Katrina was the only one who could play the role of Indu in Rajneeti, her role is loosely inspired by Draupadi.        - Prakash Jha

Finalizing the distribution details and planning the next promotional move in his office, Bollywood’s prolific helmer Prakash Jha who has carved his niche with intense political potboilers like ‘Gangajal’ and ‘Aprahan’, shares his politics of ‘Raajneeti’ with Jyothi Venkatesh over a cup of tea.

Excerpts:

Q: What is the reason that you have made very few films in your career?
A: I confess that I have not made films as frequently as I think I should have. There are various reasons for it. One of them is that I have been busy dabbling in politics and hence could not devote time to films. I also have my other social commitments. I am also busy with my own channel

Q: What is Katrina exactly playing in the film?
A: Katrina Kaif is not playing the role of Sonia Gandhi. The role that she is playing in my film is loosely inspired by Draupadi.

Everything that you set out to create as a writer has to come from somewhere. As the old dictum goes, nothing can be created and nothing can be destroyed. My film has got nothing to do with Sonia Gandhiji. On the contrary, the characters in Rajneeti are inspired by the characters from the epic Mahabharat.
 
Q: How did you achieve the casting coup in Rajneeti?
A: People say that I have done a casting coup as far as Rajneeti is concerned. All the actors in Rajneeti, whether it is Nana Patekar or Naseeruddin Shah, Ajay Devgn or Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif or Ranbir Kapoor or for that matter Manoj Bajpai suited the roles and fitted the characters that I had envisaged for them. I am fortunate that they like to work with me. For me the story is above everything even above me. I do not cast an actor just because I like him or her. I had seen Katrina Kaif only in Welcome, because Nana Patekar had shown the film to me. Katrina was the only one who could play the role of Indu in Rajneeti. Ranbir Kapoor is one actor who is very secure and confident

Q: What is your secret mantra to extract performances out of your actors?
A: As a filmmaker, I try to communicate with my actors and let them do what they want to do. I need to make sure that everyone understands what I see. My job is not to let them drift but keep them there within the graph of the characters that they play. I just concentrate on the work on the sets. It is my job to inspire my actors. There are as many as seventeen departments of filmmaking. Why should I be stern?
 
Q: How did you patch up with Nana Patekar?
A: By talking to one another we patched up. Somewhere misunderstanding crops up between two friends. Nana has done a wonderful job. It is not true that I kept him away from the promotions. If he did not interact with the media, it is because he chose not to. Nana has expressed his desire to direct a film for me. If his script is ready, I will be only too glad to go ahead and make a film with him.

Q: Has your approach as a director changed over the years from Damul to Rajneeti?
A: I do not think that my approach as a director has improved over the years, though let me reiterate that it has not changed from the time I made my debut as a filmmaker with Damul. For me, every day is a fresh day. I think I am the same guy who had earlier made films like Damul and Hip Hip Hurray. You grow as a director in the sense you keep on simplifying your narrative. I would say that it is a continuous process of learning for me as a filmmaker. I am always excited to go to the shooting and do as much as possible
 
Q: What next?
A: My next film as a producer- Turning 30 is an interesting film on coming of age. My associate director Alankrita Srivastav has written and directed the film which is about the dilemma and pressures of a woman when she turns 30. I am now planning to launch Aarakshan with Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Manoj Bajpai. It is about reservation of opportunities. As a maker I only present a problem as it exists in my films and do not believe in showing solutions to the problems.