a very strong statement from an insider who wished to be unnamed.

With Rann already been in controversy due to it's theme track 'Jana Gana Rann', isn't it's 2nd October release adding fire to the fuel?

"To each his own", says the source, "Why don't we also look at the business angle of affairs. Any film would like to come over a long weekend and with 2nd October being a Friday (a National holiday), the film is already looking at an extended weekend. Which film won't want to arrive in such productive time frame?"

However, one can't deny the fact that by choosing 2nd October as D-day, Rann has made a smart move by making quite a few other films do a rethinking around their release strategy. With this Ram Gopal Varma film being one of the biggest to arrive this year, what with a power packed star cast spear headed by Amitabh Bachchan and well aided by others like Riteish Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal, Sudeep, Rajat Kapoor, Gul Panag, Neetu Chandra, Rajpal Yadav and Mohnish Behl, it is only bound to create ripples amongst other production houses that may be looking at bringing their film over the stated weekend.

Says a member of Rann, "The film has been shaping up exceedingly well and it will not just wake you but shock you. And please, it is not an out and out political drama per se, as is being speculated by a few out there. In fact that's just one part of it. Believe me, when you will walk out of the film, you won't want to move on to doing something else. Instead you will want to sit down and put your thinking cap on to retrospect on the drama that just unfolded."

Though Ram Gopal Varma was unavailable for comment, the know-how of the industry are quite sure that he won't miss the opportunity of bringing his topical Rann on 2nd October.

Rann - Wallpapers

Ramu to challenge censor board decision

Director Ram Gopal Varma and producers of his film "Rann", which stars Bachchan as a media baron, will to go to the Supreme Court to appeal against censor board's ruling to remove the song "Jana Gann Mana Rann hai" from the movie as well as the promos.

The censor board has objected to "Jana Gann Mana Rann hai" because it feels that the song violates the law governing the national anthem.

Varma and producers Madhu Mantena and Sheetal Talwar were supposed to go to the High Court on Wednesday (Mat 13) to fight the censor board's ruling. But Tuesday afternoon there was a change of plan. The "Rann" team has now decided to go straight to the apex court to challenge for what they think to be their fundamental right to expression.

"There has been a change of plan. We were earlier to go to the High Court. We're now moving into the Supreme Court because our lawyers Naik & Naik feel we've a very strong case," Mantena told IANS.

"The censor board has prevented us from using the song in the film and for the promotions. They've cited the rule that applies to national emblems and symbols, not the national anthem. So we feel that rule cannot be applicable to our song. As far as we know, the rule regarding the national anthem is that no one can be stopped from singing it."

Mantena and his co-producer Talwar have registered a civil case in the Mumbai High Court against the censor board's ruling. The "Rann" team is determined to fight it out to the last.

"We've time on our side. We're releasing 'Rann' in October," said Mantena confidently.

With "Rann" Varma is attempting to expose media industry. Apart from Amitabh, Riteish Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal, Gul Panag and Neetu Chandra form the cast of the movie.

Many feel Varma should have desisted from creating a controversial situation.

"When it's Mr. Bachchan, you've got to be very careful with what goes into his projects because there are political elements waiting to pick holes in what he does. It's an unnecessary burden on his over-burdened sense of commitment to his projects," said a filmmaker who's making a movie with the Big B.

Interestingly, Amitabh was supposed to sing a song in "Rann", but that's no longer happening.

Lyricist of 'Jana Gana Mana Rann' talks about why he wrote the song

It's the RGV controversy season yet again as this director loves to be hated. With much said and done about the controversial song depicting the Indian National Anthem in his recently launched song promo of Rann, the lyrics 'Jana Gana Mana Rann' have now come in the eyes of the censors. Now in a do or die situation, RGV fights his own battle in the Rann. Will one man, lyricist of 'Jana Gana Mana Rann', Sarim Momin come to the rescue of RGV and his Rann? Without losing focus on the media and politics, Ramu nails the adrenaline rush of breaking news and emphasizes the power of a medium being used to its potential. The director's strongest promo shows the calm before the storm, signifying the start of what will be a historic broadcast, or will it? Censors may apply their own politics to it, but they're missing the point. This is an incendiary attack on complacency but the Rann promo occupies a chapter of history when words spoken via television captured a national audience. It should raise the pulse and bubble the red blood of any audience members proud enough to call themselves Indians. As RGV has used the line - Truth is Terrible. Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent and UK's Harrow Observer columnist Devansh Patel brings you Sarim's take, who shares his views on the controversy and why he thinks the song should be dear to all the citizens of India in the following excerpt. Over to Sarim...

Sarim Momin:

"When I was writing this song, I wanted to capture the emotions of a situation in the film where the citizens of India are asked to wake up; To wake up and realize that we are not being fair to the country by letting anti-national powers flourish for their personal gains, that we are surrendering the very freedom that we fought for, that we are dividing the country when we should actually stand up united for it's progress.

Now, if we had used lines like "Jaag jao... Bharat ko bachaao' or 'Humari jaan Hindustan', maximum reaction would have been a yawn or a raise of an eyebrow. Or both, if somebody really liked it and were generous.

It would NOT have made people sit up and think about the current state.

Diverting from the song for a moment, the Election Commission started many campaigns this year to urge Indians to come out and vote yet the turnout was only around 50%. It's not like we don't care. It's just that we don't care enough to make an effort to even elect the best men to decide the future and fate of our country. We are comfortably numb and almost sleepy to what is happening to us.

And how do we wake up a person who is asleep? Do we sing lullaby to him? Or do we shrug him and shake him out of sleep?

As the script demanded it, with this song, the characters want to shrug and shake people out of their slumber; make them realize that India is wounded. It needs us, the citizens to come forward and help it. By now, we were clear that we wanted the song to be intense and hard-hitting; an eye-opener! Any 'Jaag jao... Bharat ko bachaao' wouldn't have served the purpose.

Since the film Rann is not about a battle fought on the borders of India but it is about the battle that all of us fight within ourselves, the words were meant to express "There is a battle in the minds of all people" and literally they translated into 'Jana Gann Mana Rann Hai'. This was the birth of this song.

Yes, there is a reference to the respected National Anthem of our country but this song is NOT our National Anthem, nor is it demeaning or insulting it in any way. While the National Anthem speaks about India and Victory, this song talks about the 'need' to achieve that victory by keeping India united today. In fact it reaffirms all the goodness that the National Anthem stands for. But at the end of the day, it is just a song by itself pertaining to the script and the scenes of the film.

How can you call it National Anthem when there are 100 different words used in it? (Yes I counted, 100 words!!)

Kindly go through the lyrics once and decide for yourself if there is any insult to India...
Kindly understand the intent before blindly judging the content...
Kindly ask yourself if you don't really want India to be free from all corruption, bloodshed and destruction...
Kindly be honest...

This song reinforces and urges citizens to respect India, its greatness and it's National Anthem.

If anyone thinks that it is a crime to ask Indians to stand up and help India be the glorious Country that it was, then I have only one thing to say...
"BHARAT KO BACHAA LE VIDHAATA"

I have done it for publicity: RGV

Ram Gopal Varma is upset. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), as was expected, has denied the filmmaker permission to air his song Jana Gana Mana Rann Hai in his forthcoming film Rann that is reportedly based on the national anthem.

Vijaya Chawak, secretary to CBFC chairperson Vinayak Azad, told media persons that the song violates guidelines 219 of Section 5B2 of the Cinematography Act and the lines Jana Gana Mana are a violation of the National Honour Act of 1971.

Azad, however, is travelling; and Rann co-producer Sheetal Talwar (with Madhu Mantena), who claims to be unaware of the CBFC order, is waiting for Azad’s return on Wednesday when they will get the official word on the fate of the song. But RGV has drained the bitter cup already. The controversial director is feeling persecuted. “The Rann song is not the national anthem. It’s just inspired by what the national anthem stands for,” he said in a chat with BT. “The national anthem has a completely different meaning. But, yes, the Rann song stands exactly for what the national anthem does today... and in consideration of what we are going through.”

He is furious that people are saying he knew the song would meet this consequence, and that he did all this for publicity. “Of course, I have done it for publicity,” RGV snapped. “Any material that goes out of a filmmaker’s office by way of interviews, audio-visuals, music pieces or anything else is to garner publicity for his film. I have made a film and I want as many people out there as possible to know that it will soon come to their theatres. I also want them to know what the film is going to be all about. I ask you, if I had known that this was going to happen, would I deliberately turn people off my film?”

According to the beleaguered director, with Rann he wants to bring people’s attention to the battle they are fighting with the powers-that-be of our so-called civilised society. “There has been no attempt to ridicule or demean or show the national anthem in a bad or comic light. It only seeks to draw attention of all concerned to the problems that the country has... like terrorism, poverty, riots, debt-ridden farmer suicides, rapes, murders, famine and flood, they have become mere symbols that are highlighted as conscious awakeners for vote banks,” said RGV.

Protesters burn effigies of Amitabh, Ramu

Activists of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) burnt effigies of director Ram Gopal Varma and Amitabh Bachchan in Ranchi for "dishonouring" the national anthem in their movie "Rann".

Hundreds of LJP members gathered around Albert Ekka roundabout in Ranchi on Saturday (May 9) morning and burnt effigies of Varma and Amitabh. They also shouted slogans against them.

Ram Gopal Varma has tinkered with the national anthem "Jana Gana Mana" in "Rann".

"We cannot tolerate twisting of the national song. It is dishonour of the national song and country. We are planning to file a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court seeking banning of the movie," said Jitendra Singh, an LJP leader who participated in the protest.

"We will not allow screening of the movie in Bihar and Jharkhand if the national song which has been twisted is not removed from the movie," he added.

Censors ban Ramu's anthem

Banned by the Censor Board, Ram Gopal Varma says his modified Jana Gana Mana retains the dignity of India's anthem.

The song is being used in the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Rann and contains lines like "Jana Gana Mana Rann Hai" and "Is Desh ne humko ek kiya, hum desh ki tukdey kar rahein hai" before the line "Dravid Utkal Banga."

It also has "Vindhya Himachal Yamuna Ganga" followed by "mein tezaab ubal raha hai." But Ramu says the song is alright and that "everyone can see the dignity with which it has been treated.

The Censor Board saw it differently and has held the song's release.

"The Censor Board reviewed the film's promo on Friday and decided to refuse permission under guideline 219 of Section 5 (b)2 of Cinematograph Act as well as Prevention of insult to National Honour Act 1971," Vijaya Chawak, secretary to the CBFC chairperson Sharmila Tagore said. She added that the anthem could not be modified in any way. Ramu's song also has the line "Bharat ko bacha le vidhaata!" instead of "Bharat bhagya vidhaata."

The plot of Rann revolves around a media tycoon who owns a television network (Big B) and his understudy played by Riteish Deshmukh. Ramu and Ritiesh had got into trouble when they accompanied Deshmukh's father Vilasrao to the Taj Mahal hotel after the November attacks. Dubbed 'terror tourism' Vilasrao lost his job because of ensuing coverage.

About Rann, the director said that the word means war and in the context of civil society large organized forces, like news channels, political parties and industrial czars, were involved in a fight with each other. "If dog bites man, it is not news. But if man bites dog, it is news. And if a cat bites a dog, it’s Breaking News," said Ramu. The sensationalism of news television is going to be the target of his movie.

But for now, the hard-hitting song that spearheads his message has been put in the freezer.

Jana Gana Mana issue is RGV's call: Big B

Amitabh Bachchan’s equation with the media in the overall course of his career could easily be used as anecdotal illustration for the phrase ‘love-hate relationship’.

In the days of a VCR being the only alternative in case you didn’t want to watch good old Doordarshan, for many years, he was a recluse, perhaps an angry recluse, who wouldn’t speak to any mass media if he could help it.

Today, irrespective of how he feels about something, is silence an option at all anymore for someone in his position? “Well, firstly, I don’t feel that there is any kind of ‘position’ that I have as such ... ” The trademark who-am-I-after-all style comes in rightaway. “The fact is that in the course of these years, the business of entertainment has also become the business of the media. The simple truth is that promotions, marketing, how films are publicised — all that has become very important. The time span of attention of the masses has become very, very small, and the media, therefore, has an important portion in the forming of impressions in that limited timespan. Previously, films used to run for 25 weeks, 50 weeks, 75 weeks ... ”

... .But now the days of golden and platinum jubilees are over? “Yes, they are clearly over. Now the first week is all that matters, sometimes! So we need to go with the times, and in these times, if, in order to promote our ventures, we are needed to increasingly interact and meet people, and the media, I don’t see what is wrong with it.”
He’s made the point in earlier interviews that — at least he feels so — the media has an agenda against him and his family. As he wears the cap of a media baron and lives that role, even if cinematically as of now, does he see things from a perspective that’s any different — does the ‘media’, if there is any such one collective entity, have agendas for or against people? “

It would be wrong for me to mix the two things. One is real, what my actual life is, while the other is a storyline, which is in the realm of fiction, it is someone’s creativity and imagination. And I don’t ever equate these. What I do in a film, what I play in terms of a character, is somebody else’s interpretation, somebody else’s writing. I just play what I am asked to, in order to execute that interpretation.” In other words, he doesn’t see things differently.
For someone who seems to diligently avoid courting controversy, he’s managed to have more than his fair share in recent times. When a movie he’s associated with sees the national anthem subject to creative reworking, isn’t he — willingly and deliberately — expecting to be in the eye of a storm again, this time? He’s quick to remind you that he’s just an actor and to place the responsibility for that where it lies — “That’s something that Ram Gopal Verma will have to deal with. It is his product, his idea, his interpretation. I would assume he has taken whatever precautions are required.”

But will the audience not count him in, by association, on this call? “I don’t think so. In this case, you will need to be more distinct, more pointed, before you make any accusations”.
Can we have his take on how, in retrospect, he sees the media’s handling of three things — the Abhiash wedding, his association with the SP and its leadership, and the campaign Raj Thackeray ran against him? “Hmmm... Well, it’s not really for me to pass judgment on the media. A wedding is a very personal affair, and we decided to do it in as personal a manner as possible. But the entire space of the world doesn’t belong to me. We can’t stop anyone, including the media, from coming and going where they wanted to, and we didn’t. But we did not feel that they needed to invade our personal space. As far as who I am friendly with and why I am friendly with, that is also my personal decision. If the media wishes to do anything or say anything about it, they are free to do so, but I will have the freedom to reject or deny if it is incorrect. The same is the manner with the MNS — it is a democratic country, if people feel strongly about an issue, they have the right to express their views, I have the right to present my side of the picture.”

Anyone looking at a politically incorrect quote from Mr Bachchan can go take a walk. Since that option wasn't there, we continued, and came to political issues instead. During earlier elections, hasn’t he been more upfront about talking about things and endorsing people and parties — maybe not directly in electoral terms, but definitely in terms of extending support and being physically present? Why’s he invisible this time around? Are there any pressures and compulsions? The denial is quick. “No, no, I don’t think that this is right concept, you’re equating things which aren’t really the same. I merely did a campaign because I was asked to do it, because it was Uttar Pradesh. If they had asked me, I would have done it this year as well. Why should there be any compulsions?”

So the MNS’ hostility hasn’t held him back from being more proactively seen supporting Amar/Mulayam and the SP this time around? “No, no, nothing like that. I am not interested in politics, I don’t do politics.”

But hasn’t he, in previous years, addressed large crowds gathered for ‘Blood donation camps'’across UP with Mulayam and Amar on stage, during campaign time? “Blood donation social work hai, political nahin. Social work toh abhi bhi chal raha hai, chaahe woh Maharashtra mein ho ya Uttar Pradesh mein.”

Right. So what’s the political philosophy of Amitabh Bachchan? “My philosophy is to be a good human being.” But surely, you can’t have no political point of view — you would have debates on the correctness of existing political agendas, even at home — after all, Jaya is a sitting MP? “Yes, of course we do, but I wouldn’t want to share those debates publicly.”
Just as you wouldn’t want to share whom you voted for, I guess. Did you step out to vote — the picture the country latched on to — because you believed you must, personally, or to play the role of the role model? “Voting it is my constitutional right, it is my democratic right, it is my birthright. I must exercise it. I voted because I must, and for no other reason.”But you won’t exercise the right to possibly join the political system at any point, even now? “I don’t know politics. I just can’t.”