Prakash Jha's best-kept secret in his new film Chakravyuha exploring Maoist insurgency is out. Om Puri plays the real-life character of the controversial capitalist-turned-Maoist Kobad Ghandy.
Ghandy's fascinating journey from Malabar Hill to the Naxalite jungles of Karnataka has flummoxed fascinated and fired the imagination of generations of social scientists. At 63, Ghandy's saga remains to be in enigma of social protest and insurgency.
Apparently, unknown to anyone Om Puri deeply studied Kobad's life and career before playing the nature modeled on Kobad Ghandy, and came away deeply impressed.
Says a source just about the project, "Prakash Jha's original plan was to take elements from Kobad Ghandy's life and incorporate it into Om Puri's character. But Om got progressively drawn into Kobad Ghandy's life and teachings and urged Prakash to make his character as with reference to Kobad as possible."
Om who's currently in Canada is guarded but doesn't deny the parallels. "I WILL NOT deny that my character is comparable to Kobad Ghandi. I play a professor and an educationist who gives up a cushy life to become a Maoist."
At the chance of again offending his political detractors Om admits he's impressed and influenced by Kobad Ghandy's teachings. "I REALLY believe in what Kobad said in regards to the poor. Kobad said, 'I do not believe in a democracy that does not respect the poor.' I FEEL that. However, I DO NOT join the Maoists' technique of bringing social change. I DON'T BELIEVE blowing up railway tracks and damaging public property is the answer. Surely there needs to be a less violent means to lead to social change."
Om doesn't fear the backlash that he might need to stand for taking part in this kind of controversial character. "I ACTUALLY believe Maoists don't seem to be terrorists but rebels. In spite of this I play a personality within the film. And my very own beliefs are break away the characters that I FEEL. But when people see my voice speaking in unison with Kobad Ghandy about social equality then I DO NOT mind his ideology being attributed to me."
Prakash Jha was guarded in comparing Om Puri with Kobad Ghandy, "It's too risky to match characters in our films to real-life people. Someone somewhere is sure to get angry. So let's just say individuals are free to read similarities between Om's character and the gentleman you've mentioned."
