Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 5, 2018)

After courting controversy, production delays and casting challenges, director Abhishek Kapoor’s Kedarnath is finally gearing up for a release at the box office. But the filmmaker knows he can’t take it easy just yet. With the first song of the film, Namo Namo, releasing today, Abhishek is in the midst of wrapping up the film’s post-production. He spoke to BT about his experience of working on one of the most challenging films of his career. Excerpts…

Kedarnath has had quite an eventful journey. You’ve faced controversies, delays and just about every other production challenge possible. How does it feel that the film is about to release?
Once the film starts playing in theatres, and does well for itself, maybe then I will be relieved. Frankly, it wouldn’t have affected me much even if Kedarnath would have released in 2019. But I’m happy that 2018 gave us this wonderful opportunity to put the film out there. On a personal level, I feel good that after going through such a tumultuous journey, the film has entered its conclusive phase. The promotions have begun. I am not taking it easy. There is a lot of ground that needs to be covered. We’re ready to fire on all cylinders now.

After Fitoor (2016) released,you had apologized on social media for disappointing moviegoers. Do you feel nervous about the reactions to Kedarnath?
No. I’ve had a few successes, and now, some failures, too, which is a good balance. I have understood that failure teaches you so much more; success just feels good. Failure teaches you the art of introspection. When you introspect, you don’t just figure your weak points, but also put everything you’ve understood into your work. Eventually, you see your creativity grow and your horizons expand. The experience rejuvenates you and puts you on track. Every movie is made with a lot of love. Sometimes, films don’t receive the love they seek, but that doesn’t have to be taken negatively. For that matter, critics should not be taken negatively either. Some of them really offer you insights into what could have made your film better, while others gauge your current work on the basis of your repertoire. Also, not every critic is a lighthouse, so you have to absorb the necessary inputs in the right spirit.

You’ve set a Hindu-Muslim love story against the backdrop of the cloud burst that flooded Kedarnath. What drew you to this incident in particular?
It was a massive calamity and thousands of people lost their lives and livelihood. I have been to Vaishnodevi several times. The pilgrimage and the journey you make to catch a glimpse of the deity struck a chord with me. I wanted to tell a story about that side of India. Our cities are competing with the best of the world, but a visit to pilgrim sites like Kedarnath and Vaishnodevi shows you a more religious side of India. We are one of the only countries where people trek long and difficult terrains, carrying fragile and old people on their backs, to seek blessings from God. I decided to revisit what happened in Kedarnath because I wanted the audience to understand the magnitude of the calamity and feel the pain of those who braved it. As a community, Kedarnath forms the epicentre of our beliefs. It’s so strange that the temple stood unaffected, despite so much water gushing in with exceptionally high force. One of the layers of my story is about keeping one’s faith alive in the face of difficulties.

Casting Sara Ali Khan and Sushant Singh Rajput as the lead pair made headlines. While one is a debutante, the other has not had a happy run at the box office in the last two years. Does that put added pressure on the project?
No, I don’t think so, because I have not made a film to launch anyone. Today, I don’t feel any pressure whatsoever because I have a film with a compelling story which must reach people. Without that, you can’t have the drive to make a film while facing adversities, right? If your agenda is clear, nothing can pressurise you or put you in a corner. Yes, I know that there was talk about which film Sara will eventually debut with — Kedarnath or Simmba. I never set out to make a launch film for her. I met her, spoke to her and felt she has it in her to breathe life into this character. I think it’s more important to see whether she’s good in the film, which I think she is and I hope people agree with my thought. As for the toss-up between Simmba and Kedarnath, the sentiments are the same on both the sets, and Rohit Shetty and I want her to shine in both our films. As for Sushant, every actor has his share of ups and downs; that doesn’t take away from his performance or an impactful story.




A few months ago,when Kedarnath was caught in a legal tussle and the shoot came to a halt, what was the reaction from the team and the actors?
Let me set the record straight — the production of Kedarnath didn’t halt for as long as it was reported. We had trouble with our business partners and we were in the midst of a hurricane, but we moved on with the film, all guns blazing. Today, we’ve put that entire episode behind us and moved on. So, I don’t want to talk too much in detail about what happened. In that phase, there was nothing we could do, except finish our work and hope for the best. Trust me; we have been through a lot as a team. We could only emerge from that with self-belief and faith in our project. There was nothing else that could have given us the energy to keep the film on track. I have gained the experience of a lifetime. Besides that, I think the battle is not over yet. The real teachings of that phase will become evident once the film releases.

Saif Ali Khan, in his interview to BT, had said that he felt bad for what you went through and thanked God that Rohit Shetty and Karan Johar had sheltered his daughter Sara during the phase. What’s your reaction?
I completely understand his concern as a parent. I also understand what Amrita Singh must have felt during that phase. It was my sole responsibility to hold on to my film and bring it out well, because I was the only one who could do that. Not everyone would have understood what I was thinking then. As a producer and director, I couldn’t lose track of Kedarnath, come what may. I would not be here if I didn’t hold on to my film. It was a daunting situation and one that could have shattered my project completely. For Sara’s parents, it looked like their daughter’s debut was in jeopardy. They had to find their way around the situation and they did what they could do best for her.

Kedarnath also seems to have taken a toll on your relationship with your cousin Ekta Kapoor, your former partner on the film…
My film is my biggest priority right now. From the time Ekta and I parted ways on the film, I have surged far ahead with the project. I haven’t had the time to look behind and assess what the collaterals have been for me. Once the film is out, I will take time out to go back and understand what the implications have been, if any, on my personal equations with people.

While you braved the professional ordeal, on the personal front, you also welcomed your second baby. How did your wife Pragya handle the pregnancy and pressure of the film, as she, too, is a producer?
In the course of making this film, I understood so much more about Pragya. It’s only during testing times that certain hidden aspects of people’s personalities come to the fore. We were right in the middle of a difficult film like this when she was pregnant. I was divided between the film and her, but I was also beaming with pride to see just how well she operates under tremendous pressure.

You started the film by visiting the Kedarnath shrine. Do you plan to visit the temple again before release?
I don’t think I will make it to the temple before it closes for winter, but when it opens again, I will be at its doorstep with my faith intact.