Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has defended the open usage of slang and ‘gaalis’ (swear words) in films without any censorship.
Freedom in Expression
At the trailer launch of his upcoming movie O Romeo, Vishal shared his thoughts on why swearing should be retained in cinema, describing it as ‘poetry’ when used appropriately. He stated, “I feel that gaalis in movies shouldn’t be ‘beep, beep, beep.’ It should be said fully, exactly as it is meant to be spoken.”
Hypocrisy in Society
Vishal highlighted the hypocrisy surrounding language in society: “As a society, we are very hypocritical. We accept these abuses on the streets, but when they appear in cinema, we say that cinema is doing something wrong, that cinema is corrupting you, cinema will reform you. That’s not how it works. Cinema, according to me, is a mirror of society and it reflects exactly who you are!”
He further elaborated, “If today there is violence shown in cinema, then this violence exists in our society. And as for abuses, I think there is poetry even in abuses, if they are used properly. So go ahead and use them; there’s no problem.”
Convincing Farida Jalal
The director recounted how he persuaded the veteran actress Farida Jalal to use abusive language in O Romeo. He explained, “The first thing I told Farida ji was that there was a question of abusive language in the scene. She asked what it was and if it was very bad, and I said that whatever the language is, it is necessary for the character.”
He added, “The character of Shahid is someone the whole city fears, the underworld fears, but in front of his grandmother, he is powerless. She could have controlled him completely. That was the character, and Farida ji accepted it.”
Appreciation for Jalal’s Performance
Applauding Farida Jalal for her performance, Vishal mentioned, “She delivered the line with such intensity that it went viral. We made her wait a lot for the shoot, and it was very painful for her, but we are extremely thankful to her for being a part of this film.”
Strong Women in His Life
Recalling the strong women in his family, Vishal said, “As far as I remember from my childhood, I have seen the women in my family as very dominant and strong. I truly believe women are stronger than men. Men may be hot-tempered, but women are more calm and carefully handle everything. I have seen their strength closely. In Meerut, when boys from the locality would roam around at night, and if my aunt shouted at them, the whole group would run away. That is the strength I have seen in women from childhood.”
About O Romeo
Discussing O Romeo, which stars Shahid Kapoor and Tripti Dimri, Vishal stated, “The film’s name is O Romeo, and it is actually a love story, with a violent backdrop. It is an unrequited love story of this character, and is a strong love story.”
O Romeo is set to release on February 13.