Why no one is garlanding Randeep Hooda for his take on Savarkar (My Article in Hindustan Times)
Randeep Hooda's directorial debut has failed to captivate audiences, possibly due to its layered portrayal of the controversial Hindutva icon Dhiraj Singh We were watching the film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar at a theatre in Pune. It was in preparation for hosting Randeep Hooda at our campus. A special screening of the film had been organised for students and faculty members to delve into Hooda’s latest project, which like all his other projects displayed a certain obsessional transformation into a character. It is a trait Hooda is widely known for and also much loved for. This film also marked his transition from actor to director. It was the last week of the film running in the city’s theatres. Knowing how meagre its collection had been since its release on March 22, we were actually worried about the turnout during the special screening, which was surprising. Remember, Pune is the city where Vinayak Damodar Savarkar began his academic career, at the famous Fergusson College. I
