Mumbai: While the nation gears up to choose its next Prime Minister through the Lok Sabha elections that are just around the corner, producer Atul Agnihotri has held up a mirror against the citizens of India in general and politicians in particular in the form of his film O Teri featuring Pulkit Samrat, Bilal Amrohi, Sarah Jane Dias, Anupam Kher, Mandira Bedi and Salman Khan in the title track.
Naturally, the promos of the film which blatantly pointed at a massive scam that was exposed a few years ago caught the attention of political parties and raised their curiosity towards the film. After flooding Agnihotri with phone calls demanding to know details about the film, some went a step ahead and landed at the cinemas to catch the first show on Friday to ensure that the film didn’t damage their chances in the polls.
Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi said, “When a leader of the youth wing of a national political party landed up at one of our cinemas with a dozen of his supporters and demanded to watch the film, we were a bit hesitant about giving in. There have been a few unpleasant incidents in the past that resulted in films getting banned or prevented from being released without any hassles at the cinemas.”
But surprisingly for Rathi, when the film came to an end, these guys walked out happy and satisfied, raising slogans against corruption. “What’s interesting is the way this triggered off an impromptu mini rally with others from the audience joining in with the slogans and heading for the streets shouting Vande Mataram in cue with the climax of the film,” adds the surprised exhibitor.
Producer Atul Agnihotri reacted, “Our effort has been to make an entertainer with a relevant message and not to make a statement or target anyone, but it’s nice to know that the film evokes a patriotic feeling for viewers.”