'We have stopped making movies about the marginalised section'

Some people remain invisible, their stories untold and their ordeals do not feature in government records. Living on the fringes of Mathura, daily wage labourer Matto could be one of them. A simple and honest man, he struggles to support his family of four. He is dependent on a rickety cycle, which after some nudging, carries him to work albeit not on time. Yet, Matto cannot think of replacing it with a new one as his meagre earnings will not allow it.

The everyday struggles of Matto are captured in a new feature film titled 'Matto Ki Saikal' (Matto's Cycle), which is written and directed by M Gani. Interestingly, Prakash Jha, popularly known as a producer and director, essays the role of Matto. Gani shared the film's script with Jha in 2019 through an associate of the Mumbai-based filmmaker. The script chronicles a crucial period in Matto's life when his faith in the system is tested, and his inherent positive attitude takes a beating. It was written in Devanagari script and the language was Braj. The script instantly grabbed Jha's attention.

"We have stopped making movies about the marginalised section of our society. Under the shadow of progress, living on the construction sites or under a bridge, these people struggle to make their ends meet. The script reminded me of my movie 'Damul' (1985)," said Jha.

Prakash Jha was in for a surprise when he realised that Gani wanted him to play the protagonist.

"Matto is subservient and mild-mannered. But Gani thought I could understand Matto. As an actor, playing this role was a challenge for me. I had to spend about 20 days in Mathura to prepare for the role," added Jha, who has earlier acted in feature films 'Saand Ki Aankh' (2019) and 'Jai Gangaajal' (2016). Eventually, Jha not only acted as Matto but also co-produced the film.