Article 370 trailer launch: “The current government doesn’t need a small film like ours to win an election. They made Ram Mandir. I don’t think they need us to get votes for them” – Aditya Dhar

By Fenil Seta -

February 8, 2024 - 4:45 PM IST

Aditya Dhar made a solid debut with the Vicky Kaushal-starrer Uri – The Surgical Strike (2019). He’s now back with Article 370, produced by him and his brother Lokesh Dhar. Incidentally, Uri – The Surgical Strike was released a few months before the general elections and Article 370 will also follow suit. At the trailer launch of the latter today, Aditya Dhar was asked about it and whether he feels that it’s unfair that his films are being labelled as ‘propaganda’. Aditya gave a detailed answer to it. After the question-and-answer session was over, the cast and crew got up and were all set to do a photo op. This is when Aditya took the mic and made some more headline-worthy comments.

Article 370 trailer launch: “The current government doesn’t need a small film like ours to win an election. They made Ram Mandir. I don’t think they need us to get votes for them” – Aditya Dhar

Aditya Dhar said, “Coming back to the propaganda wala question, I personally and seriously feel that the current government doesn’t need a small film like ours to win an election (smiles). They made Ram Mandir for us. It took us 500 years to get that. I don’t think they need us to get votes for them.”

Aditya Dhar continued, “Article 370 has the right intent. The timing was decided a year or two ago because the release dates are selected after a conversation with the exhibitors and distributors. That’s how we decided upon this date. There was supposed to be another film in between, The Immortal Ashwatthama. It didn’t happen. By God’s grace, this is the best time we have and that’s how we are releasing the film.”

Earlier, Aditya Dhar thundered, “People who label it as propaganda, I don’t care about them. It is as simple as that. I know where it’s coming from. The Indian audience is actually very, very smart. They know ki kaunsi film propaganda hai aur kaunsi film ka intent correct hai. Until I am a director or a producer, the intent will always be right. The day the intent is wrong, I’ll stop making films. I don’t care what people say, especially the agenda-driven critics. It’s my observation and I might be absolutely wrong, but I always thought that the downfall of agenda-driven critics happened with Uri – The Surgical Strike. While they said such bad things about Uri, the audience just thronged to the theatres. The audience doesn’t care about their political agenda and how they are presenting their reviews. They only care about the intent of the filmmaker.”

Article 370 stars Yami Gautam and Priya Mani and will release in cinemas on February 23. It is directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale and produced by Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios and Aditya Dhar and Lokesh Dhar of B62 Studios.

Also Read: Aditya Dhar THUNDERS at Article 370 trailer launch: “I DON’T CARE about those who call my films propaganda. The downfall of agenda-driven critics happened with Uri”