Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar’s new thriller Lucknow Central will champion the cause of convicts who can be re-integrated into mainstream society. But it isn’t an agenda-driven film, claims Akhtar.
“Lucknow Central is all heart… Yes, there’s a jail break; yes, it’s about a group of prisoners; but it’s a film that reminds you that there will bad times and good times in life. It’s important to remember that it’s good to hold on to things that are dear to you,” said Akhtar in an interview with Gulf News tabloid! over the phone.
Akhtar plays small-towner Kishen Mohan Girhotra from Uttar Pradesh who is charged with murder and is awaiting his trial, which may end in death penalty. His ambition, before he got embroiled in a crime, was to become a musician who has his own “orchestra” but circumstances worked against him.
Enter activist and NGO worker Gayatri Kashyap (played by Diana Penty) whose aim is to reform criminals and provide them with life skills that give them a better chance at survival when they complete their sentences.
Penty wasn’t always sensitive towards the importance of rehabilitation of criminals, but this movie urged the former model, who has acted in hits including Cocktail, to consider that grim scenario.
UAE cinema listings: September 14 - 20
“When we were shooting for the film, director Ranjit Tiwari had already done a lot of research. He found that the majority of criminals in jails are one-time offenders. They did crimes at the spur of the moment and when asked if they could go back in time, they all said that would never have committed that violent act,” said Penty, adding that these one-time offenders are seeking a second chance.
“Having said that, I am not speaking about hardened criminals... The one-time offenders, in that research, showed that they want to change and better themselves,” said Penty. She stands out in this mostly-male thriller. But Akhtar and Penty believe that her role as an activist ties the film together. She’s that proverbial catalyst required to move the story along.
“Gayathri has a lot of integrity … This is a role with incredible strength... But it’s true that she has to deal with jail authorities who are men and prisoners who are men in her line of work. But it was good to play a strong woman role,” said Penty.
Akhtar believes that this isn’t a testosterone-charged caper that glorifies prisoners. “She’s constantly responsible for unfolding the screenplay... That thrill element of the prison break and her noble intent to give prisoners a second chance in life is well brought out here,” he said.
Filming of Lucknow Central wasn’t an easy affair. An elaborate set, resembling a prison, was constructed in Mumbai’s Film City. Stripped off all creature comforts, all actors dug deep into their roles.
“The job of actors is to put themselves in places where they could never imagine and do whatever it takes to make it look convincing. As an actor, I am most excited about doing different kind of roles that require me to break out of my comfort zone... Here we have a sensitive issue talking about a topic that’s rarely spoken about,” said Akhtar.
Lucknow Central’s release clashes with Kangana Ranaut’s Simran, which has been in the spotlight due to its actress’ explosive interviews about her personal life. So does the player of Lucknow Central feel like the underdog?
“It’s OK to be called the underdog. What matters is that we are invested in this film and audience members have a certain expectation from our film after watching the trailers. The audiences have recognised the value of our film early,” said Akhtar.
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Lucknow Central is out in the UAE now.
