Rajkumar Hirani has opened up about the creative process behind the alien character in his blockbuster film 'PK'. In a recent interview, the acclaimed filmmaker revealed that his approach to using an extraterrestrial was fundamentally different from Steven Spielberg's iconic portrayals.
Alien as a Narrative Device
Speaking to Variety India, Hirani explained that the alien served as a perfect tool to explore themes of religion, faith, and innocence without the bias of a human perspective. "My reason will be surely completely different to Mr. Spielberg's reason to use them in his films," he stated. Hirani emphasized that the alien's lack of preconceived notions allowed the story to question human beliefs organically.
"If there's an alien who lands on earth, he would know nothing about the way we see God. Through his innocence, we'll be able to tell a story about God in religions. Because if you were narrating the story from the point of view of some rationalist, he would have a fixed view," Hirani added.
From Mowgli to Alien
Interestingly, the character was not originally conceived as an alien. Hirani revealed that the initial idea was inspired by Rudyard Kipling's Mowgli—a child raised in the jungle, untouched by societal norms. "He leaves the jungle after 20 years, nobody has told him what God is. So, he's very curious. From there on, one fine day, that character became an alien," he shared.
Children's Films in India
During the conversation, Hirani also addressed the scarcity of children's films in Indian cinema. He noted that studios often hesitate due to perceived market limitations, but he believes there is always an audience for a well-told story. "Studios hesitate to make a film because they might feel that there's not a market. But I always feel there's always one. It's just what story you choose to tell," he said.
He cited examples like 'Koi Mil Gaya', 'Krrish', and 'Chillar Party' as successful films for younger viewers, stressing that the lack of children's cinema is not due to deliberate avoidance but individual choices by filmmakers and studios.
The filmmaker was speaking at the launch event of 'Pritam and Pedro', an upcoming web series directed by Avinash Arun and produced under Rajkumar Hirani Films.
