Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; May 5, 2014)

In an industry where friendships are fragile and competition is fierce, it’s hard to be buddies. But Karan Kapadia and Ranveer Singh’s dosti has survived for 20 years! If Durex is the first product that Ranveer has endorsed, it’s also the first big ad directed by Karan. Here the filmmaker talks about his friendship with the Ram Leela actor, and how the equation remains unchanged despite Ranveer’s star status.

You and Ranveer are best buddies?
That’s right. We go back 20 years. We weren’t studying together — Ranveer had come to our school for an elocution and drama competition. He actually started seeing my best friend and that’s how we got to know each other. What’s more, I always wanted to be a director and he wanted to be an actor.

Ranveer tells us you are like a second son to his parents...
That’s absolutely true. Ever since we became friends, I have been regularly spending nights in his house. Ranveer has become a star but for me he’s still the same — my buddy, my brother. We still talk a lot of shit with each other and do a lot of masti together. For me nothing has changed except for the fact that Ranveer’s dream has come true. I still find it hard to believe the kind of adulation he gets. It’s great for him.

This is your first ad film?
This is my first big ad film. I have done a couple of other commercials. I have shot the entire Prithvi Theatre Festival with Kunal Kapoor, their promos, also shot for a brand called Fuschia Tree — small stuff. The Rex ad is actually the first big ad film.

Tell me about your background?
I quit college when I was in London. I started working as an assistant director to ad filmmaker Ram Madhvani. After that I did six films and a couple of small ones like Little Zizou and The Other End Of The Line. Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance was my first big film where I assisted. Then I assisted Mani Ratnam on Raavan. I was with him for two years and he was the one who made me into a filmmaker. After that, I was Reema Kagti’s first AD (assistant director) on Talaash. That is the last film I did.

How did the ad happen?
Ranveer and I had been discussing for a long time about what he wanted to endorse as his first brand. He wanted something that will not only create an impact but will send some kind of a social message. He didn’t want to endorse something like fairness cream or a generic brand. We waited, and in between had started work on another product, but it didn’t happen. That was a year ago. Ranveer then came up with this idea.

He said, listen bro what do you think of endorsing a condom ad? I said it’s great, nobody has done it. In a country where everyone feels sticky talking about it, it was not only a mature thought, but a great move. He got in touch with Durex and we had our first meeting. They didn’t have a clue how to go about it because they had never done a condom ad. We presented the concept and the creative script. They gave us one line, around which we had to work — When you have great sex, do the Rex.

Why is Ranveer the best choice for the ad?
Because I don’t think anyone else can pull it off. Everybody is too conscious of their image. Ranveer is also conscious about his image but he is smart, intelligent, very mature. He doesn’t carry any baggage with him. Really good actors endorse few brands. For example, Rajinikanth doesn’t endorse any brand, Amitabh Bachchan endorses anything. Ranveer comes from a space where he believes in what he is doing. No other actor in our country has the ability to make fun of himself in a charming way, and find that balance. They need to stop taking themselves so seriously.

Any doubts while making the ad?
There were thousands of doubts, and apprehensions. We really didn’t know how people would react. The response has been so positive that we are humbled. Within a week, it has had close to 1.8 million hits. The industry has been calling and congratulating me and Ranveer. This is even without it being launched on TV as yet! Here’s an ad that has people talking openly about having sex and simultaneously sharing this social message ‘have sex but please use condom’. It’s definitely important in a country like ours.

Very unusual for a condom ad, right?
It’s unusual for an agency which was not involved in the initial stages. They approved our idea. Also, let me tell you that the lyrics are written by Ranveer who has rapped it himself. I had dummy lyrics so that we could get the tune right. Ranveer was working on it and cracked it a day before the shoot. We recorded it and then shot.

A lot of people feel he is too loud. What does his closest buddy think?
I keep telling him, tone it down, tone it down! Ranveer’s got so much energy and burning passion inside him. I constantly bring him down and tell him to play it subtle. Sometimes it’s too overwhelming and you want to see a controlled performance. He is definitely working on it. He is a versatile actor and with a good director he will be able to do it.

You have used that aspect of his personality for the Do the Rex video...
The energy of the ad is such that for certain things we have retained his over-the-top exuberance and for certain things we have kept it subtle. His first expression after he has great sex is natural. It’s an expression of what the f*** has happened to me! But when he is rapping, he is cool and while dancing he’s over-the-top because it’s a celebration. He has varied it quite well in the film while retaining himself.

The best thing about Ranveer?
His dedication. He is so serious and passionate about his work that even if he doesn’t agree with you, he will listen. If you ask him to just sit for 20 hours he will do so without any nakhras. His work ethic can’t be challenged. That quality will take him beyond any other actor.

And finally, which is your favourite part of the video?
There is a lot of it that I like, but the part I like the most is the second rap — Iss tale ki chabi tu jeb mein rakh, tujhe kya pata kab lag jaye tera luck... Though it’s cocky, it’s still got a meaning, and it’s flowing. I haven’t had to cut the shot — it’s a single shot.