bollywood legends Govind Namdev (Govind Namdev) recently reached Lallan Top, where he shared many untold stories of his acting journey. Especially he talked about his most famous film ‘Bandit Queen’ released in 1994. In which he played a very powerful and controversial character of Thakur Shriram. The film was directed by famous director Shekhar Kapur and was based on the life of Phoolan Devi, the infamous dacoit of Chambal Valley.
The story of the film was inspired by Mala Sen’s book India’s Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi. This film was embroiled in a lot of controversies at the time of its release. It was also temporarily banned due to many objectionable and sensitive scenes. But later the audience and critics appreciated it a lot. The film won three National Film Awards. Seema Biswas got the Best Actress award, Dolly Ahluwalia got the Best Costume Design award and the film got the Best Hindi Feature Film award.
What is that interesting story?
Now let us come to that interesting and painful story, which Govind Namdev shared in Lallan Top. When he was asked about the shooting process of the film, he told that there was a different system of shooting. After every two days of shooting, the assistant director used to go to brief Phoolan Devi about what was shot in the two days because Namdev had told in one of his old interviews that Phoolan Devi had a condition that the film was about her, so whatever would be shot, she would have to come to Gwalior jail and tell her. At that time Shekhar wanted to make the film at any cost and he accepted this condition.
How difficult was the shooting?
Govind Namdev further told that he was finding it very difficult to prepare for the character of Thakur Shri Ram. The information received from the Direction Department was very limited. Just one or two old newspaper cuttings and mention of the encounter site. Nothing concrete was found about Thakur Shriram’s family background, his childhood, his real life. He was very worried about how to play this cruel, powerful and complex character.
When the costume designer went to jail
Then one day when it came to the question of who would go to jail for the next briefing, Shekhar Kapur usually sent one of his assistants. But this time the film’s costume designer Dolly Ahluwalia herself came forward and said, ‘Should I go? Should I meet Phoolan Devi and give her a briefing? Shekhar Kapur immediately agreed and allowed him to go. Dolly met Phoolan Devi in jail, gave her an update on the two days of shooting and told about the upcoming scenes.
Phoolan Devi had opened her blouse
After the briefing was over, Dolly asked Phoolan, ‘What happened to you that your life changed so much? You became a dacoit and 24 Thakurs had to be shot. Then Phoolan Devi narrated her entire story from childhood to forced marriage, social oppression, repeated atrocities, rape and exploitation by the police and Thakurs. Dolly Ahluwalia cried after hearing this. Phoolan Devi looked at her and said, ‘Why are you crying?’ What I told you is only 50% of my pain. Much worse has happened to me. Then Phoolan opened the buttons of her blouse and showed Dolly the deep, rough and terrible marks on her chest. He said, ‘Do you see these marks? The Thakurs had torn out even the flesh of my chest.
People from all walks of life exploited
Govind Namdev told that when Dolly returned after hearing and seeing all this, her face had completely changed. What he heard and saw greatly helped Govind Namdev to understand the true cruelty and roots of the character of Thakur Shri Ram. Namdev said that Phoolan Devi was exploited at every level in her life. The police, the Thakurs, every section of the society. No one could save them, rather everyone took advantage of them.
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