Thaindian News

Mumbai, July 2 (IANS) Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan is so impressed with first-time director Anusha Rizvi, who wielded the megaphone for his forthcoming production “Peepli Live”, that he claims she will give complex to many established directors.
“Not only she has written a great script, I was shocked to see how beautifully she has made the film. It’s a very complicated story with many layers and bringing it to the celluloid was a very difficult job,” said Aamir.

“I was a bit apprehensive about how she has made the film, as it’s her first film. Hats off to her. She is really talented. She isn’t a trained filmmaker, neither she has been assistant to any director, yet she has done a marvellous job and I think she will give complex to many established directors,” he added.

He maintains Anusha, a former journalist, shows her experiences in narrating the story in “Peepli Live”.

“When I heard the story about four years ago, I realised she is highly talented. Being a journalist, you travel to different places, meet different people, so I think it’s her collection of experiences. And being a sensible person she has been able to form a story about a very sensitive issue India is facing. We are narrating the story in a very humorous way, but we are saying something very important,” said Aamir.

“Peepli Live” is a satire on the society. It revolves around two impoverished farmers Natha (Omkar Das Manikpuri) and Budhia (Raghubir Yadav) who live in a village called Peepli. They are about to lose their land due to debts. An incompetent politician suggests they commit suicide to get government help. The news spreads and media gets involved in it and they turn Natha into a celebrity.

“Anusha has written a fantastic script, but her approach is not negative. It’s satirical but not judgemental. She doesn’t try to point out what is right and what is wrong. She tries to show what is happening. Be it media, politics, administration or civil society, she is not deciding on what’s right or wrong. I think that’s a very positive attitude,” said Aamir.

“Peepli Live” is the fourth film from Aamir Khan Productions Ltd after “Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India” (2001), “Taare Zameen Par”(2007) and “Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na”(2008).

Asked if he was involved in the making of the film or otherwise, he said: “As a producer I don’t get involved in certain stages, one of them is shooting. I get involved in the preparation, I get involved in promotion and release planning. I also get involved in post-production to a certain extent.

“I don’t involve myself much because I trust the director and the reason I am working with this director is that I trust her. I would like the director to show what he or she feels through the film. That’s important to me.”