Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; October 5, 2019)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Tamannaah Bhatia’s upcoming romantic drama, Bole Chudiyan, has been directed by Nawaz’s younger brother, Shamas Nawab Siddiqui. Having assisted directors as an AD on ads, short films and TV shows in the past, this is Shamas’ first feature film as a director and writer. In a chat with Bombay Times, he spoke about his experience of working on the film, the challenges he faced and what it’s like to direct his talented elder brother. Excerpts…

What are the pros and cons of directing your brother on screen? Nawaz is a renowned actor, was that intimidating for you as a first-time director?
We are seven siblings and since I came to Mumbai from Budhana (Uttar Pradesh) a few years after Nawaz did, our relationship is more work-oriented. I was nervous in the beginning and wasn’t sure if I had the confidence to direct someone as seasoned as Nawaz bhai. He has worked with the best of directors. However, within a few days, the nervousness disappeared. He is extremely professional. On set, he is just an actor. In fact, he would wonder why I would hesitate to say ‘cut’ sometimes. Nawaz bhai is a great improviser. He will add something or the other at the end of every scene. Even Anurag Kashyap lets him finish the scenes his way. In this film, there’s a scene where Nawaz’s character goes on the roof of the heroine’s haveli to tell her that she doesn’t have to worry; that he is brave enough to keep other prospective grooms and rishtas away from her; that they won’t dare to face him. Soon after, there’s a loud sound in the house and he runs away, contradicting the ‘bold persona’ he tries to portray. Adding that twist in the end was Nawaz’s idea. He will suggest these inputs, but never try to take over. He is a director’s actor and he believed in me. Tamannaah, too, told me to treat her like a newcomer when she felt that I was a tad intimidated. They both made me feel comfortable.

Will this film see Nawaz in a different avatar?
This is perhaps his first U-rated film! There is not a single cuss word in it (smiles).

What is Bole Chudiyan all about?
It’s an out-and-out romantic drama with a healthy dose of humour, set in a small-town Muslim household. As a director, I was looking for a story which I could identify with. Since I hail from Budhana (Uttar Pradesh), I thought that I could do justice to a small-town love story. As a director, it always helps to get the nuances right if you have actually lived that life. When we were in Budhana, Nawaz bhai ke life mein aise kai romantic kisse huye the, so I decided to use that in this film. The romance in Bole Chudiyan has been inspired by Nawaz’s real-life instances. The film has six beautiful songs and a fun ensemble cast, also including Rajpal Yadav, Aditya Srivastava, Vibha Chibber, Kabir Duhan Singh and Priyamvada Kant. Other than the primary cast, there are 68 actors in the film and 90 per cent of the scenes have been shot outdoors in Mandawa (Rajasthan), where the temperature was 36 to 47 degrees. I had great support from the crew and the producers; I come with 10 years’ experience in the industry, but have never come across such a supportive crew.

Why did you choose to shoot the film in Mandawa and not Budhana?
Budhana is our hometown and had we shot there, someone or the other would come to meet Nawaz every day. It was relatively easier to manage the crowd in Mandawa. Also, the film required a certain setting, in terms of houses and the way of life, which still exists in Mandawa. Budhana has changed a lot. Most buildings are modern now, so that didn’t suit the small-town narrative.

We hear that you even arranged home-cooked food for the entire crew, as they fancied the taste of your ghar ka khaana?
Unko mere mummy ke haath ka khaana pasand aaya tha. Isliye, I got a cook from Budhana to Mandawa, who served them those dishes. In return, they also made me feel at home. The production had provided with the best of equipment, which makes life easy for a debutant director. I had the best chemistry with senior DOP (director of photography) Mohana Krishna and producer Rajesh Bhatia, who always supported and encouraged me. A special mention to costume designer Shadab Malik, too, who has done a splendid job.

As a director, what is the genre that attracts you the most?
I want to only make commercial cinema, which caters to the family audience.