MUMBAI: Shlok Sharma completed his debut feature “Haraamkhor” within 16 days, but the film was delayed for almost four years and got stuck at the Censor board, something which the director says was indeed frustrating.
The film chronicles a relationship between a 14-year-old girl (Shweta Tripathi) and her tuition teacher, played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, in a small town.
The Examining Committee of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had declined to pass the movie citing that the theme of the movie was “unacceptable.”
The Tribunal, however, cleared the film which is now scheduled to release on January 13.
“Yes it was very frustrating. That period was difficult. The board talks about cuts rather than certify. There should be a change because audience is smart enough to understand what they want or don’t want to see,” Shlok told PTI.
“Yes, do certify films but don’t cut the film. When we reached there they said they don’t like the topic so we will ban it. Its not even that the film has any provocative scenes. So it was really silly to do that.”
Shlok says the reason a delay is bad is because it gives an impression that “the film doesn’t have any merit to run on the big screen.”
“You do feel bad when it’s getting delayed. So many people associate with you, have trusted you. But we were always their with the film. Cutting promos, shooting posters, keeping the energy up.”
Shlok, 31, has previously worked as an assistant director with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj and Anurag Kashyap.
The idea of the film struck him after reading a news about a teacher’s affair with his student, and when he saw the footage of the duo were being beaten up.
“We judge people too easily. ‘It must be the man’s fault, or the girl is like that, she must’ve done something.’ Through the film, I’ve just tried to show the point of view of a young girl. What’s her upbringing, family like, what happens at her home. May be she doesn’t have the knowledge of the repercussions of her act.”
For the role of the teacher, he approached Nawazuddin while working as a second unit director in “Gangs of Wasseypur”.
“I had trust of Anurag sir, and the same trust was there in Nawaz bhai. I just narrated him the story on phone and he said ‘so when do we it?’ We finished the film in 16 days and it was absolutely wonderful.” (AGENCIES)
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