'I am a chronicler of my times'
Updated On: 14 August, 2019 08:46 AM IST | Shunashir Sen
Filmmaker Saeed Mirza gets candid ahead of a screening of his 1995 film, Naseem, about the impression of the Babri riots on a school girl
Saeed Mirza
You note this down. There is an ex-President who gets a Bharat Ratna. His name is Pranab Mukherjee. But are you aware that he's a very close friend of the Ambanis? I find these sort of connections playing out across the board. And my point is that people who play a certain kind of role get the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna. It's a lovely game. But will you put this down in your paper?" eminent filmmaker Saeed Mirza asks us ahead of a screening of his film, Naseem, in the city.
We tell him that, yes, we will with his permission, when he replies, "Please do, my friend. I've got no skeletons in my closet." This candour that Mirza displays over a phone call reveals him to be a man who doesn't mince his words.That is in keeping with the cult movies like Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho and Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro he made, which painted a warts-and-all picture of Indian society across the ages. Take Naseem, too, as an example. The film was made in 1995, in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid being razed, and deals with how a 15-year-old girl and her grandfather come to terms with the world around them crumbling to pieces ahead of the incident. But would it be possible to make a similar film in today's day and age?
"I don't know. This is conjecture, but I don't think it would be made now. I, in fact, wonder if something can be made that honestly portrays what this Article 370 and 35A are really all about, and what the repercussions will be. It's really difficult to say these things," Mirza says, before we ask him about the National Film Awards, which he received for directing Naseem in 1996. Does he feel that the integrity and stature of the awards have remained intact as things stand?
He says, "It's difficult to explain. But I feel that the rigour that was involved in earlier times has lapsed a little. You can't take away from people who win a National Award, but it has lapsed. And you find at times that maybe people are being given awards for favours. Again, I don't know. But you do see connections, rather than genuine artistic excellence. So you start questioning these things."
ADVERTISEMENT
Poll
Who will win the Punjab Elections?
On: August 18, 3.30 pm to 6.30 pm
At: The Habitat — Comdy and Music Cafe, first floor, OYO Townhouse, 3rd Road, Ram Krishna Nagar, near Khar railway station, Khar West.
Call: 9833358490
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Trending Stories
Latest Web Stories
Latest Photos
17 December, 2025 11:56 AM IST | IN PHOTOS: MLAs at Vidhan Bhavan during Maharashtra Legislative Council polls
Asif Ali Sayed
09 September, 2024 09:32 PM IST | IN PHOTOS: People in Mumbai celebrate Gauri Puja during Ganeshotsav
Asif Ali Sayed
09 September, 2024 09:13 PM IST | IN PHOTOS: Mumbai witnesses sunny weather as rains take a break
Asif Ali Sayed
09 September, 2024 01:53 PM IST | In Photos: Amit Shah attends Ganeshotsav 2024 festivities in Mumbai
Divya Nair
Latest Videos
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest Headlines
14 July, 2026 04:05 PM IST | mid-day online correspondent
14 July, 2026 11:32 AM IST | Bespoke Stories
10 July, 2026 02:40 PM IST | Makepeace Sitlhou