31. from Indian TV

November 18th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
Full Interview

Barkha: The film Mighty Heart brought two of the Hollywod’s biggest names, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, to India. Everybody was very excited, not surprisingly the paparazzi did not leave them alone for a moment. Was that the problem? Why the film has been overshadowed by a headline of unsavoury kind? The latest controversy being the arrest of three of the bodyguards on the crew and location…allegations of parents in a dominant Muslim school saying that the bodyguards have made a racial slur.

We are, for the first time, in conversation with the producer of the film and one of Hollywood’s biggest names, Brad Pitt, along with one of India’s best known actors Irfan Khan who plays a lead role in the film. This is Brad’s first interview of any kind since he has been in India avoiding all those media hounds and we are hoping it will go beyond this incidence to talk about your entire experience here in India.

Brad: Thank you for taking your time out.

Barkha: Thank you for making time. I can imagine what kind of days it has been for you. Did you ever imagine when you were packing your bags to India that one of your stops would include a visit to the police commissioner’s office?

Brad: No. I did not foresee that. I have to say because it is just completely antithetical of what the film is about. So the turn of events is a bit baffling to us. But you know we are here to answer any allegations and certainly set the record straight because these are not our intentions, nor the intention of the people involved.

Barkha: Let me ask you very directly. The perception is that your cast and crew were shooting here and parents had come to pick up their children. It was peak time when the children were trying to get out and they were also excited to see you, Angelina and other stars. They were probably hemming in trying to get a glimpse. The bodyguards at that time, to try and keep the crowd away, got a little rough and the amount of things they said…”You bloody Indians…you bloody Muslims.”

Brad: Absolutely not true. And you know I have to say that we are horrified by these allegations and you must understand our intention for the story is to focus on a similarity of cultures. It is a story of a journalist who believed in truth and making the world a better place by enlightening each other on a point of view and believe in dialogues, and he was a great lover of culture and the world itself. In the story itself, with the abduction, what occurred was to bring together people from different cultures and religions…you have Muslims, Hindus, agnostics, Buddhists, Christians, all people working together to find this man who happened to be a Jewish, but more importantly a believer in a world, who considered himself a citizen of the world and this is a beautiful story for us.

Barkha: Absolutely

Brad: This is the purpose of telling a story. So having these allegations goes against the purpose of the movie and it is disappointing for us and I would like to now answer that.

Barkha: I’ll get into the film in course of the conversation but you know how bodyguards are. They have a tough time and they get rough sometimes. It is also a different culture, it is also a language they speak. When you say that they did not say these things, is it from the knowledge or faith or instinct or are you willing to vouch that they did not say these things?

Brad: All of that. All that across the board I tell you with all my heart. I understand that for Angelina and me to stand up and tell this story is this idea of embracing our cultures. This idea of acceptance, the idea of openness and dialogue with each other. This idea of tolerance which we believe in with all our heart and if you look at our history what we have been involved with…we will never work with anyone who thinks otherwise. Absolutely not. and this is a horrible misunderstanding, but it is just that misunderstanding and we hope to establish that truth so the film and the message of the film is not tainted because the history is worth telling today.

Barkha: Irfan, if I bring you in on one point. Because sometimes people mean something and another thing happens. It is the perils of coming into a country where you do not necessarily speak the language of the people. It happens in rural urban clashes within India itself. There are people who speak English…Not just as somebody who is a member of this cast and crew, but as a Muslim it is such a sensitive subject. Right now you know the very suggestion that somebody may have said what Brad say didn’t happen…”You bloody Muslim”. It automatically brings India together and you start looking at the crew who came in as the outsider. What did you feel about this when you read about this, heard about this, saw the visuals on TV of parents saying this is what happened.

Irfan: You know I saw a channel. They were continuously running a story of what happened here. It was a completely biased approach that they had because they were saying Brad “Pint”, Anjelina Jolie’s boyfriend was there and he did not come out, Irfan Khan was there in the shooting and he didn’t say anything to the parents. Now, I say he was not there. He was in Varanasi and I am sure about it. We were shooting inside and when we came out of the hotel everyone was there, the press was there and they wanted to cover it. It is their job…OK but they were following us and when we went inside the school the timing was such that we were entering and kids were coming out.

As we got in we started shooting. We were supposed to be doing scenes so we were busy doing the shoot and suddenly we started hearing some noises. We thought the press was trying to cover it. Then it took another shape and I was continuously laughing, saying it was nothing.

Barkha: You must have seen this in India so many times?

Irfan: Yes. So many times and today when I saw them so concerned I said it is nothing.

Barkha: And it would have been nothing, had it not been for that allegation?

Irfan: I can vouch that Brad would not keep such racial people with him. Whatever I have understood about him, about the intention of the film and why they are making the film, this is an actor I know what is all about.

Brad: You know we have an interracial family. It is very important to us that our kids grow up understanding their own respective cultures, their own religions, of the country they are from. This is our intention.

Barkha: You have three children from completely different parts of the world.

Brad: Yes. Ethiopia, Cambodia, and our other daughter was born in Namibia. That is understood in all the children as well as us because we believe so much in the importance of where they come from and the idea that we can all get along and we can live and let live.

Barkha: But Brad, not to be cynic but the allegation is not that Brad Pitt and Irfan Khan came out into the crowd and made racial remarks. The allegation is that in the heat of the moment your security guards may have lost their temper and said something that was inappropriate.

Brad: Again I am saying that we would never ever hire these people. We will never work with them because it goes against everything we believe in. Also, these men are fathers, they all have kids themselves. They were hoping to get back home from tomorrow. But they will never hurt a child or yell at a child. They will never push the child.

Barkha: Did you get the chance to speak with them and what is their version?

Brad: Absolutely, I know their integrity. As Irfan said when they drove up to the school they were shooting a scene. This brings us to the subject of the role of media and its capability. There are very aggressive facts on media and I am certainly not entitled to believe it. But this is a particular fact that they have been aggressive and have not given us a moment of peace.

Also, the other day when we were taking a walk with our kids, we were surrounded by the local guys. I told them that we are trying to take our kids for a walk and I understand you guys want to take pictures but keep a distance and not scare the kids. But they completely ignored and just surrounded us. The kids did not know how to take it, so we called up the office and came back.. From my investigation they were blocking the gates as the kids were trying to come out of the school. The parents had come to pick up their kids. Now this is not mentioned in the media at all and also this particular fact that paparazzi or tabloid media (or how we want to label them) also rushed to the gate of the school, carrying itself to a fracas.

Barkha: So the school also said that the cast and crew came an hour later than they were meant to and therefore hit the peak time.

Brad: I don’t understand that. I had not heard that but I want to say it just brings up an interesting debate on when the media actually creates the news and staying there just observing and recording news. I think it is a debate that needs to be had because they certainly say this.

Barkha: Well we have heard that debate many times in our country. Just one last question on this incident, do you believe that people who work with you can ever say this?

Brad: I tell you with all my honour…absolutely not.

Barkha: So do you think it is all a misunderstanding? You think the people who are making the allegations are lying?

Brad: Knowing all intentions of the story I am absolutely baffled by all this. I do not know it is the subject matter of this film itself that lead to people questioning, may be we should have explained our intentions about the story when we came here.

Barkha: May be you hid from the press too much.

Brad: Yeah…you know our idea is to come, do our work, have an experience at the end, have a press conference and talk about it. My job was producing the film, deal with my kids, and as I said we probably should have come out of the gate and explained our purpose here.

Barkha: Do you feel regret even though you feel your bodyguards did not say anything?

Brad: Let me tell you what I regret. I regret that the students’ day at the school was disrupted and I also believe the media who were present should join me in that regret because they were also the part of the problem…and well I regret that.

Posted at 1:43PM on Nov 18th 2006 by interview

32. I am so glad the Indian government has taken steps to punish these barbaric bodyguards who think they are above the law. Angelina Jolie condones this type of behavior from her bodyguards. I think in her own sick, twisted mind she likes it. This woman will stand up for these thugs but will not apologize to the parents and children she victimized. She thinks she is the mistress of the world and feels an apology is beneath her. Pitt offered a weak apology while still trying to defend these thugs. I apologize to Jon Voight the man was right when he said his daughter was a MENTAL case.

Posted at 2:03PM on Nov 18th 2006 by Syl C.

33. #22 I agree -- bodyguards using excessive, unnecessary force, camp security using taser (sp?) guns without warrant on students, cops beating up people who are already handcuffed..... it's unfortunately becoming all too common in the news.

Posted at 3:09PM on Nov 18th 2006 by jennifer

34. I HAVE NO SHAME ON VINTING ON THIS WITCH,I AM A LITTLE DISTURBED AT TMZ FOR PUTTING A BABY ON HERE , SOME THAT HAVE NO COMMEN SINCE WOULD TAKE IT ON A BABY THAT DOES NOT EVEN NO THE LETTER A,I AM GLAD TO SAY I WAS NOT A PART OF THAT, BUT ANGELINA IS DIFERRENT CIRUMSTANCES ,YES I DO NOT LIKE THE WOMENS PERSONALITY AND TO TOP THAT OF WHO IN THE WORLD IS DEFINDING A WOMEN THAT THEY DO NOT EVEN NO AND HAS ACTUALLY DONE SOME NEGATIVE THINGS AND ITS QUITE SICK FOR PEOPLE TO DEFEND HER LIKE THEY WERE HER IF THE **** ISNT ON HER DEFENDING HER SELF WITCH I WILL NOT BE SURPRISED IF THE HEFFER DID, ALSO THIS WIERDO OF A WOMEN IS FOR SOME REASON BEING PUT IN A FUCKING THROWN, AND A LITTLE IGNORANT OF A HUMAN BEING THAT USES THE WORD LOL ALL THE TIME IN THERE VOCABULARY , SORRY THAT YOU DO NOT LIKE HEARING HONESTY AND YES I AM NOT JEALOUS THE WOMEN IN ACTUALITY IS NOT THAT ATTRACTIVE AND THERE ARE TONS OF BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN THIS WORLD SO IF THAT IS NOT THE TRUTH AND YOU WANT ME TO SAY A LIE SORRY THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AND SORRY THAT YOU DO NOT LIKE THAT , SHE IS NOT A QUEEN.,

Posted at 8:43PM on Nov 18th 2006 by ALICE

35. WHAT IS WITH SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ON THIS SIGHT , WHY ARE YOU DEFENDING SOMEONE YOU DO NOT KNOW,ARE YOU THAT OF A WORTHLESS OF A HUMAN BEING, SECOND I AM A LITTLE UPSET THAT TMZ WOULD PLACE A BABY TO VENT ON THAT IS WRONG I GLAD TO SAY I WAS NOT A PART OF THAT , BUT ANGELINA IS REALLY AN EXCEPTION, I DO NOT LIKE THIS WOMENS PERSONALITY AND FRANKLY THERE IS NOTHING TO DEFEND WHY SHOULD I DEFEND HER WHEN IN ACTUALITY THERE IS THINGS THAT ARE GOING WRONG, SHE IS NOT MY FAMILY, AND ALSO THERE IS AN IGNORANT HUMAN BEING THAT THE ONLY WORD HE CAN SAY IS LOL WHAT KIND OF A WORD IS THAT, AND IN THE REAL ACTUAL TRUTH ANGELINA JOLIE IS NOT THAT OF AN ATTRACTIVE WOMEN AND I AM NOT JEALOUS SO SORRY FOR BEING HONEST THAT THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN THE WORLD SO SORRY IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THAT BUT SHE IS NOT SITTING MORE SUPERIOR THAN THE REST OF US THAT SHE IS UNTOUCHABLE AND SUPPOSED TO BE IN SOME KIND OF THRONE.

Posted at 8:49PM on Nov 18th 2006 by ALICE

36. Dear me, here we are, day 2 or 3 after the fracas and still no photos, no video, no EVIDENCE that the bodyguards said what they are alledged to have said. Where are the paps when you need them?? Where is the photo - at least a photo - even if there is no video footage of the bodyguards roughing up, manhandling, someone, anyone - never mind a child or an adult. How can that be that there is NO PHOTO.

How is it that the "parents" (note the plural) has turned out to be actually, just a "parent" (note the singular")? And BTW for those who think that the Indian parents might have simply caved in, I've lived in India long enough to know, caving in isnt the Indian way when they get angry. Indians are not afraid to express exactly how they feel.

But of course, those who are anti Jolie Pitts never needed any EVIDENCE to believe what they want to believe. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Posted at 10:24AM on Nov 19th 2006 by Team Jolie Pitt

37. Following the arrest of three of Angelina Jolie’s bodyguards for allegedly roughing up parents at a school in India, the actress has spoken out about the incident.

Without regard, concern, or an apology to the families, and children hurt by her bodyguards, Angelina Jolie said, "It is not surprising that the press involved failed to mention their share of the responsibility in the chaos." (Isn’t she just the most compassionate humanitarian you’ve ever seen?)

This is a direct quote from Hollywood Scene....
Now that's the truth. What about those parents frightened for their children's safety...or the children frightened by all this.....Those body guards are as out of control as these egotistical skanks

Posted at 11:39AM on Nov 19th 2006 by Patty

38. Okaaay, some people are so bloody ignorant, it pisses me off. You actually have a comment saying Brad and Angie are in the middle East... "15. I wish John Lennon had security guards like this, he'd still be alive...Brad & Angelina are pretty smart to have this protection, especially over there in the Middle East!

Posted at 6:24PM on Nov 17th 2006 by Jody
"

OMG, that is the worst case of ingorance ever Ms DUMB BLONDE! Since when did India fall in the middle east? And just fyi Jody - I'm American and have visited the Far East and happen to think they are pretty normal places, not some hellhole like you in your warped mind perceive! Jeez woman!

Posted at 9:32AM on Nov 20th 2006 by Can't believe it

39. Where are the photos to show that the bodyguards had frightened women and children. Where is the video tape. Those paps were there so how come NO PHOTOS. It's day 4 already. Wait, could it be there's no photo because it was a foreign pap yelling "bl**dy indian?" Could it be that the incident never occurred as alledged coz you know, the latest news show that only one father was complaining. May be the other parents didn't hear anything BUT heard from another parent that the paps had said "bl**dy indians". Hey, that's hearsay evidence and not admissible in a court of law - not even in India.

So again in a chorus - where are the photos, where are the photos, where are the photos.

Or lets try this one, "where are the pa-aps, where are the pa-aps, where are the pa-aps. Perhaps they are helping the police. LOL.

Posted at 10:03AM on Nov 20th 2006 by Team Jolie Pitt

40. I just hope when Angelina and Brad leave India, they leave with another adopted child. I mean, didn't she say that she wanted to adopt a child from every country. Well, you've been to Cambodia and adopted a boy, you've been to Africa and adopted a girl and now you're in India. There's a running theme here guys, every third world country she visits, she adopts a child. I think that's great, these are poor countries with a large group of orphaned children. And belive me, India has a lot of them! Angelina's no idiot, I'm sure she's quite aware of India's abject poverty, its slums and homless street children. I think It would be great if she left the country with another adopted child. Or at least came back after filming and set the wheels in motion to adopt a child. However, if she doesn't do this, and ends up going to another country and adopting, I'll be shocked to say the least. We'll wait and see what happens before I decide to comment, I mean...she does have a bit of a Mother Teresa complex, right? So, I'll wait and see what happens. If she does adopt, then hooray for you Brad and Angelina, may Krishna bless you! And if I may suggest, your next stop can be Brazil, we know about their homeless child population. But if you don't adopt a child from India, then watch out! You won't wanna' miss my next blog folks!

Posted at 7:21PM on Nov 20th 2006 by johnny k.

41. Fuck william the little fucking pussy.

Posted at 8:00PM on Nov 20th 2006 by Robert

42. I love that people whine about the rights celebrity have. It's natural.. they make more money than the president. When you make more money than them, then maybe you can start banning them in countries. How about that?

And as for everyone who's saying how retarded the bodyguards were.. well have you ever been in India? I went to India a couple of years ago.. I was 16 at the time. I saw a little kid asking for money, so I have him some coins I had in my pocket. Before you know it, there were seriously about a dozen kids with really dirty faces (which made it really intimdating) tugging on my shirt, pinching me, and tugging on my bag. I'm not Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt.. I just gave a kid some coins that probably didn't amount to dollars. How much more if you're a freaking star?

No offense, but I've been in those situations when people are really really dumb and they don't understand they're freaking you out. And when they come in hundreds because they want to see a star cause they're excited.. that's pretty scary. What if one of them wanted to stab them just for being Americans?

Posted at 6:28AM on Dec 7th 2006 by Angela