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EXCLUSIVE - Maatr's Raveena Tandon: Today there is no fear of the law as far as these rapists go
In an interview with us, Raveena Tandon gets candid on the overwhelming response her movie Maatr has got.
Raveena Tandon recently made her much awaited comeback with the movie Maatr which deals with the sensitive topic of rape and is a mother's revenge saga.
Now that the movie has released, the critics and fans have been raving about Raveena's hard-hitting and honest performance. We recently interviewed the actress who spoke about the love her movie has been receiving from fans and critics alike. She also spoke about what she feels the government should do about the increase in rapes in India.
Read the full interview below:
How overwhelmed were you by the response for Maatr?
The response for the movie has been much beyond our expectations. I'm really very grateful. The reviews have been fantastic. I tell people that I have seen box-office success, I've seen everything. At this stage of your life, all you need is, bas thodi izzat reh jaaye. (laughs) And yeh izzat rehne ke alaawa, I think the movie has done beyond our expectations. All of us, the makers, producers and the director are overwhelmed by everything that is happening around Maatr.
Have your daughters seen the movie and what was their reaction?
My older daughter is in South Africa so she's waiting for the June global release because we're having a premiere in Los Angeles and then in June it will release globally. My younger daughter went to see it last night in Goa as she is settled there. She had called me but I couldn't pick up as I was watching a match at Wankhede with my children but my son-in-law messaged me saying, 'Kickass movie, literally. Pun intended. Kickass performance.' (laughs). They both really liked it. The best part is that even the guys are liking it, the youth is liking it which is a good thing, Maximum on my Twitter page, it's the men who have responded that we wish all Indian women were like you.
Was there a particular compliment that has touched you the most?
In one of the reviews for the movie by a news agency, it said that no actor in my age bracket could pull off an act like this. There are many fans who are coming from out of India - there is a girl who has flown from Bangladesh to Kolkata to see the film. She just tweeted me from the plane saying that, 'Ma'am, I'm coming to Kolkata only to watch your film from Dhaka.'
The love has been overwhelming whether there have been tweets to me or responses from the critics. It's been mindblowing.
Do you think celebrities have an impact when talking about social issues?
It's a drop in the ocean for sure. But, what a normal person would have a reach to five people atleast, for example, if I have 1 or 2 million followers which is very less but still it reaches out to them. 10 million people saw the trailer of Maatr and it reached to them too. This is the only medium I know. I'm not a politician, I'm not a lawmaker. So, through this medium, if I reach out to you who is the media, you will bring this voice to the common people and so a chain reaction follows. Still, I feel it's a drop in the ocean.
Your movie has had a limited screens release but yet the box-office numbers speak for itself. What do you have to say about the love from your fans?
I think it is great. We had limited screen space. Till Friday morning our advanced booking had not opened because we were not sure if we were releasing or not. The movie was almost postponed because the censor certificate did not reach us till Wednesday night. And Thursday morning these guys started sending out the delivery to distributors all over the country. So Thursday night the prints have reached and some prints have reached Friday morning. Even after losing out on the morning shows, still, we went ahead with it. It's picked up great. A niche film like this which is a social message film - no songs, no gloss, no comedy plus an A certificate, it's still doing good so that's the good thing.
What is the message you want the audience to take back from Maatr?
What we really want is that we need to stop being indifferent to this issue. We need to start pushing. We need many more messages going to the Minister of Women and Children in India, that please start working towards amending our laws. In today's newspaper itself, there are three rapes right in front - one 10-year old, one 8-year old and one 5-year old. I've tweeted about it to Maneka Gandhi. We need to start becoming a voice. Mere ek tweet se pharak nahin padne wala hain. Untill and unless people all over start sending messages to the ministry, only then will it be a collective effort. Our laws need to become stricter, they really need to work on this. Today we have a law which is a life sentence for gau hatya. I agree in all respectability that okay fine, acceptable. But what about an 8-year old or the 5-year old who has been raped and buried. They just murdered her, buried her and finished! What is happening?
What do you think the government should do in order to bring about change?
Aggressive steps need to be taken to change this. There has to be a fear of the law. Today, it seems as if there is no fear of the law as far as these rapists go. They are just getting away with it.
There were some reviewers who thought that Maatr was too gruesome and queasy. But, read what is in the newspapers. A watchman has stabbed a girl and bitten her all over. Isn't that disturbing? What we've shown in Maatr is not even 1/10th of what happens in reality. We all should tweet to Maneka Gandhi to change our laws and make them stricter and harsher. We all need to make the change.
After Maatr, What's next for Raveena Tandon?
Maybe I'm just ready to retire again. (laughs) Nahin yaar, I don't know. I waited long enough to do a movie like Maatr. If something good comes along, I will definitely do it. But for now, keep watching Sabse Bada Kalakar.
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