Writer-Director Neeraj Pandey talks about his recent release A WEDNESDAY in an e-mail interview conducted by HemRaj Singh
Q.1. Naseer’s character is a way too competent, sophisticated and sharp for his projected setting. A common man does not have the competence to put together a bomb despite all the information available. To design a software program to deal with multiple SIMs to generate multiple-location calls is not a child’s play. And the movie doesn’t put Naseer’s character against a plausible background either. So characterization seems to be a weakness. Your comments?
I beg to differ. A common man does have the competence. we are capable of some very uncommon things.
Q.2. Similarly, Indian police in the movie appears to be as efficient as the Hollywood FBI. And with Hollywood FBI itself being a flattering exaggeration of the real FBI, the police in ‘A Wednesday’ appear thrice removed from their real versions. Portrayal of Naseer’s character and Indian police suggests that you took ‘suspension of disbelief’ a little too far. Comment?
It is a movie. The essence of the film lies in Naseer’s monologue.
” ‘Suspension of disbelief’ “- Really ?
Q.3. The movie suggests strong-arm methods to deal with terrorism. Do you think terrorism could not be uprooted because enough force was not applied?
Absolutely.
Q.4. Do you see terror
ism as a criminal-justice issue, as the movie seems to suggest?
Yes.
Q.5. Do you feel a harder clampdown on terrorism would help?
Yes.
Q.6. Is eliminating terrorists without holding trials part of your solution?
No.
Q.7. Who is your ‘common man’? Isn’t the ‘common man’ in ‘A Wednesday’ essentially a Hindu?
No. I do not know the man’s religion.
Q.8. Fear is the central theme of the movie. Are terrorists fear or do they themselves fear, which is why they are terrorists?
Won’t know.
Q.9. Do you think we need stricter laws to deal with terrorism?
Yes.
Q.11. Do you think police should be vested with better and wider powers and discretion to deal with terrorists?
Absolutely.
Q.12. Do you think the process of law helps the terrorists get away?
Sometimes.
Q.13. Do you think it’s time for us to enact an anti-terrorism law like TADA and POTA?
Sorry. I dont know these laws in full detail hence it would be wrong to comment.
Q.14. Do you see a marked difference between international terrorism and its Indian version?
I didn’t know they came in two versions.
Published in LAWYERS UPDATE (October 2008 issue) with the review (Legal Scanner ) of the movie in question. Reproduced as published.
This is one of the very few (not more than a couple or so) interviews that Neeraj Pandey gave to the media after the release of ‘A Wednesday’ despite all the hype about the movie.
