Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee essays the role of an army colonel in action-thriller Aiyaary which also stars Sidharth Malhotra. As the film widely deals with scam, the actor speaks about corruption in the country in some recent interviews. Souvik Ghosh tracks him ahead of the release
Do you think the film portrays the underbelly of the Army?
Yes. The film is not dealing with the border. It is not showing that our country is fighting with a neighbouring country. There is no jingoism involved in it. This is a story of Army people but within themselves. It explores the relationships, conflicts between the Army men. Here is the conflict between the two generations, their definitions of morality, honesty. These are the clashes and conflicts which make the film so interesting.
Is there a suspense till the very end in the film?
Here the characters and their conflicts are completely defined in the beginning of the film. The film is predominantly the clashes between the two generations. It is the conflict between the right and wrong while both are honest and stubborn about what they think is right.
The film has a dialogue that goes like ‘why do you worry, it is the money of the taxpayers’. Does that hurt you?
Definitely it makes me angry, no matter who is in the government or power or who is handling what department. It pinches each and every citizen of the country irrespective of whether they are tax payers or not. It is not a great situation for anybody when one hears any instance of corruption from any quarter. Corruption is the biggest disease that any country can have.
Do you also feel bad for the soldiers who are down the run, who get killed and perhaps do not get the privilege they should? On the other hand there are people who make deals that only turn them rich, but the country does not benefit.
I don’t know the inner details of it because I am a civilian. But I had visited the Jaisalmer border in the course of the film because we were invited by the BSF. We spent there two days, one day at the headquarters and the other day at the border. What I have seenm the facilities have only increased though it was an international border. The threats are more from the neighbouring countries in the Line of Control (LoC). The army men need to be always alert at the border because our relationships with neighbours are always hot and cold (good and worse). Our armed forces have always attracted the attentions of the central government and the governments too looked after all kinds of forces. They (forces) deserve our attention.
Your character seems to be very dynamic. What is that one thing that you liked the most about your character?
Colonel Abhay Singh is a person who is very honest and clever. He is someone who is the master in the art of trickery. So this is a very odd combination of characteristics. He is on one hand clever and on the other he knows tricks. This is the thing which I loved the most about the character. Abhay Singh has the capability to change the path and come back. He is a deceiver but will never lose his honesty. (IBNS-TWF)
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