Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; June 14, 2018)

Choreographer-turned-director Remo D’Souza has always been on the beat. Whether it is about making actors dance to his tunes, or directing them in a movie, Remo has managed to find the right rhythm to balance both the crafts. While he has been associated with directing dance films so far, the mammoth task of directing a franchise film like Race 3 was no mean feat. In an exclusive interview with BT, the filmmaker talks about his friendship with Salman Khan, about directing a superstar and why it is a great time right now to make women-centric films. Excerpts...

You replaced director duo Abbas-Mustan in the third instalment of the Race franchise. Was it a challenge to take over from them?
Well, it wasn’t my decision to replace them. Of course, it was a big challenge to take over, because I have been a big fan of Abbas-Mustan’s work and I hope I have been able to do justice to it. It was Ramesh Taurani and Salman Khan’s decision to bring me on board. I want everyone to feel proud of me when they see the film.

Since you mention Salman Khan, tell us about your equation with him. Giving you a chance to direct such a big film shows that he has a lot of faith in you as a director…
Many years back, I was a dancer in Salman Khan’s film, Auzaar (1997). From being a dancer in his film to choreographing him in many films and now directing him, Salman sir and I have known each other for a long time. In fact, we were working together on a film (a dance film revolving around Salman Khan and a young girl, who will play his daughter) when he thought that I should direct Race 3. I don’t know if things become easier with Salman sir around, but he ensured that the environment was very professional while shooting the film. He always reported on time on the sets and so did other actors, and that helped us complete the film on schedule.

It’s one thing knowing him for a long time, but directing a superstar is not too easy. Did you ever find it difficult figuring out what to do and what not to do?
Many people had told me before making the film that it will be difficult working with Salman sir, but it was nothing like that. I was told that he will call the shots, and I will have to agree to whatever he says. Many people cautioned me about working with a superstar like him, but their fears were baseless. He used to take my advice and even go to the spot one night before and ask me about the scene. He is a very chilled-out person and I was impressed with the way he performed action scenes. He did everything — from the somersault to all major action scenes in the film without using body doubles. And yes, going by the past records, a Salman Khan film releasing on Eid does guarantee numbers, but people will be judging my work as well. So, as a director, I have my worries, too. I am hoping that that I get my credit for giving it my best shot. This film is a gift from a Salman Khan fan to the Salman fans.

There are about six choreographers who turned filmmakers in Bollywood. Does direction come naturally to you?
Yes, it does. Bollywood is not like Hollywood where a dance director will just instruct the actor and finish everything in an hour. In a typical Hindi film, there are many songs and the choreographer takes a call on everything — be it the actors’ expressions, dance movements, or costumes. In short, if a film has five-six songs, the choreographer ends up directing almost 30 minutes of a movie. So, obviously, when it comes to making a film, a dance director has already honed certain skills.

Finally, what are your views on content in Hindi cinema right now?
I think it is a great time for women-centric films right now. While you have a Golmaal and Judwaa doing well, you also have a Raazi, where the actress is the central character of the film and it goes on to do very well. I want to explore other genres in the future. I want to work hard and stay grounded because if I start flying high, it is easy to come crashing down.