JAG MUNDHRA TALKS ABOUT "PROVOKED"

"My trilogy ends with PROVOKED,” declares the director who gave us beautiful meaningful movies like KAMLA and BAWANDAR. The man, who was more known for his erotic movies suddenly shot to recognition with BAWANDAR bagging many awards worldwide and when Jag Mundhra looks back, confesses, “Making an erotic movies is not an easy art, however, it is sad that, various people can perceive such movies as mere soft porn. I am proud of making all those movies and it is a genre that everyone cannot master it as an art!” Ready with his already much talked about PROVOKED, Jag Mundhra is looking ahead to shake the world all over with Aishwarya Rai playing the lead role of Karanjit Ahluwalia (yet to release in India).

He recalls, “When I met Aishwarya Rai, she was a bit apprehensive to act in my movies and there were many who were instigating her not to work with me. Well, that is the kind of admiration (laughs) and reputation I have in the industry. However, it was during the making of KHAKEE when Ash got injured, she caught up with my movie BAWANDAR on TV and changed her mind. She has been a wonderful support and not even for a minute did she acted as if she was a very big star. No wonder, she is known worldwide today and this has certainly made PROVOKED the most talked about movie.” So does he feel that the industry has changed to look him in a new dimension and perspective? “Definitely!” He exclaims and continues, “KAMLA was a new leaf in my career and I make movies with topics that touches me creatively. I have made money in Hollywood with movies like THIRD EYE, TROPICAL HEAT and dozen more but sadly enough with KAMLA and BAWANDAR I really couldn’t make much money. However, with BAWANDAR, I reached a new high as a filmmaker and every heroine wished to work with me. I do feel vindicated in many ways after being critically acclaimed worldwide with BAWANDAR (smiles).”

Jag Mundhra discloses, “I must confess that L Daniel & Associates, who handles Aishwarya Rai and is my producer as well, played a major role for the film to get such a big canvass. This is one reason why they premiered the movie at CANNES. PROVOKED is my 29th film in my career span of two and half decades. I am upbeat, anxious and very curious to see how the world will react to the touching, grit, determination and vindication saga of the Indian woman Karanjit Ahluwalia.”

PROVOKED is the story of the Indian woman, who was convicted for killing her husband for domestic violence. How she empowers herself with the help of other women in jail and how she stands vindicated at the end, is what PROVOKED is all about. Jag Mundhra enthuses, “It is the story of innocence and being naïve when Karanjit is smitten by her London based husband. After the initial love and admiration for her beautiful wife, his insecurity gets to him and there begins the travail of the lady. The domestic violence carries on for a while until Karanjit can take no more and finally kills her husband. The story starts from here actually, when she is jailed. How the cause shakes the powerful government and law and how she is freed at last. PROVOKED is a multi-layered story, having social stigma attached to it, which is the bitter truth (domestic violence) of the world all over. Imagine a woman feels freedom only when she is jailed? There is the beautiful line in the film when Aishwarya says coming to the prison – ‘How beautiful it feels to be free?’ Now this is something very touching and gruesome too in a lot of extent.”

Nandita Das has become a favourite with him. How did he manage to convince Nandita to play the second fiddle in the film? Honestly he confesses, “Nandita is a dear friend ever since we have worked in BAWANDAR. She was a bit apprehensive initially to play the role of the social activist. I had to convince her that even though it is Aishwarya’s film from the word go, the social activist plays an important part in Karanjit’s life. Everyone will be surprised to see Nandita with a new trendy look, drinking and smoking in the film. Her character is not a spoilt one but deep down she is good at heart and she lives her life the way she feels is correct. Nandita as usual loves to surprise and PROVOKED will see her in a new light.”

While the whole world thinks that Jag Mundhra is ready with PROVOKED after BAWANDAR, he surprises you and concludes, “I was down for two long years for various reasons but you will be surprised to know that in the last two years I have made three movies BACK WATERS (thriller set in Kerala), NATASHA (thriller set in Romania & UK) and PRIVATE MOMENTS (UK based). All the time I am busy developing various scripts and meeting prospective producers and luckily I have never run shortage of my producers. Life over the years have taught beautiful things to me and I am sure PROVOKED will open eyes of one and all worldwide!”

Johnny D