Seema Pahwa and Pankaj Tripathi share interesting experiences about Bareilly Ki Barfi
8:00 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (August 15, 2017)
A long with the bride and
groom, families also occupy the centrestage in Indian weddings. Bitti's
(Kriti Sanon) wedding in the upcoming film Bareilly Ki Barfi (BKB), is
no different. Every bylane of Uttar Pradesh, where the story is set, has
parents like Narottam Mishra (Pankaj Tripathi) and Sushila (Seema
Pahwa), whose only concern in life is finding their daughter Bitti her Mr Right. The
lighthearted entertainer, produced by Junglee Pictures and BR Studios,
has been directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and written by Nitesh Tiwari
(who helmed the blockbuster Dangal). With the film set to release on
August 18, BT caught up with Pankaj and Seema for a quick chat.
Excerpts...
90 PER CENT MOTHERS IN INDIA WORRY ONLY ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN'S MARRIAGE: SEEMA PAHWA
There was a time when mothers played a key role in almost every Hindi film. Today, they are either the central characters or absent from stories. Where does Sushila, your character in Bareilly Ki Barfi, fit?
Yes, there was a time when parts were written for actresses like Nirupa Roy, and they slowly bowed out. Talking about today's scenario, with the advent of small-budget films, even character actors who play fathers and mothers are getting author-backed roles. I think attaching a background adds more flair to the lead character. To some extent, it also helps the hero and heroine to essay their parts. For example, the leheza in which Pankaj Tripathi and I spoke helped Kriti adapt to the language.
Who was your reference point for Sushila?
As actors, you have to go beyond the script and observe people around you. During my travels to UP, I've observed many common women. My character is inspired by all of them, whose only worry is to find their daughters a good match. I've also drawn inspiration from my aunts, whose worlds are limited to their homes and children. Almost 90 per cent mothers in India have the same worry: bachche ki shaadi.
What do you think is responsible for this scenario?
They don't know any better. When a girl gets married, her mother's sanskar also gets judged along with hers. So, mothers can't bear to see their kids going astray. Even otherwise, moms get blamed for their children's failures. On the other hand, they don't get a medal or a badge of honour if the kids are successful.
How much did Kriti contribute to your on-screen equation with her?
Initially, I had thought, 'Kriti bahut modern ladki hai. How will she even understand what Bareilly is and what sort of girl Bitti is?' But from the first shot, we got our chemistry right. She understood her character well. In fact, during a workshop, I remember she had placed her hand on my shoulder aur maine uska haath jhatak diya, kyun ki maaon ko aisa khulapan accha nahi lagta. The whole team said, 'Yeh maa beti tayaar ho gayi hain' and Kriti started laughing because that is how our on-screen equation is. Rajkummar (Rao) was also fun to work with. This is my third film with Ayushmann (Khurrana) as his mother-in law. Hum saas-daamaad package deal mein aate hain!
-Rachana Dubey
IT'S A DIFFERENT AND WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE PLAYING A SWEET, SIMPLE FATHER: PANKAJ TRIPATHI
More often than not, dads are stereotyped in Hindi films. So, what sets Narottam Mishra part?
It was the sincerity of Narottam Mishra that drew me to the role. He is not a typical father, the kind usually seen in our movies. While he's funny, he's also sensible and shares a great bond with his daughter. Above everything, he is progressive, which is rare in small towns. He knows that his daughter smokes, but he doesn't judge her for that. He also allows Bitti to choose her partner. You, too, will relate to Mishraji; you'd be reminded of someone you know. You won't find him going over the top.
Did you draw inspiration from your own experiences as a father?
My daughter is all of 10 and my relationship with her is special. Bitti is around 25 years old, but still, I borrowed from my experiences as a father and that comes across in the emotional scenes. There is a scene where Mishra and Bitti are having a conversation on the terrace; I got so emotional while shooting for it that I actually had tears in my eyes.
Seema Pahwa plays your wife in the film. Considering the fact that she is a senior artiste, did you have any apprehensions? How was it working with her?
This is our first film together. I had asked Ashwiny how we'd look like a couple because we don't look the same age. While Seemaji's character is a bit loud - thoda cheekhna-chillana hai - my character is the opposite. Seemaji is a senior artiste who comes from theatre. So, we used to improvise a lot, which in turn helped Kriti better her scenes.
After Bareilly Ki Barfi, are you optimistic that you'll get more such meaty, relatable roles?
It's a different and wonderful experience playing a sweet, simple father, and all the credit goes to Ashwiny. Mishraji is present throughout the film, which is not just a love triangle, but also a story of families and relation ships. A good script is half the battle won. I'm optimistic that I will find more interesting and diverse roles after BKB.
- Hiren Kotwani
90 PER CENT MOTHERS IN INDIA WORRY ONLY ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN'S MARRIAGE: SEEMA PAHWA
There was a time when mothers played a key role in almost every Hindi film. Today, they are either the central characters or absent from stories. Where does Sushila, your character in Bareilly Ki Barfi, fit?
Yes, there was a time when parts were written for actresses like Nirupa Roy, and they slowly bowed out. Talking about today's scenario, with the advent of small-budget films, even character actors who play fathers and mothers are getting author-backed roles. I think attaching a background adds more flair to the lead character. To some extent, it also helps the hero and heroine to essay their parts. For example, the leheza in which Pankaj Tripathi and I spoke helped Kriti adapt to the language.
Who was your reference point for Sushila?
As actors, you have to go beyond the script and observe people around you. During my travels to UP, I've observed many common women. My character is inspired by all of them, whose only worry is to find their daughters a good match. I've also drawn inspiration from my aunts, whose worlds are limited to their homes and children. Almost 90 per cent mothers in India have the same worry: bachche ki shaadi.
What do you think is responsible for this scenario?
They don't know any better. When a girl gets married, her mother's sanskar also gets judged along with hers. So, mothers can't bear to see their kids going astray. Even otherwise, moms get blamed for their children's failures. On the other hand, they don't get a medal or a badge of honour if the kids are successful.
How much did Kriti contribute to your on-screen equation with her?
Initially, I had thought, 'Kriti bahut modern ladki hai. How will she even understand what Bareilly is and what sort of girl Bitti is?' But from the first shot, we got our chemistry right. She understood her character well. In fact, during a workshop, I remember she had placed her hand on my shoulder aur maine uska haath jhatak diya, kyun ki maaon ko aisa khulapan accha nahi lagta. The whole team said, 'Yeh maa beti tayaar ho gayi hain' and Kriti started laughing because that is how our on-screen equation is. Rajkummar (Rao) was also fun to work with. This is my third film with Ayushmann (Khurrana) as his mother-in law. Hum saas-daamaad package deal mein aate hain!
-Rachana Dubey
IT'S A DIFFERENT AND WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE PLAYING A SWEET, SIMPLE FATHER: PANKAJ TRIPATHI
More often than not, dads are stereotyped in Hindi films. So, what sets Narottam Mishra part?
It was the sincerity of Narottam Mishra that drew me to the role. He is not a typical father, the kind usually seen in our movies. While he's funny, he's also sensible and shares a great bond with his daughter. Above everything, he is progressive, which is rare in small towns. He knows that his daughter smokes, but he doesn't judge her for that. He also allows Bitti to choose her partner. You, too, will relate to Mishraji; you'd be reminded of someone you know. You won't find him going over the top.
Did you draw inspiration from your own experiences as a father?
My daughter is all of 10 and my relationship with her is special. Bitti is around 25 years old, but still, I borrowed from my experiences as a father and that comes across in the emotional scenes. There is a scene where Mishra and Bitti are having a conversation on the terrace; I got so emotional while shooting for it that I actually had tears in my eyes.
Seema Pahwa plays your wife in the film. Considering the fact that she is a senior artiste, did you have any apprehensions? How was it working with her?
This is our first film together. I had asked Ashwiny how we'd look like a couple because we don't look the same age. While Seemaji's character is a bit loud - thoda cheekhna-chillana hai - my character is the opposite. Seemaji is a senior artiste who comes from theatre. So, we used to improvise a lot, which in turn helped Kriti better her scenes.
After Bareilly Ki Barfi, are you optimistic that you'll get more such meaty, relatable roles?
It's a different and wonderful experience playing a sweet, simple father, and all the credit goes to Ashwiny. Mishraji is present throughout the film, which is not just a love triangle, but also a story of families and relation ships. A good script is half the battle won. I'm optimistic that I will find more interesting and diverse roles after BKB.
- Hiren Kotwani
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