Prakash Jha Says Aashram 2 Is About Fraud Godmen & People Who Offer Themselves For Exploitation

When Prakash Jha is associated with a project, expect it to be based on social and political topics. He has made some remarkable Bollywood films like Aarakshan, Rajneeti, Gangaajal and many more. And now he has tried his hands on web series and it¡¯s based on the story of fake Godmen and Babas who exploit people and he is bang on. People are loving the web series and enjoying Bobby Deol¡¯s work in it too.

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Indiatimes got candid with filmmaker Prakash Jha and spoke about his agenda on making such films, and controversies around Aashram 2 and casting Bobby Deol in the lead role.

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The kind of character which was required, Bobby had all the qualities.

To begin with, we asked Prakash Jha how he saw a Godman in Bobby Deol, as the web series has almost revived his career, to which the director said, ¡°The kind of character which was required, Bobby had all the qualities. When the first time you see this character you immediately believe in him. Woh saada, achcha aur badiya aadmi dikhe aur lage ki ye jo keh raha hai sach keh raha hai(He looks like a good human being and makes us a believe that whatever he says is true. And Bobby had this quality, he is a good actor and he has a good screen presence also.¡±

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Aashram 2 clearly shows the false Babas who are actually exploiting under the garb of being religious.

The web series stirred a lot of controversy and the objections were made by all the Godmen and their followers. Talking about the controversy Prakash Jha said,

"When you pick a topic on public domain and create something which can have different views then you are always prepared that there will be people who will support and some who will have apprehension but in Aashram, look at the number of people who probably have apprehension and the number of people who have loved it and seen it. Again Aashram 2 is coming which clearly shows the false Babas who are actually exploiting under the garb of being religious. And who makes them babas? People. It is not the story of only babas but the story of common people who offer themselves for exploitation.¡±

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Adding further, Jha says, ¡°Our religion is our legacy, and it is something that show us a right way, there are lots of saints who do their taapsyaas in mountains for years and when you go to them, you feel exhilarated. You feel enlightened. But they don¡¯t create this glamour world of shop and packages.¡±

We work as a responsible creative team; we aren¡¯t here to hurt anyone¡¯s sentiments

When asked Prakash Jha if he fears picking up such topics that can bring threat to his life and he says, ¡°The negativity is always before the film is released, once the film is released everybody is happy, there was apprehensions before the part one of Aashram released from Punjab side, but the moment it released nobody had a problem with it, because you need to see what has been made first. Not an iota has a reference to any religion. Because these babas are not religious, they are actually hoax. So the second part also doesn¡¯t have religion as these Babas cannot talk about religion. When I made Aarakshan there was so much of controversy around. It was banned everywhere, we were attacked in our offices, they broke glasses of my office, and when the film released, same people got bouquets for us. We work as a responsible creative team; we aren¡¯t here to hurt anyone¡¯s sentiments.¡±

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My agenda is simple, to tell a good story that can engage you, entertain you and move you

Talking about the agenda behind making films, Jha says, ¡°My simple agenda is to tell a good story that can engage you, entertain you and move you and when it reaches to audiences and I get good reaction then my job is done.¡±

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Have you seen Aashram 2 yet?