Over the last 10 years, Kahaani has got a cult status, something that filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh finds flattering. “I don’t feel 10 years [have passed]. People still talk to me about the film like it released yesterday,” he says.

But Ghosh says that the journey of the film from inception to execution was a tough one, especially since it was a female-led story. “It was tough to get people to back the film, given the fact that it was an action/thriller with a female protagonist, from a director like me, who was coming out of two massive flops (Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak, 2005, and Aladin, 2009). There was nobody around and I knocked on every door. I got sc****d trying to find money for Kahaani,” he says.

Ghosh shares that after the film released, the notions changed. “[Someone from] a big studio came to me and said, ‘What a twist, our eyes popped out’ and I was thinking, ‘I narrated the script to you, twice, were you not listening?’” he recalls.

Ghosh is content that the film triggered a change in the film industry. “Kahaani helped assure people with money and the producers that such films can be made and they can make money, too. So, people started investing money in films with female protagonists,” he explains.

Ghosh credits actor Vidya Balan for believing in the film from the beginning. “Kudos to Vidya for carrying this film on her shoulders. It was a story we wanted to tell and be associated with,” he says, adding that he is looking forward to taking the franchise forward. We did Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh (2016) and Bob Biswas (2021) and if the right script comes up, we will do more,” he ends.

Failure is the last thing to stop Sujoy Ghosh. After two epic flops, he delivered Kahaani that was, in his own words, on paper the most wrong film to make.Yet, “If you got a story to say , you say it,“ is his mantra. Now, after four-and-a-half years he is back with Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh. This time, he promises to show us a side of Kolkata not explored on screen before. Excerpts from a chat with the filmmaker...

You made Kahaani after Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak (2005) and Aladin (2009), which failed at the box office. Do you work well under pressure?
In filmmaking, you can only do what you believe in. Your holy grail is that one story that excites you. You don't know whether it is right or wrong, you just know that it needs to be told. That's how I approach every film. Even when I made Aladin, which took me four years, I wanted to tell my children that there is no magic lamp and you need to work to get things. But, sometimes I tell a story properly and sometimes I don't. The approach was the same with Kahaani. I knew failure at that point and realised that I wouldn't last another failed attempt. But that shouldn't stop you from doing what you believe in, even if it means packing up. On paper, Kahaani was the most wrong film to make at that point. I have to give Vidya (Balan) the credit for doing it. Because there was this glaring neon sign that said, 'Don't do it!' But we took the risk.

Kahaani 2 is also set in Kolkata. How different will the city be depicted this time around?
It all depends on your character's perspective. In Kahaani, when Vidya Bagchi lands in Kolkata for the first time, the camera becomes her. She notices the city much more than anyone else as it's her first time there. In Kahaani 2, we're showing Kolkata through Arjun Rampal, who plays a policeman. He knows it in a different way. He will know those who sell weed at 3 am. I was born and bred in Kolkata, so I know it like the back of my hand. I've travelled extensively with my father who was a cab driver. Since I know the city too well, I can create elegance, happiness or angst.

This is your second film with a woman as the protagonist. Are you a feminist?
I don't know if I'm a feminist, but I've been raised by strong women who never got anything easy in life. They always fought their way and they made me who I am. My mothers have never been anything less than men. I've had two mothers - foster and biological. And fortunately, both of them were like an army on their own. So, for me, a woman can do everything that a man can.

Kahaani 2 comes after four-and-a-half years. What took you so long?
It took me around two-and-a-half years to develop the script. Vidya and I contemplated a lot of ideas because she is a strong shareholder in the franchise. I had many stories to tell, but none of them gave me the gut feeling that this has to be made. And, if you would think of an honest sequel to Kahaani, you have to ask yourself what would Vidya Bagchi do? Then we hit upon this one story that can have the Kahaani stamp. We just wanted to tell a new story with a new character. In the interim we had a fight also. So, it took us time.

Why did you and Vidya fight?
It was not a big thing. In any relationship, the problem arises when people set unrealistic expectations. The same happened with us and we stopped talking to each other. It was childish, and we ended up wasting a lot of time.

Who patched up?
Vidya made the first move to patch up and we realised how stupid we were. But I'm glad it happened because it makes things more eventful.

Why didn't you cast a new actress, if your film is not a sequel in the true sense of the term?
Firstly, Kahaani is known for Vidya, not me. Tomorrow, you can make Kahaani 3 starring her, without me helming it, because this is her film. Whatever success I got with the first film was thanks to her, as she was the only saleable factor in it. Also, she is a tremendous actress. When you have someone as talented as her, it is so much easier. However, putting all that aside, she was there for me when nobody else was. She's my friend, more than anything else.

Why did you cast Arjun Rampal and not repeat Nawazuddin Siddiqui because he, too, stood out in the first film?
When you're writing a script for two years, you start seeing the character. In Kahaani 2, I started seeing Arjun's face. The only time I changed my mind was in Kahaani when I was thinking of casting Nawaz. I had a different image in my head. His character, Khan, is the second-in-command of an intelligence agency, and has a sense of authority. When I met Nawaz, he wasn't anything like that, but there was a lot of anger in him. I realised that he was apt for the role.

Kahaani was full of movie references to the legendary Satyajit Ray. Does this film also have them?
The problem with Ray is that he's in your blood. Whatever little directorial skills I have is by watching his films. Pather Panchali has one of the most unique characters ever - a girl named Durga, who looks after her kid brother almost like a mother. So, that's carved in my head. Durga is there somewhere in Vidya's character too, but that's for you to find out.

Son of the soil, Riteish Deshmukh is not just a successful producer, but a clever actor, too. Contrary to his goofy image, there's a lot of introspection behind his choices. A trait that is evident, right from the time he decided to chase his passion for acting, instead of following his father's footsteps into politics. A move that paid off and how. In a candid chat with BT, the actor, who plays a street musician in the upcoming film Banjo, reveals how every film he makes in Marathi is an ode to his father, the late Vilasrao Deshmukh.

We heard that you wrote the lyrics for Rada Rada. Given your background, was it difficult to write such lyrics and connect with the character of a street singer?
The song is wrongly attributed to me. There is this perception that I come from an affluent background because my father was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a long time. But my upbringing has been middle class. My father was a farmer's son and a sarpanch before he entered politics. The culture and value system of Latur is deep-rooted in us. I lived in government quarters and kids from the neighbouring homes were my friends. One of my friends' elder brother was a banjo player. In fact, I also owned a banjo. So, this environment isn't alien to me. But you know what is? Pop, rock and American music. If I were to play a rock star, I would have had to work really hard to understand the character.

Tell us about your character in the film.
Taraat is arrogant, has a stubble and long, unkempt hair. He's probably not had a bath for days and is perpetually drunk. He speaks less and when he does, he uses a lot of punchlines, which sound rather heroic. In that sense, he reminded me of Amitabh Bachchan in Deewar. But he becomes a different person while playing the banjo. A musician that I kept in mind while playing that instrument was tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. The image of him playing the tabla for a tea commercial has been a big influence. There is a movement of his head that is in tandem with the rhythm.

What was Genelia's reaction to your new look?
She was really excited as she felt that I had sported the same hairstyle for a long time and needed to change it. I had to take a break of three months to grow my hair. Now, I am on a break again to grow my beard.

Is there something that we don't know about banjo players?
I wonder how many people know that banjo players play the instrument with a blade. I have done that in the film. I bite a blade and rip it into two in the introduction scene. I even cut my fingers while doing that, but you don't realise it at that moment, and continue playing.

Nargis has a wry sense of humour and you are known to be a prankster. How was it on the set?
She is crazy and cracked. Being Maharashtrians, Ravi (Jadhav, director), the writer and I conversed majorly in Marathi. So, she would be like, 'Oh my God, there is one more language I need to learn now! I don't know what you are speaking. I barely understand Hindi.' But it worked well for the film as she is playing an NRI character in it.

So, can she speak a few words of Marathi now?
The only word I taught her was 'Aaicha Gho', which means mother's husband. She thinks it's a cuss word. I haven't told her the meaning, but after this interview she will know what it really means.

The film could be compared to Ranbir Kapoor's Rockstar, especially because Nargis was in that film, too...
There are bound to be comparisons because both are musicals. But every character has a different journey. Ranbir in Rockstar had a different goal and the same applies to Banjo. They have their own stories to tell. Just because a guy falls in love with a girl doesn't mean there can't be different romantic sagas. I loved Rockstar and I hope that people like Banjo too.

You played a solo hero in Naach and Rann, but got noticed with Ek Villain and Lai Bhaari. Do you think these movies changed the audience's perception?
Success changes people's perception. It dictates how the next two years will be. Had the earlier two films done well, things would have been different. But the comedies I did at that time turned out to be more successful. So, I was offered such roles back-to-back. My film Aladin, which is close to my heart, also didn't do well. So, I went back to doing comedies until Ek Villain came my way. Playing the villain helped me break the perception that I was only good at comedy. That was a huge risk. This was followed by Lai Bhaari, which was an action-commercial film in Marathi. I am glad it was received well. I am excited that now I am being offered non-comic films, too.

So, are multi-starrer films, barring franchises, off-limits now?
I learnt early in my career to adapt be it doing solo, two or multi-hero projects. People may differentiate my films as solo-hero projects or multi-starrers, but I don't. If I am offered a three-hero film after two solo projects, I will do it.

You went back to doing adult comedies after announcing a break from them...
I said no to adult comedies because I felt I couldn't offer anything new to the genre. Strangely, people think I only do comedies but the fact is that I have only done sequels. Having said that, I am in a space where I want to do what excites and stimulates me as an actor and producer. If I have something new to offer to any genre, I will do it. I just don't want to repeat myself.

You seem to have cracked the formula of producing successful Marathi films right from the word go...
There are a lot of parameters for a film to be successful. An engaging story told in a nice way, along with a good release are imperative. Personally, I don't think about the money when my film releases; if your budget is right and you pitch it correctly, it will surely be profitable.

Salman Khan wanted to remake your Marathi production Yellow in Hindi. What happened there?
Yes, we spoke about it, but we have both been busy with our work. Hopefully, we will reconnect soon on this and figure out the next step. With time, the relevance of the subject also changes. If it works out, we would love to make it with his production house.

You have added your father's name to yours in your Marathi film posters. Has this been done to establish a better connect with the Maharashtrian audience?
My father wasn't around to see my Marathi debut and hence, I decided that every Marathi film I do will have my name written as Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh.