Ahead of the release of his next, Mere Pyare Prime Minister, filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has shed light on the exhausting, yet enriching journey of the film.

The story revolves around a young boy’s emotional plea to the Prime Minister of India, raising the issue of open defecation. Kanhu lives in the slums of Mumbai, and his life takes a serious turn after his mother gets raped due to the lack of sanitation facilities. At the core of the narrative is a heart-warming mother-son relationship.

About highlighting two social issues in the film, the director said, “There’s no progress as far as tackling social issues are concerned, mainly because we tend to think that it would never happen to us. You will be able to relate to it only when you put yourself in the victim’s shoes. This is why we have been asking the question, ‘Agar aapki maa ke sath aisa hota, toh aapko kaisa lagta?’”

He added, “We all know it (the problems) and see it, but only a few take steps towards changing it. So, when a young boy from the slums makes an attempt to reach the Prime Minister after his mother is attacked, the viewer tries to connect with him emotionally.”

The film was shot in real locations, and during the shoot, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra got a first-person account of the difficulties slum-dwellers face, especially when it comes to sanitation. In a bid to make a difference, the director took initiatives to build toilets in the area.

After watching its preview, the film has been appreciated by eminent personalities like Sadhguru, Milkha Singh and Sunil Gavaskar, among others.

The movie stars Anjali Patil, Makarand Deshpande, Rasika Agashe, Sanjay Manjrekar, Niteesh Wadhwa, OM Kanojiya and Nachiket Purnapatre in pivotal roles.

Dr. Jayantilal Gada (Pen) and PVR Cinemas present Mere Pyare Prime Minister releases on March 15.