Every one can derive different message from movie ‘Court’: Vira

* Marathi movie ‘Court’ featuring city-based activist Vira Sathidar has won the National Award for best feature film, apart from awards in various categories in several International Film Festivals
By Kartik Lokhande
He is a farmer’s son who grazed cows, completed education up to Class X; worked as a factory worker, construction labourer, volunteer with an NGO, devoted time to social movements, sold and wrote books. Now, he is an actor winning national and international acclaim for his stellar performance as protagonist in Marathi movie ‘Court’, which has won National Award for best feature film. 

But, not many know that the man with such a biographical sketch -- Vira Sathidar -- is from Nagpur. When one congratulates him for ‘Court’ winning the biggest award in Indian cinema, Vira politely remarks, “I have only represented this city and common people of this country. All of us, the entire city, and citizenry must be congratulated for this stupendous success.” An effort to find his rented house in the narrow lanes of Trisharan Nagar (Rameshwari), culminates in front of a small door adorned by a poster of the movie with him featuring as solo face. The drawing room of Vira’s house is stuffed with countless many books and small booklets, photographs of ‘Bharat Ratna’ Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, a computer monitor placed adjacent to a television screen, a ‘Dafli’ (musical instrument) and sofa.
Ask him how did he get the role, and he explains, “The producer, director, casting director had held auditions at various places but were not getting the one who would fit the character of protagonist Narayan Kamble. Someone referred to them my name. I got a call and they said that I would play Narayan Kamble.” Incidentally, ‘Court’ is the debut movie of Vira. Between April 7 and May 29, 2013, shooting was completed. However, Vira recalls, due credit must be given to producer Vivek Gomber, director Chaitanya Tamhane, and entire team of dedicated youngsters for their fine detailing and minute observations. In fact, a scene of the movie was re-shot in Dadar in February 2014, after the movie was completed. 

The movie’s USP, as stated in the note for 62nd National Film Awards, is ‘a powerful and stark depiction of the mundaneness of judicial procedure revealed brilliantly by the film’s form, forcing us to reflect on the heart-wrenching insensitivity of institutional structures.” The movie, which is slated for release on April 17, won its first award in Venice International Film Festival in November 2014. Since then, it has never looked back and won as many as 17 national and international awards in various festivals.
Talking about the movie’s protagonist Narayan Kamble, a social activist, Vira said that it was difficult yet easy for him to get into the skin of the character. “Kamble is firm on his convictions. Through his trial, the director and writer have depicted the judicial system in all its starkness, leaving opinions to be made by the audience. Everyone can derive his/her own message from the movie,” he told ‘The Hitavada’. 

Vira Sathidar at his residence in Nagpur. (Photo courtesy: Satish Raut/The Hitavada)

Vira himself being a social activist, and Editor of magazine ‘Vidrohi’, has his own views. “Today, everyone speaking against the establishment or system is being called a ‘rebel’. But, let me tell you, the director-producer of the movie are pure democrats without any biases or prejudices. They are honest, and hence have been able to make a cinema with wider impact even among intellectual class,” he says. Also, he is bitter about ‘national media’ not taking cognisance of such a big achievement of ‘Court’ only because it is a Marathi movie. He calls it ‘sad’ that the ‘national media’ celebrates the success of a ‘brand’ of actors and not a thought-provoking movie.
Of course, since the stellar success of ‘Court’, Vira has got offers for Hindi and Marathi films. And, he is willing to do more films if they are thought-provoking. “The movie ‘Court’ highlights how the judicial system is losing sensitivity, and there are several dimensions,” he adds. The 55-year-old activist-turned-actor appeals to the people to watch ‘Court’ in theatres.
By the way, Vira’s original name is Vijay Ramdas (ViRa). He later changed it to Viplav (revolution) Rauf (revolutionary leader). He worked with Dalit Panther, CPI-ML (Liberation), and now is working as full-time worker of Republican Panther. He lives with his mother Gangubai, wife Pushpa who is Anganwadi Sevika at village Parsodi, son Ravan (also called Lankesh) who does a private job.
“Court has inspired me to write a thought-provoking script and make a good film. Of course, it is a thought at this stage,” says Vira with a smile. Of course, one does not miss the determination in his voice. 

(Published in 'The Hitavada' CityLine on April 3, 2015)