Suparn S Varma, director of the recently released film ‘Haq’, has come forward to defend fellow filmmaker Aditya Dhar.
Aditya has faced criticism due to the high level of violence depicted in the trailer for his upcoming movie ‘Dhurandhar’. Varma criticized the hypocrisy in the industry and among audiences, pointing out that they often shower praise on international films featuring similar gritty and violent sequences.
He highlighted the industry’s tendency to judge Indian films more harshly than foreign ones. With Aditya Dhar’s film set to hit theaters, Varma believes it’s time to end this bias.
In a detailed note on his Instagram Story, he expressed his astonishment at the discussions surrounding the violence in #Dhurandhar. He shared, “I’m just amazed by some of the chatter about the violence in #Dhurandhar the same viewers would have called it cinematic brilliance if this was in any other language or a Korean or Japanese film. It’s high time we started to celebrate Hindi cinema and its filmmakers with the same passion we celebrate all makers and films.”
He added, “Each filmmaker comes with his/her unique voice and identity and background. I have been left spellbound by the world and characters created by @adityadharfilms and his amazing team.”
Varma believes that the success of films like ‘Haq’ demonstrates that when we support our own storytellers with the same enthusiasm we reserve for global cinema, they can produce work that stands alongside the best.
Known for his political and intellectual awareness, he has previously discussed art’s political aspects. Varma stated, “I think every art serves a different purpose. When I say, ‘politics’, it is not related to just administration or the government per se.”
He elaborated on the concept of politics in various forms of art, citing that even comedy contains political elements. He mentioned iconic figures like Charlie Chaplin as examples of the politics of class divide. “Politics comes in comedy, Charlie Chaplin films are political. For instance, ‘The Tramp’ is the most political figure you will ever see, so it’s have and have nots,” he explained. He emphasized that where there is power, there is politics, which is present even in narratives surrounding family dynamics.
Meanwhile, ‘Haq’ has garnered a box office collection of INR 17.86 crore, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.