Lights, Camera, Action: Dera Sacha Sauda chief is all set!

NEW DELHI: Omnipotent, omnipresent, an omniscient- That’s what the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief- Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh (GRRS) would have you believe he is. The one thing he feigns ignorance of, is any controversy relating to his larger-than-life portrayal in a blockbuster movie- MSG – Messenger of God.

After refusing to clear it for release, all members of India’s censor board have quit from their posts in protest against the government’s meddling in their affairs. But the man behind it all- GRRS remains unfazed. He’s reported to be already working on a sequel- MSG Part II; who cares if the first film hasn’t got the preview certificate yet!

That he believes he’s a man of many talents is proven by the many hats GRRS has worn to make MSG happen. He’s the director, producer, lyricist, music director, choreographer, and even the director of photography of his maiden film. That he is also lead actor of the film is hardly a surprise then. 

The Hindustan Times reports that it is a given then that the Dera Sacha Sauda chief believes he is blessed with a set of gifts that make him eligible to feature as a real-life hero in MSG – Messenger of God, a film that has set-off a chain of events that threaten to go out of control any time. Following the mass resignations of the censor board members, the Mumbai film fraternity, otherwise mute bystanders for most issues, is mincing no words to criticise the government’s interference this time. 

But GRRS remains unperturbed. His composure intact, this is one Godman with a difference. While relatively bigger babas in India have a penchant for showmanship, most of them using Maharaj as a prefix, and living like one, GRRS is in a class by himself. This radical baba has opted for the suffix ‘Insaan’. But he is an ‘Insaan’ living life king size. 

The hugely downplayed MSG premiere in Gurgaon on February 16, offered a sneak peak into his king size following. Within minutes of his grand entry at the Sector 29 venue, worthy of any big-ticket film-star, one thing was evident, reports HT- That this was one spectacle you didn’t want to miss. Yet, none of the non-followers at the venue had the faintest idea of what was about to unfold.

While huge cutouts of GRRS made no attempt to play down the controversy the film has generated, thousands could be seen flocking towards the ground which looked like a bus stand at first- with some 50 buses parked in one place. The massive crowds comprised women, children, elders and youngsters marching towards the carnival as if hypnotised as they chanted ‘dhan dhan satguru tera hi aasra’.

Inside the tents set up at the venue, the scene has been compared to what one might see at a jagran. A charged atmosphere filled with Bhangra dancers- a curious mix of men in suits, young girls in trendy clothes, and women with carefully put lipsticks- all swaying to Rockstar Baba singing ‘Never Ever’ from his own album, on a giant sized screen. 

As stressed-out waiters and uninformed delegates wondered what lay in store, came a big roar from the enormous speakers playing MSG trailers.

The moment had arrived, and before anybody could move, a cavalcade of black SUVs screeched to a halt in the media tent. Men with GRRS’s tattoos on their faces were fixing the stage for him. 

At the press conference tough but anticipated questions were raised. GRRS reportedly addressed everyone as ‘beta’ and ‘beti’ while dodging off the tricky ones. Although the outgoing Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief referred the film to the reviewing committee for being too promotional, GRRS denied any fresh knowledge about it. Interestingly, he said he didn’t even know if the film’s premiere was going to happen or not. But, that didn’t mean the ‘bhakts’ would go home unfulfilled. We can always do a concert, ‘Insaan’ said. He wouldn’t need anyone as he is the actor-singer-composer all rolled into one. The crowd kept cheering.

While the ‘Love Charger’ baba did not reveal anything new, the high point arrived when he said, “All the parties come to me to seek my blessings and I bless them.” Asked who exactly, is working against the film and GRRS in particular, he said, “Maybe someone who is selling less liquor now,” to a rapturous reaction as the baba positioned himself as the crusader against drug mafia and prostitution.

While there was no screening at the film’s supposed ‘premiere’, the press conference offered an opportunity to GRRS to raid the stage with his mike. He sang and the crowd of people wearing MSG shirts danced, like a passionate herd. He stopped – heard the crowds chanting MSG, MSG, and continued. He paced back and forth until a 20 something girl was invited to sing with him. She cried and prompted other eyes to go moist and the ‘concert’ continued.

Amidst all the drama, the godman left several questions hanging- Just how genuine is he? What about the criminal cases filed against him? Why can’t a godman feature in a film? Is he just a communication oriented spiritual leader or a self-promoting narcissist? Is this another baba bargaining with political parties? Has he simply managed to achieve the publicity worth billions with much less thanks to the controversy over his film? There are more questions for now, than there are answers. 

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