PremiumBastar director Sudipto Sen reacts to criticism against his movies, reveals critic reviewed his film without even watching
Filmmaker Sudipto Sen opened up about his latest release Bastar: The Naxal Story, the inspiration for the movie, and the controversies, circling around his projects.
Bastar: The Naxal Story director Sudipto Sen
Last Updated: 05.39 PM, Mar 18, 2024
Sudipto Sen’s latest directorial venture, Bastar: The Naxal Story, which released on Friday, has been facing flak for its political undertones. The allegations are similar to the ones faced by his previous blockbuster, The Kerala Story, which was accused of being a propaganda film. Recently, Sudipto revealed that some movie critics didn't even watch his film but were quick to judge.
During a recent conversation, Sudipto revealed that one of the critics confessed to reviewing The Kerala Story without even watching it. However, he remained undisturbed by such remarks and even advised some protestors to watch his film before opposing them.
Sudipto Sen reacts to those opposing his films
Sudipto Sen scripted a success tale in 2023 after his film The Kerala Story surpassed expectations and emerged victorious with over Rs 300-crore BO collection. A year later, he is back with another real-life-inspired film, Bastar: The Naxal Story, which delves into Maoist insurgency and Naxalism.
In a recent conversation, filmmaker Sudipto Sen opened up about his latest release Bastar, the inspiration for the movie, and the controversies, circling around his projects. Interestingly, both films feature Adah Sharma in lead roles.
While sharing his response to critics and their protest, the filmmaker recalled an incident during last year’s IFFI event in Goa as he was walking the red carpet. Sudipto remembered seeing some young boys holding placards to oppose his film (The Kerala Story) and he asked them if they watched the film.
“I asked them if they watched it and they said no. I told them to watch the screening and then make their mind up. But they refused to watch because they said they were told the film is propaganda,” Sudipto Sen told DNA.
What served as Bastar: The Naxal Story’s inspiration
Bastar: The Naxal Story premiered on March 15 but is facing a box office slump with only earning Rs 2 crore on Day 1, which is far less than his previous successful film. Sen called the film closer to himself as he could relate to it personally as he was born in 1968 and hails from a place near West Bengal. He further revealed witnessing the movement’s evolution from one state to another with time, like from north Bengal to Bihar, followed by Jharkhand and the South.