June 15, 2017
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who has used
graphic dialogues and nudity in his debut digital web series "Guns and
Thighs", based on the Mumbai underworld, says he has used the freedom
offered by the new age entertainment platform.
Justifying the bold scenes in the trailer, he says they are not purely
intended to titillate the audience.
Asked if the trailer, which has drawn attention, was a well-planned
strategy to titillate, Varma told IANS here: "Titillating is a very
relative world. At times, a character or a situation can titillate
someone (and lead him/her) to watch the show.
"So you cannot specify what is exactly the element of titillation in
the viewers' mind. Yes, the story of the web series has age
restrictions, as it is adult content, but when an audience is clicking
on the link to watch an episode, from the name itself they get an idea
of the subject matter. Therefore, there is no element of surprise."
Varma pointed out how "anything that is restricted to adults is either
violence or sex".
"In fact, that is the rule of our censor board as well. My point is, we
are living in a world with people of different choices and
sensibilities, where if you, as an individual, do not want to watch
something, don't (watch it), but don't force others to do the same. Let
them celebrate their choice as well. That is what freedom of choice and
expression is about."
Known for making Bollywood crime thrillers on the underworld --
"Company", "Ab Tak Chhappan" and "D" to name some -- Varma has once
again explored the genre in the web series, which is set between 1995
and 2005.
"I think the genre always does not matter, but the storytelling does.
Yes, this web series is on the Mumbai underworld, but the style of
narration, imagery, characters, situations... these are very
different," added the filmmaker.
Explaining the title, he said: "You see, guns and thighs are the
symbols of power and sex. In politics, mostly, radical decisions are
taken under the influence of power and sex.
"On the other hand, as I always say, my prime interest in filmmaking
has come from Amitabh Bachchan's gun and Zeenat Aman's thighs... So now
you know that the title is apt. It's very symbolic."
The National Award-winning filmmaker is exploring the digital platform
for the first time, and sees its advantages. "More than anything else,
it is the creative freedom that we get on web series. There is no time
limit of two hours that I have to compress my thought (into), keeping
the interval and duration of a film in mind.
"I have also taken liberty on that."
Asked why he decided to show a woman nude and not a man, he quipped:
"Maybe as a man, I do not want to see a man's nude body. I think a
woman (film)maker would like to do that. However, I believe a woman's
body is more beautiful than a man's."