'Godse', starring Satyadev Kancharana in the role of a vigilante, hits the cinemas on June 17. In this interview, director Gopi Ganesh Pattabhi talks about the film's subject, why he thinks the film is thought-provoking, the performances by Satyadev Kancharana and Aishwarya Lekshmi, and more.
I wrote the story keeping Pawan Kalyan sir in mind. I didn't get to narrate the story to him. But I sincerely hope he watches 'Godse' in the future.
During my youth, I used to be inspired by T Krishna's movies. I am also influenced by the movies of the likes of Mani Ratnam.
My Godse and Nathuram Godse have zero similarities. The hero (Satyadev) participates in a stage play while in Intermediate. There, he plays Nathuram Godse and refuses to shoot Mahatma Gandhi with a toy gun. What makes such a sensitive guy who refuses to shoot Gandhi in a play wield the real gun and call himself Godse?
Our movie deals with a burning issue. A survey once found that about 93% of people in our country are doing jobs that have nothing to do with their educational qualifications. Why is the system like this? 'Godse' tries to pose and decipher questions of this sort. In my circle, I have found highly-qualified people in their late 20s not doing any job and still continuing to pursue higher studies or courses. We feel so sad when even 1 hour of time gets wasted. What about years and years of education going waste with no relevance to our lives? We are not taking this issue seriously. Politicians make false promises about job creation before elections. But nothing worthwhile comes off once they come to power. People migrate to other places, sometimes out of State, in search of livelihood opportunities. 'Godse' raises these questions.
I started by thinking of a get-together event and what follows next. I have been inspired by movies such as 'Oke Okkadu' and 'Aparichitudu'. An incident triggers a series of explosive events in 'Godse'. It touches upon issues that affect us all. It's not about one or two individual(s). The film speaks for us collectively. The issues 'Godse' deals with are relatable. It also delves into the workings of the political system.
If the system has no mechanism to absorb a majority of the educated people in deserving jobs, what kind of a system is it? In my personal opinion, issues like caste-based quota are irrelevant to the issue. You first need to have a mechanism in place to absorb the qualified in the right sort of jobs. 'Godse' is not about the education system but what happens post education.
Every commoner will see his reflections in Godse, the protagonist. There is a long single-take scene for which the response in theaters is going to be huge. I am eagerly waiting to witness the audience's reactions to it.
Some people allege that films have a negative influence on impressionable ones. If that is so, the opposite too must be true. If something positive is shown in a film, shouldn't it lead to good? Films have to trigger discussions on issues that concern society. 'Godse' represents a lot of us when he raises high-voltage questions. He voices the angst of the majority of us.
While writing the script, I sat down with Jayaprakash Narayanan (of Lok Satta) for two hours to learn his insights.
Aishwarya Lekshmi has played a powerful role. She is a strong woman who is a balancing force against the male protagonist. I considered a lot of actresses but I wanted someone who looks the part of a strong-willed cop. I strongly believe that she will earn a name for herself after 'Godse' is released.
