Raj Chakraborty: ‘Dharmajuddha’ shows how communal tensions ruin our lives

Raj Chakraborty is in a happy space and why not? His much-awaited film ‘Dharmajuddha’ is finally releasing on August 11. The political thriller gives a peek into the communal conflicts that often destroy innocent love stories from different religious strata. There’s something in Raj’s film that needs to be praised - energetic new faces in prominent roles, which is quite rare now, as most of the directors repeat the same actors.
“Dharmajuddha tells what is going around us.This is not for any political party or against any political party. Problems between Hindus and Muslims have been there since times immemorial and riots and problems have surfaced time and again. The film shows what happens as a result of these tiffs and how the normal people suffer from these incidents” said Raj while speaking about his film’s subject.
Starringthe late Swatilekha Sengupta, Ritwick Chakraborty, Parno Mittra, Soham Chakraborty and Subhashree Ganguly in the lead, the film explores the issues of communal tensions in the marginalized sections of society.
The director also revealed how Subhashree gave the idea of making such a serious film as ‘Dharmajuddha’. “It is high time and I had to make this film so that the people became aware of the things happening around them and how that affects their lives. I love shooting in Purulia and hence I shot the film there. The harshness in the environment lends a different element to the film’s cinematography” he added.

‘Dharmajuddho’ revolves around a small town of Ismailpur, which suffers an apocalyptic night as the town descends to anarchy as a sudden communal riot breaks out. Four victims, rivals to each other, take shelter in an old woman’s home, who awaits her son’s arrival. Conflicts break out within the four members as the outside anxiety grips all of them, with the old woman playing the role of a pacifier throughout the fateful night. As dawn cracks, the four members are met with conscience as the old woman’s crestfallen truth unravels upon them; thus bringing upon the realization that humanity is the foremost religion.