Jaipur has grown tremendously: Vinay Shukla

Jaipur-based director and scriptwriter, Vinay Shukla, who won the National Award for the movie “Godmother”, feels that he cannot make movies like “Dabangg” as that will only reflect his sensibility and not ability and integrity. Here’s what he has to say...
Jaipur means the world to me
Though I was not born in Jaipur, but, I spent the most crucial years of my life from the age of seven till college in this city.My father was in the administrative services, so we used to keep shifting base to different cities, but guess I was lucky to have spent the prime years of my life in Jaipur.
Jaipur is on a roll
Jaipur is now a melting-pot of people from different communities, religions, casts, creeds, and even nationalities. It enables people from across the globe to come and live in the city. Jaipur has a magical feel to which people are drawn. If we talk about modernization, Jaipur has grown tremendously. The entire JLN Marg looks like any international city. The government has become conscious of the fact that Jaipur is, so to say, an international tourist attraction. Slowly, I see the city bringing back the glory of the early 20th century. Now, if we talk about the cultural heritage, there is no other city to overpower Jaipur. More and more films are being shot here because there are palaces, forts, and there’s this Mughal-esque touch to it. The architecture draws the world to Jaipur; its exotic ambience, regional splendour and its palaces reflect a sense of royalty. Look at the Jaipur Literature Festival which is a living example of Jaipur’s global presence. It’s an international literary event with Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners attending it. The atmosphere of this literary platform is going to be a major boon for the city.
Rajasthan in the movies
The culture of Rajasthan has had a strong influence on my upbringing. The way I look at the local dialect, traditions, et al has made me what I am today. All in all, the Rajasthani culture gave me a strong sense of ethnicity, which I will always cherish. Had I not been influenced by the rich culture of the state, I would have not been able to reflect that in “Godmother”. The dialect, the Arabic colours and the strong architectural presence in my movies are all thanks to Jaipur. I have shot portions of “Mirch” in Jaipur at the Panna-Meena Baudi – a place near Amber Fort. I believe that the ancient city of Jaipur has given a readymade platform to the world – inviting them to come and shoot here. The hospitality is nice. However, only the civic sense needs to be worked upon and Jaipur will become a world-class city.