‘Abhishek cleared Ash’s misgivings ......

Filmmaker J.P. Dutta was deeply moved by Ruswa's Umrao Jaan written in 1904. "Flesh trade continued then and continues to flourish even now. So what changes have occurred in the life of a woman? According to me, girls are doing a far better job than men. Yet this discrimination continues. Rus-wa's is one of the best books of Urdu literature that I have read."

Dutta continues, "I also wanted to fulfil my father's dream of making Umrao Jaan. He had launched the film in 1952 with actress Nimmi in the lead. He had even shot the film for six days. But then he could not make it because there was another film Zindagi Aur Toofan on the same subject that was completed and on the brink of release then. So it was economically not viable to continue this project. Better sense prevailed and he dropped the subject. He did share his dream with me of making this film and the subject moved me because of what my father said. I promised him that I will make it some day."

Ask him if he had any preconceived notions about actress Aishwarya Rai, and Dutta replies, "As a director it is my reputation that precedes me and it is the actors who have preconceived notions about me rather than the other way round. Ash had certain misgivings about me. Abhishek Bachchan cleared all those misgivings. Ash is one of the most vulnerable actresses I have come across till date. She is so emotional that she can cry at the drop of a hat. Also her level of energy is very high. No matter what the circumstances are, Ash would be ready to shoot and continue to work and never get tired."

Dutta has always made films on issues that have touched him deeply, be it Hathyar that dealt with the underworld, Ghulami that showed the plight of oppressed Rajasthanis, Batwara that took up the issue of the zamindars in Rajasthan, Border that depicted the 1971 war with Pakistan or LoC that showed the factual account of the Kargil war that the Indian soldiers had bravely fought. Dutta had also made Refugee that spoke about people without a nation.

"In fact, Hathyar was the first Hindi film on the underworld where Dharmendra played the role of don Karim Lala," Dutta says. Continuing with his endeavours Dutta looks at the issue of not only the girl child but also women forced into flesh trade much against their will.

"On one hand, we worship a girl child as Lakshmi and Saraswati and at the same time the abortion of a girl child is most rampant in a country like ours. When a woman gives birth to a girl the family looks down upon it. They are not happy with it. A woman gives birth to a man and what does the man give her in return? Bazaar. Isn't this a sorry state of affairs?" questions Dutta.