Red Alert-The War Within has the fantastic Suniel Shetty starring in the dramatic film. The film directed by Ananth Mahadevan also stars Sameera Reddy, Ayesha Dharker, Seema Biswas, Makrand Deshpande, Bhagyashree, Ashish Vidyarthi, Ehsaan Khan, Zakir Hussein, Suneel Sinha with Gulshan Grover, Naseeruddin Shah and Vinod Khanna. Recently Suniel spoke a bit about his character and working on the film.
About His Character & Role….
I’m playing a character named, Narsimha, a farm labourer, who along with his family, is struggling for living in his daily life. He desperately needs money to fund the education of his children. But due to adverse situations, he finds himself in Naxal group as a cook but a confrontation with the group leaders turns his life upside down. This puts him on a run both from law and the militants both. I have lived his thoughts and reactions throughout the film. I’ve played my character very simple & straight. I’m telling about life in the film. Deliberately, I tried not to do whatever I’ve done before. I changed my body language & dropped my shoulder as per the character. I was so much in the character that sometimes I even forgot to give the cues. I’m doing nothing in the film, surrounded by top class actors, at the same time I’m everywhere in the film as the central character.
About the Film & reason to do such kind of role….
It’s a very sensitive & issue based film. Although, it is a film based on naxalite movement in India, but it’s a global subject. It has shown a journey through a man’s view. The film tells that violence is not the solution. Brain, not the gun will bring your mind the peace. It has no glitz, no glamour, it’s a simple, honest & balanced film with excellent story. It’s the story of common man and Aruna Raje has written it. Only a woman can write such kind of sensitive issue, just like a father can take care of his child but he can’t be mother for his child. The film is not only about gun & blood, but also about the relationship, physical attraction and much more.
On the issue of Naxalism…
Naxals can’t be called terrorist. There is a very thin line between revolution & terrorism. As our Home Minister has said ‘we have threats from within, not from outside’, we have tried to say same thing that the Naxals should realize that today they are fighting against their own people. And ‘Violence doesn’t make sense’. The government should also realize what they are doing is right or wrong?
Experience while shooting in jungle…..
As I belong to South India, I was used to jungle and the language was never the problem for me. We were the happiest one inside the jungle due to its lower temperatures. But jungle also has it’s share of insects, leeches, thorns etc, although they are better to live with rather than to face bad people outside. I was required to crawl through thorny bushes, roll in muck and work from 6 am to 4 PM continuously for more than a month. So every other day I was having headaches. I hate doing fight scene in mud, sacks, but due to the script’s demand I did all these things without any body double.
Working with co-star Naseeruddin Shah, Vinod Khanna, Seema Biswas….
I was scared of these veterans around. At the same time, it was easy to play my character efficiently due to these fantastic characters around. Sincerity of everybody will be seen in the movie. I’m happy to be part of such a film that has star cast like this. My producer TP Aggarwal had given all of us complete freedom and full support. Rahul Aggarwal is my friend and he was always there on the sets with us. Ananth mahadevan is sensitive director and he dealt with each artiste in the most suitable manner. Everybody has done wonderful job.
On selection of film for ‘Strutgaurd Festival’, Germany…
It’s honor for us that our film is going to be premiered at Strutgaurd. Certainly, they must have liked our subject that’s why they have chosen this film. In fact it has gone into the competition section and is chosen as the closing film for the festival. That is the additional honor.
On the Audience & Critics reactions…..
The viewers want to see thought provoking films & I think it’ll have positive reaction. A Wednesday had no glamour but it spoke of the common man with fantastic story. Red Alert- The War Within is fantastic story told and narrated with style. For critics, it means critical view of cinema, just appreciate a film critically, but not critically rape a film.
We will keep you up to date on this film so check back at Bollyspice often!
