Rajiv Menon: 'Bombay' would spark violence if released today due to India’s growing intolerance

Rajiv Menon, the cinematographer behind Mani Ratnam’s 'Bombay', recently expressed that the film would likely face difficulties getting a theatrical release in today’s climate. He noted that India has grown “less tolerant” over the past three decades. He also discussed various visual metaphors in the movie, which were set against the backdrop of the 1993 Mumbai blasts and the ensuing riots.
India’s Growing Intolerance and the Film’s Context
During his appearance on the O2 India YouTube channel, Rajiv said, “A film like Bombay cannot be made today. The situation in India is so volatile, people take up positions that are so strong, and religion has become such a big issue. I don’t think you can make a film like Bombay, release it in the theatre, and not expect the theatre to be burned down. In these 25-30 years, India has become less tolerant.”
Clarifying the Burqa Scene
When asked whether Manisha's character removing her burqa during the “Tu Hi Re” song symbolized her abandoning her faith, Rajiv clarified that it was not the case. He explained, “We didn’t have props on that set, we just had the fort wall. The location was shown to me by one of my father’s friends, who was a commodore in the Navy. Long after my father died, I insisted on having the anchor as a prop, and her outfit got stuck in it and got caught. It was just this idea that we had about not getting stuck with the same costume. There was this beautiful blue dress, and it would’ve been boring to have just one dress. We didn’t have a dance master or anything.”
Mani Ratnam on AR Rahman’s Score
As reported in Indian Express, director Mani Ratnam explained his choice to use AR Rahman’s haunting melody for the violent scenes in 'Bombay', saying, “For all the violent scenes, we had the score. It’s agony. It is not the drums, it is not the violins that are being underlined, but it is the pain behind the violence. Rajiv said, "The city was burning. Anybody else would’ve picked (a thrilling score), but what he picked was the emotion of the mother searching for her child. It was essentially a lullaby.”