Aanand L Rai on 'trivialising mental disorder' in Atrangi Re: 'Laughter is only meant to take away the sting from tragedy'

Atrangi Re , your latest directorial, has opened to mixed responses. Critics are either loving it or hating it. How do you respond to that feedback?

As long as no one is indifferent to it, I am fine. When I set off to make this film, I was not thinking of how people would react. I never do. I cannot be tied down to expectations, mine or others. I have to do what I have to do. I had to make a film about this girl who cannot be forced to conform . For the  longest time, I wanted to do a film on the father-daughter theme. When my writer Himanshu Sharma came up with this idea, I knew I had to make this  film.

As Rinku, Isn’t Sara Ali Khan all over the place?

I wanted that uncontrollable personality. That’s why she  was cast. I must say it was a delightful experience  working with her, and with Akshay Kumar and Dhanush , who are quite easily among the best talent of Indian cinema.

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Did you know Rinku is Sara’s grandmother Sharmila Tagore ’s nickname?

I didn’t know. Sara told me during the shooting. She was very kicked about it.

Dhanush is brilliant. I suspect  you wrote his character as a Tamilian to accommodate Dhanush?

Enough of  looking out for him. In my next film, he will have to look out for me. Seriously, Dhanush is a marvel of nature. What he has brought to Atrangi Re is beyond anything I expected. As for Akshay, you know, like me, he doesn’t think about himself. He thinks only about the film.

Akshay’s is a small role. How did you get him to agree?

I didn’t have to convince him. He wanted to be part of Atrangi Re. I wanted a certain magic in the character he  played. Akshay has brought in that magic.

People are wondering how and why have you shown groom-kidnapping in Bihar in this day and age, when it has long been abolished?

But where have I said that my film is set in present times? My films never follow a timeline. In my film, the groom kidnapping and what follows, happens. This is the world I wanted to create with my writer Himanshu Sharma. You may have creative and historic quibbles with my world. But I think discussion is a healthy part of any creative endeavour.

I am glad people are talking about Atrangi Re, good or bad. I’d be worried if they had nothing to say.

The film addresses the very serious issue of schizophrenia. And yet, why is that word mentioned nowhere?

I know. I wanted it that way. If as you say it is schizophrenia then the people around her do not recognise it by  that name. Her grandmother, played by Seema Biswas, calls it madness. The characters in the film have probably never heard of schizophrenia. I wanted it to be that way.

The mental disorder, and the ensuing behaviour, make us laugh and cry at the same time. I have  never experienced anything like this.

Early, when I had just started shooting Atrangi, I showed some rushes to a friend who laughed and cried. He confessed he felt guilty about laughing at the mental disorder of a character. But the laughter is not meant to take  away from seriousness of the situation. It is meant to take away the sting from tragedy.

Many have accused you of trivialising a mental disorder? What is your response?

I am used to such accusations. When my Raanjhanaa was released, I was accused of legitimising stalking.

One critic has accused you of propagating incest in Atrangi Re?

(Laughs). It didn’t occur to me. Most critics here are not qualified to evaluate films. These things don’t bother me. I won’t stop making the films I want to. I won’t live in the fear of failure. For half my life, I was frightened. I am not going to be frightened as a filmmaker. I want to make the films that will be discussed long after I am gone.

In the end credits, you have paid your team members AR Rahman, Irshad Kaamil, (cinematographer) Pankaj Kumar, (editor) Hemal Kothari, and writer Himasnhu Sharma a tribute by designating Atrangi Re as their film? Why did you feel the need to do that?

This wasn’t a planned gimmick to impress the audience on how generous I am. I genuinely feel the film couldn’t have been made without them. Rahman sir’s music takes my film to another level. I told him I didn’t want single songs that would go up the charts. I wanted a soundtrack album, where the music and songs carry the story forward.

Any regrets about Atrangi Re not being able to release in movie theatres?

Of course, I wanted it released in theatres. That’s where Atrangi Re belongs. Having said that, I don’t think there was a choice in the matter. The OTT platform doesn’t diminish the impact of my film.

Atrangi Re is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based journalist. He has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out.