Society, police relationship a constant: Prakash Jha on 'Gangaajal's enduring appeal

Prakash Jha has often explored the complex relationship between the society, politics and bureaucracy in his films but this conflict is most visible in "Gangaajal", which just completed 15 years.

The film and its dialogue "sab pabittar kar denge" have stayed in public memory so much so that Jha says people quote lines and point out scenes even today.

"The relationship between the society and the police is constant. It is always relevant. I did not know while writing or shooting that it will resonate so much. It must have fit correctly somewhere because a common man identifies with it, so does a policewala," Jha told PTI in an interview.

Starring Ajay Devgn, Gracy Singh and Mukesh Tiwari in key roles, the film released on August 29, 2003 and became an instant hit.

The 1980 Bhagalpur blindings, when police blinded 31 under trials by pouring acid into their eyes, inspired Jha to explore the story through the eyes of an honest policeman caught in the middle of a corrupt system.

Jha was one of the first few filmmakers who were mining stories from Bihar long before small cities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar became fashionable in Hindi cinema and the director sees it as a good trend.

"There are so many stories there. Life is full of colour. So it was bound to happen sooner or later," he added.