Soumya Vajpayee (BOMBAY TIMES; March 17, 2019)

For Kesari director Anurag Singh, helming a movie that features Akshay Kumar has been a dream come true. “As a filmmaker, you seek creative and aesthetic growth with every project. That made me nervous and excited at the same time,” says the filmmaker, who has his fingers crossed, as he speaks about his upcoming war drama. The movie marks his return to Bollywood after over a decade. In a candid chat with BT, Anurag shares why working with Akshay was a delight and the kind of cinema he wants to be known for. Excerpts...

Your first Bollywood film, Raqeeb (2007), was made 12 years ago. Do you see Kesari as a comeback of sorts?
When I made Raqeeb, I was young and more of an outsider (he used to work in the Punjabi film industry). The movie didn’t fare well at the box office and I was sitting at home for a while with no work. I started working on some Punjabi films post that and honed my craft throughout the journey. The beauty of the journey is that you learn from your mistakes. That’s what I did. I hope the audience connects with my work in Kesari.

So, how did Kesari happen to you?
I was approached for this film when I was planning to work on another project. Kesari’s co-producer Amar Butala called me in December 2016, and offered me the film. When I was told that it will feature Akshay Kumar sir in the lead role and is being backed by Karan Johar sir’s production house, I couldn’t contain my excitement. The film went on floors in December 2016, and we finished working on it recently. It’s been a long journey, indeed.

What motivated you to direct a subject like this?
Being a Punjabi, I knew about the Battle of Saragarhi (in which an army of 21 Sikhs fought against 10,000 Afghans in 1897). Making a film on a subject that holds a lot of relevance in Indian history was the greatest motivation. Since Akshay and Karan sir were part of the project, I was sure that I would be able to do justice to the subject. I wanted the world to know about this story of valour. I feel that self-doubt is the greatest strength and weakness of a creative person. The responsibility of doing justice to the subject of Kesari was challenging. I had to ensure the right mix of drama and reality, so that the story doesn’t seem unbelievable. Striking that balance was hard.

How was your experience of working with Akshay?
It was phenomenal. Since I was the assistant director of his 2003 film, Andaaz, we knew each other. I remember, while working with him back then, I had hoped to direct him someday. When I was offered to helm Kesari, I felt that life has come full circle after almost 14 years. Akshay is an easy actor to work with. What’s special about him is that he hasn’t changed over the years. He remains grounded and has no starry airs. What I love the most about him is his discipline. If I called him on the set at 8 am, he would say, ‘Saat baje hi aa jaata hoon. Jaldi kaam shuru kar lenge!’ When he is on the set, he doesn’t get distracted. He never uses his mobile phone or meets outsiders. The best example of his dedication was that when we were shooting for the film in Wai (Maharashtra), he wouldn’t go to his vanity van despite donning a heavy turban, beard and costume. He used to have trouble eating, but he wouldn’t remove the beard or turban, because he believes in finishing things in one go. Despite the rigorous action sequences and high temperature, almost 40 degrees, he would only eat lunch post pack-up. I was amazed by his dedication.

Compared to the kind of Punjabi films you have done, the Jatt & Juliet series, for instance, Kesari is a serious subject. As a filmmaker, what kind of films do you want to be known for?
As a creative person, you always want to attempt something different and new. My 2014 Punjabi film, Punjab 1984, was also based on true incidents. As a viewer, I enjoy all genres of films — be it out-and-out commercial movies or arthouse projects. But as a filmmaker, I want to make movies that have relatability and commercial elements at the same time. It’s a challenging mix, but that’s what I want to be known for. 

Anurag Singh on his upcoming film which recreates the Battle of Saragarhi on screen
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 7, 2019)

How long have you been planning a film on the Battle of Saragarhi?
Well, I always knew about the incident, but there was no plan to make a film on the subject because a few other filmmakers were also doing something similar. Then, one fine day, because of my understanding of the Punjabi culture, I got an offer to direct a Hindi film on one of the bravest battles the world has seen. And in a flash, I accepted it. I have worked on the script and prepped with my team for almost a year before taking the film on the floors. The challenge was to get everything right, from the costumes to locations.

Was Akshay Kumar always your first choice to play Havildar Ishar Singh?
He was already on board before I was approached. Having said that, I don’t think any other actor could have played this character better than him. Akshay is a Punjabi and has played Sikh characters in the past though in a different genre. He is an A-list actor and the script called for someone like him.

But his look has got mixed reactions. Shouldn’t he have at least grown his hair and beard, like Randeep Hooda had for Rajkumar Santoshi’s film on the same subject which has since been shelved?
The idea was to replicate a look from the time and while we would have loved him to grow a beard for real, he was juggling multiple projects. Also, growing a beard this long would have taken Akshay sir seven-eight months. He would have had to keep it for another seven months through the duration of the shoot too. The logistics were not falling into place.

The film was announced as a collaboration between Karan Johar, Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan. Why did Salman drop out?
I am not aware of the discussions that took place behind closed doors. All I know is that one day, I was informed that Salman doesn’t want to be a part of the film anymore.

Even Ajay Devgn was planning to make a film on the same subject…
(Cuts in) When we conceptualised the film, only Santoshi (Rajkumar) saab was in the process of working out a film on the same subject. But I hear even his film is stalled now. Of course, there were internal discussions to make sure that we didn’t end up having three-four films on the same subject. But we had information that none of the other films are taking off. I know many people were talking about their Battle of Saragarhi but none of their films went into production.

The promotions have started late and been pretty low-key?
(Cuts in) We planned on a month-long promotion as people like Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar automatically get traction. Social media has made film promotions easy. It’s a well thought of strategy, as given the plethora of releases, it is difficult to hold the audience’s attention for a longer span.

Did the fire on the set in Wai result in financial losses?
It’s not about the money but the effort that went into making the sets. The location was not easily approachable. The team lived there for three months and then, one fine day, everything just vanishes. It was heart-breaking! I am grateful nobody got injured. We can always recover from financial loss, but not loss of a life.

Don’t you fear comparison with other period films like Baahubali and Padmaavat?
I’m not trying to compete with Baahubali in particular because that was made on a much bigger scale and since it wasn’t based on a true incident, they could create fantastic visuals that may not have existed in reality. We didn’t approach the script with the intention of matching up to the standards set by other films, the idea is to stay true to the subject. The scale has been derived from the script.

What next after Kesari?
There are subjects I’m discussing with Karan, however everything depends on how this film fares. 

With action playing a crucial role in Akshay's period drama Kesari, director Anurag on how they roped in Mad Max stunt coordinator to visualise battle sequences
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 21, 2019)

"The Battle of Saragarhi is a well-known chapter of our history," starts off Anurag Singh, the director of Akshay Kumar-starrer Kesari. The Karan Johar production is a retelling of the 1897 battle that saw 21 Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army fight the 10,000-strong troop of Afghani tribesmen in the Saragarhi outpost.

Considered one of history's greatest last stands, the subject had caught the attention of many filmmakers. "I was approached by Salman Khan Films, which was co-producing the drama along with Dharma. They later opted out and Dharma took over. This film fell in my lap."

Since a major portion of the film takes place on the battlefield, roping in an experienced action director was crucial. The team found their man in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015; top left) stunt coordinator Lawrence Woodward. Singh says that despite being distanced from Indian history, Woodward was able to employ the battle techniques that were prevalent in the 19th century.

"He did extensive homework on the warfare techniques brought in by the British. He knew how to handle the old guns that we had sourced for the film. He took a while to adjust to the Indian working model because this was his first Bollywood film. Between him and Parvez bhai [Sheikh, action director], they took the action notches above what was conceptualised."

The period drama, he says, is a product of several months of research. "We referred heavily to Gurinder Pal Singh Josan's book [The Epic Battle of Saragarhi]. He researched the subject for 25 years and was able to locate the families of the 21 martyrs. Amarinder Singh's research on Saragarhi and The Defence of the Samana Forts came handy."

Singh credits Kumar for being a pillar of strength as he gave shape to his Bollywood debut. "Senior actors like Akshay bring heft to such parts and stories. He added fervour [to his character] over and above what was written on paper."