Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 22, 2023)

Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, who earlier directed films like Lucky: No Time For Love and Sanam Teri Kasam and several music videos, are back to helming a feature film with Yaariyan 2. The duo enjoyed teaming up with Divya Khosla Kumar, Meezaan Jafri and Pearl V Puri in this film about three cousins, their friendship, bond and journey that released on October 20. They talk to us about how the idea for this film was born and how music drives their stories.

With Yaariyan 2, you are taking ahead the franchise that talks about the strong bond of friendship. How did the project come about?
Vinay Sapru: So, we had this script, which focused on what happens to the people when they come to Mumbai from outside the city under various circumstances. For example, some come to the city after marriage, while others come here for education or to pursue their careers. It’s a coming-of-age story of all these characters, with the backdrop of great music. When we narrated this musical to producer Bhushan ji (producer Bhushan Kumar), he said he has a franchise called Yaariyan, which is about friendship and coming-of-age, and this film fits into that mould organically. And that’s how it all began.

For a duo who has directed music videos like Gud Naal Ishq Mitha (1999), Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi (1999) and Vaaste (2019), among others, and several Bollywood numbers like Tere Mast Mast Do Nain (Dabangg, 2010), Dagabaaz Re (Dabangg 2, 2012) music has been an integral part of your movies too. Is that one of the key elements that drives your story?
Radhika Rao: We cannot think of a subject unless it has scope for music, as it doesn’t excite us. We do all the writing with music playing in the background. For us, music is a switch. It keeps us in sync. I don’t know if we will ever make a movie without music, but I am sure we cannot write a movie without music playing in the background. Culturally, we all are very rooted in music. We have grown up on Raj Kapoor films and Yash Chopra films. Over the past decade, music has taken a backseat in Bollywood films. But I am happy that it is coming back with commercial Hindi cinema taking the audience by storm.

It was a role reversal for Divya Khosla Kumar. While the earlier part was directed by her, in the second instalment, she’s playing the leading lady of the movie. Was she emotionally attached to the project as a director, too?
Radhika: The good thing is that, given that she’s directed films in the past, she understands the angst of a director and is very considerate on tough shoot days when we are working for long hours and in bad weather conditions. She was a complete actor in this project, and I don’t recall a single conversation where we discussed direction.

For over two decades, the two of you have been working as partners in the industry. What’s the secret behind your friendship and bond?
Vinay: We did our first project together with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (for the Kinna Sona music video). Since then, we have never looked back. It all falls into place when there’s mutual respect. There are no ego hassles when it comes to our creative ideas. And I think there is a clear demarcation that this is where my turf ends and her turf starts - that is what has kept us going.