'Cong made mountain of Sonia film'

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Keywords: Jagmohan Mundhra, Film

New York: Filmmaker Jagmohan Mundhra has been issued a legal notice to prevent him from making a film on Congress president Sonia Gandhi's life.

In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN, Mundhra said he was surprised by the legal notice that the Congress sent to him as the project was in the news for almost a year now.

"The book has been out for four years. It's been reprinted in Pakistan where General Pervez Musharraf released the book. Nothing was ever done. The timing of it was definitely surprising," he said.

Here are the excerpts from the interview in which Mundhra talked in details about what went wrong with his project. He also reveals his plans for a new film on the aftermath of the July 7, 2005 bombings in England.

Anirudh Bhattacharyya: What is the status of your film project on Congress president Sonia Gandhi's life?

Mundhra: It's not so much in my hands to go ahead with it. The producers of the film, who have the option, have taken the rights to the book on Sonia's life - which is an unauthorised biography by Rasheed Kidwai. They are going to sort it out with the Congress, which has given us the notice. Yes, the script is ready, four drafts, we have a possible cast, at least for playing Sonia. As soon as they give me the go ahead, yes, they have everything cleared up, I'll do it. I want to do it.

Anirudh Bhattacharyya: Were you surprised by the legal notice the Congress sent you?

Mundhra: I was very surprised because for almost a year, the project was in the news. It was announced by Patricia Hewitt at the JW Marriott in Bombay. There was so much speculation in the media on who was going to play Sonia - Preity Zinta, Aishwarya Rai, this, that. The book's been out for four years. It's been reprinted in Pakistan where Pervez Musharraf released the book. Nothing was ever done. The timing of it was definitely surprising.

Anirudh Bhattacharyya: One of the things they say is that Sonia Gandhi wasn't consulted on this. How do you respond to that?

Mundhra: She was not consulted primarily to protect her. If I actually went to her and asked her directly about making a film on her life and she said, "Yes", she would be open to criticism by the Opposition - she's condoning or maybe getting a propaganda film made on her life for whatever political reasons. That would not have been good for her and if she said, "No", then the media would question the fact what about freedom of expression in India. Just to protect her from either of these embarrassing accusations, I didn't approach her. Just as the book was written as an unauthorised biography, we could make an unauthorised biopic.

Anirudh Bhattacharyya:Another project that you've announced, which could be as controversial, is Shoot at Sight, about the post 7/7 bombings scenario in London. What exactly is the film going to be about?

Mundhra: Actually now we're calling it Shoot on Sight, that was the order given by Scotland Yard. This is the story of a very high ranking Muslim police officer in Scotland Yard, perhaps the token high-ranking police officer. The crisis of conscience he faces when he's put on the crossroads on taking a decision between faith and loyalty, love and duty. So it's a very dramatic story with the backdrop of today's England.