Bollywood's most loved filmmaker Zoya Akhtar looks back during the lockdown
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; May 15, 2020)

Consider writer-director Reema Kagti (Gold, Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd) as an Australian male Ricardo Fernandes, looking for his lost brother in Mumbai, while filmmaker Zoya Akhtar is the local don Mastana's hot moll. That's really how Zoya first met Reema, during the audition for Kaizad Gustad's Bombay Boys (1998).

Reema, as the casting assistant, was standing in for Rahul Bose. Zoya, opposite her, was actually testing for the film's female lead role—mainly to humour Gustad, because he was keen she read for the part, that finally went to Tara Deshpande. Zoya was clear she wanted to AD on the movie.

AD, meaning assistant director—both a proper noun and an active verb on a film set. It's been over two decades since Bombay Boys, where Reema and Zoya were second ADs. Their partnership, as writers over the past decade though, counts amongst its achievements, Gully Boy (2019), the Amazon series Made In Heaven (2019), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), Talaash (2012), and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011).

Bollywood wise, they could well be—albeit slightly Bonzai—versions of the '70s super-hit, Salim-Javed (Zanjeer, Deewar, Don, Sholay, Mr India)—the most successful writing pair ever, comprising Salim Khan and Zoya's father, Javed Akhtar.

I say this, while Zoya is talking to us from where Salim-Javed used to work out of—the study in her Bandra family home—that she now uses as her bedroom: "I'm just absorbing them," she smiles. She also drops a hint at working on a talkathon/documentary project of sorts to do with Salim-Javed themselves, as part of her newly launched production company.

But it's too early to talk about, she insists. Much is naturally made of Zoya as poet-lyricist Javed's daughter, eighth generation writer from the Akhtar family. Her love for films, as she points out, flows first from her mother's fine collection of world to latest cinema, projected on the screen at home, growing up.

Also the fact is that it's her mom, Honey Irani, who's the Bollywood insider in the family, having literally grown up in showbiz (Javed had moved from Bhopal).

Wikipedia rather exaggeratedly lists her as the child-star of 72 films!

Honey would've done minimum 20-30 movies as the much loved kid-face of the big screen—graduating much later to screenwriting, with popular titles like Yash Chopra's Lamhe (1991), Aaina (19993), Darr (1993), Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (2000), Koi… Mil Gaya (2003), Krissh 3 (2013).

Zoya reminisces, "Now, everybody has a camera to record their children. But people in my generation did not have footage of when their parents were three years old. I was one of the few kids, who had my mother from the time she was two, to when she was 16! I've seen my mother animated [on the screen], with different expressions, speech, seen her change, and grow. It's really interesting even now, to see her like that. She was darn cute, man! She, and my aunt Daisy [Irani]!"

She rues in jest, "Everybody in my family has a National Award— my mother, father, brother [Farhan Akhtar], step-mother [Shabana Azmi], cousin [Farah Khan], everybody. Except me!" Which film did her mom get a National Award as the kid-lead? "I don't know, if it was for Pyaar Ki Pyaas or Taare Zameen Par, one of the two." There was a yesteryear film called Taare Zameen Par? "Zameen Ke Tare! Both my mom, and my aunt."

The mom's acting gene, Zoya contends, went to her younger sibling, Farhan: "He is a bona-fide performer—he always had that. I hate being on stage, or before the camera. My first thing to do with the arts was to write—watching both my parents work at home, discussing scripts… That was one of the first things [in my head]. Directing came later."

Held over video-call for the first time, Zoya is also the first filmmaker to feature on our unscripted conversation series, Sit With Hitlist—so far limited to Hindi cinema's lead actors. Reason for that of course is that she's arguably Bollywood's most loved filmmaker, and therefore a star in her own right.

That apart, little is known about her life up until her rather belated directorial debut at 36-plus, with Luck By Chance (2009), although she'd been working as a film professional for around 18 years before that. Very little worth knowing, Zoya casually reckons, jogging back to age 19, when she started interning for a copy-writer's job at a creative agency—simultaneously reading sociology at Bombay's St. Xavier's College.

"I remember watching Salaam Bombay (1988), being madly in love, and going: I want to direct. And I don't know what I'm going to make. Because Hindi films were not my scene then. Out of the blue, when I was about 21, I got a job with Mira Nair on [the sets of] Kamasutra (1996)." You can find her in a cameo appearance as one of the Kamasutra girls, "an extra part," as she puts it, because ADs are frequently expected to fill-in or add to the human backdrop on shoots.

Of all her past associates, Mira as director appears to have left a strong impression on Zoya: "Mira is just special, you can see that. When she is talking to you, you are the only person in the world. She makes people feel special. She knows everybody on a crew by name. I love that about her. And I love her aesthetics."

Post Kamasutra, Zoya recalls, "I started working mainly on American projects that came to India. Went to NYU [New York University] for a diploma [in filmmaking]. Stayed back in New York. Got a job, thanks to Ismail Merchant, in a small, cool, indie film called Side Streets, directed by Tony Gerber."

She returned to Bombay as a freelance, professional AD, of which there were only four in all of Bollywood, who did a lot of foreign films and Indian work: "Reema [Kagti], [director] Apurva Lakhia, and me. Then Kiran Rao came in." Zoya's credits during this phase include Mahesh Mathai's Bhopal Express (1999) and Dev Benegal's Split Wide Open (1999). She chose to specialise in the casting department, because there, "you get to direct actors, with a script," and that's what she ever wanted to learn/master anyway.

She was the casting director on Farhan's first film Dil Chahta Hai (DCH, 2001), and thereafter Armaan (2003), her mother Honey's directorial debut. Okay did she personally pick/cast that balloon-lover boyfriend in Dil Chahta Hai? "Oh that's actually Hassan, a childhood friend of Farhan. But we handpicked everyone, so to speak. There are very interesting cameos. Kiran Rao is one of the girlfriends in Goa. She'd come to do all the extras' casting for the film's Goa leg!"

Between freelance AD-ing, Zoya had been ideating all along for her debut feature. It's mildly ironic that while so cued into casting, she was unable to kick off her first film for want of a lead actor, for almost a decade that she'd been ready to direct. And the one she eventually cast for the lead role, in her directorial debut (Luck By Chance, 2009) was her brother, Farhan, who'd been around all along!

"You cannot cast someone, unless they are ready. And feel that they want to do this. It took Farhan a while to get there—that he wants to act, and that he is a really good actor." While practically the entire Bollywood A-list came down for cameos in Luck By Chance, including both Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan (guessing, for the first time in the same film, although not in the same frame), Farhan was the seventh star to read/consider/hear the script. Hrithik Roshan played the second lead. "Luck By Chance is a book that I am going to write one day, about how that film got made," Zoya sighs.

Can't wait. It'd be quite a telling tinsel-town tale, given that nobody in Bombay does it. And Zoya is perfectly positioned to—not just as the quintessential insider, but as someone who can surprise you with her adorably random zaniness, on occasion. Recently at an interview she called herself the love-child of directors Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap. What does that mean? "That I am halfway between Indie and commercial, you know."

One time I remember getting a smoke with a group, outside a closed-door meeting with director Oliver Stone who was in Bombay then, and Zoya casually mentioned, "You know, there are four kinds of people in the world—John, Paul, George and Ringo." What?

I bring that up again: "That is a line from a Tom Robbins book. Have you read Tom Robbins? I love him. I don't remember what the context of that conversation was. You can look at everyone, and be like—that's a Paul, Ringo, George. I am a John, for sure!"

And while her films primarily deal with real, human, often raw emotions, there is this carefree cattiness that inevitably slips in too. It's only fair that we dig into a couple of stories behind some stellar, surprising choices she's made so far. For example, why/how/when did a ladies' bag, called Bagwati, bag a proper part in the breezy masterpiece Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara?

"That comes from Reema and a close friend of ours, Shai Heredia, who's an academic, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and hysterically funny. She and Reema were on a road trip, and they kept talking to Shai's bag. Think they were just tripping! We just put it into Zindagi."

It was Zoya's second film, with Farhan and Hrithik back on her frame, but in a much wider canvas, although the script started out in her head as a small, cathartic, road movie, about three boys in a car—for all the road trips she's taken in her life. Over time, of course, the script "developed a life of its own".

The film she co-wrote after was Reema's Talaash. It's a supernatural thriller that, by the way, was based on a true story, that happened to her! "You have to stop. I am going to be the crazy lady that goes on interviews and says all this shit. I know it sounds really crazy, and I don't want to be propagating this nonsense. But, I had a strange experience on Haji Ali, while a bunch of us were driving back from a nightclub. We thought we had hit a naked woman in the middle of the road. Everybody was freaking out. This is something I told Reema about, and where Talaash came from. I am not going to repeat this story, ever again!"

Okay how about the dog called Pluto, who's the narrator/POV of Dil Dhadakne Do; where does he come from? "From my super-smart, intelligent beagle Zen, who passed away last year. You can find him on my Insta page, Zen Akhtar. Zen would look at us as though he is watching National Geographic—that we are the animals, and he is like, 'What are they doing?' That's Pluto. Even the way the film is shot [as a result] is observational—there are no close ups, only 'wides'."

After a preview screening for Aamir Khan and his wife, Kiran Rao, both of whom Zoya makes it a point to get a feedback from before her film's final cut, she asked Aamir if he'd like to voice the dog: "He was, like, after these many years, you have offered me the voice of a dog? I said, please do it. He was, like, yeah, totally! And he just came [on-board], like a sweetheart. It was great!"

Is there anything she'd like to change about Dil Dhadakne Do? "I think the title. Would have been nicer [if it had] a little more gravitas." How about the climax (that was rather OTT, compared to the rest of the film's tone)?

"I actually liked the climax (of the mom, dad, sister jumping off the ship, with lifeboats to chase down brother/Ranveer Singh's character). The whole metaphor of the trip is that you can't get rid of anyone. Family is what you are stuck with. You can't just walk out the door. Eventually, when shit hits the fan, they are the only ones who will pull you up too. So when everyone tells me, I don't like the climax; I am like, cool, so what would you do? Till now nobody has given me a better ending. If there is one, I'd be like, damn!"

What did upset Zoya even before the release of Dil Dhadakne Do though was people taking the piss out of the picture for it being centred on lives of the super-privileged—intended also as a barb against movies that Zoya had directed thus far.

"Firstly I don't think it was criticism. There is nothing for me to take home from it. It is like somebody seeing a trailer of Gully Boy and saying, oh, this is about poor people. And I made Made in Heaven, along with Gully Boy. And that is about very rich people!"

"I was being interviewed by this woman wearing diamonds and solitaires, and she was telling me, it [the film] is about rich people. I was, like: Would it bother you, if your husband has an affair? Why? But you have solitaires on, it shouldn't bother you! What does it even mean?"

Before Gully Boy — set in a Mumbai slum and the city's underground rap scene—released, it got roundly compared to the American ghetto, hip-hop biopic, 8 Miles. Did that bother her? "The two people I spoke to [to base the film on their lives] are living here. You can talk to them. So, no, I didn't get into it. It bothered me, when they compared Zindagi to Hangover [producer Ritesh Sidhwani had to respond to Warner Bros]. Now, I think that's what they do."

Inspirations from dogs and spirits apart, what makes Zoya's filmmaking process special—given what we've managed to gauge so far—is she is capable of working backwards. Where she must know end, before she locks her script. Which isn't true for many filmmakers, who often arrive at the conclusion, as they navigate the story or characters' journeys: "I have to set a goal. That goal may change. But I when I set off, I have to know where I am taking the film. Otherwise I meander. I need a direction I am shooting at, you know!"

The other thing is her complete clarity on the point she's trying to make—so much so that she can distill each film into a single line, which is different from a log-line that describes a plot: "Of course Gully Boy is about a Muslim kid from Dharavi, who expresses himself through rap. It is a rags-to-riches, coming-of-age story. You can pin it down in any log line. But at the core of it, the film is about class. Luck By Chance is really about self-esteem. Zindagi is about living, seizing the day. Dil Dhadakne Do is a film about projection—who we actually are, and what we tend to project. It is what lenses the film, creates the base."

This sort of sharpness of thought, cutting through fluff, getting to the point, is also something Zoya shares with her father Javed, as a communicator in general—whether it be his works as lyricist, screenwriter, people's poet, or popular orator. He's possibly India's finest conversationalist—whose quick repartees and general gyan stick with you, if not go viral online.

Is there something Zoya remembers he told her that she's held as talisman? "Little things, you know. That when you are writing a script, whatever your story is, you've got to be able to lift your viewer. By the end of it, just lift your viewer! Don't resort to cheap shit to get a laugh or clap. Say it in the most base-denominator way, if you have to. But find a higher level of communication." It's tough, bohot hard.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; February 6, 2020)

Anil Kapoor will be seen as a police officer with grey shades in Mohit Suri’s Malang, which also features Disha Patani, Aditya Roy Kapur and Kunal Kemmu. The ‘evergreen’ actor says that he has a surprise or two for the audience up his khaki sleeves. While he doesn’t reveal what they are, in a chat with BT, he gets candid about his unfading popularity with the audience as well as filmmakers, and how he never aspires for any tag. Excerpts...

Many actors have said that they draw upon their inner emotions while portraying characters on screen. As an actor, who has been a part of the industry for over four decades, have you ever felt emotionally sapped while doing such a variety of roles, or the need to take a break?
Of course, I do feel the need sometimes. During the first decade of my career, there were so many factors driving me. I wanted to work as much as I could. The second decade was all about trying to maintain what I had by working in the best of films. There were financial obligations and setbacks, too, like Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993, home production). The third decade was all about maintaining longevity. I was focusing on adapting myself to the need of the hour and trying to make younger filmmakers notice my versatility.

During the fourth decade, I went into a transition mode. Also, God has been kind, as opportunities keep presenting themselves. How can I say no to them? It was almost after completing 35 years in the industry that Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) happened, which opened more doors. Then Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) happened. It's not that the thought of taking a break hasn’t crossed my mind, but exciting offers keep coming my way.

Talking about Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, Sonam has been brave with her choices in films. Do you think you are as brave as your daughter?
I am glad that Sonam, Rhea and Harsh (Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor) are making brave choices and sticking to them. They have chosen difficult paths. I was quite brave too, but not as brave as them. That’s probably because I had a lot of financial responsibilities. My kids don’t need to think about money when making their choices. They aren’t crazy about money. They are ambitious, but to do things they believe in. In my case, I had to keep doing safe films, to get a chance to try on brave projects. It was important for my films to do great business, so that I could take a chance with films like Lamhe (1991), 1942 A Love Story (1994), Eeshwar (1989), My Wife's Murder (2005) or Nayak (2001). There was a time jab log bolte the ki yeh bada apne aap ko English actor samajhta hai, itna ‘real’ acting karta hai. And then suddenly, one day, I became a commercial actor for them. Jhakaas ho gaya! Finally, it’s all about perception.

Today, we keep talking about content-driven cinema, but you have associated yourself with such films and unconventional subjects several times in your career...
Hamesha aisa hi tha. Beta (1992), Judaai (1997), Virasat (1997), Chameli Ki Shaadi (1986), Eeshwar… they are all content-driven films, which is why they have stood the test of time. People around me would call me a big star, but I have always banked on content, not on my stardom alone. I believe that’s the reason for my longevity. For me, it’s not always necessary for a film to be a hit at the box office, but it should withstand the test of time.

It’s not easy to keep yourself relevant and going strong in this industry, which is known to be fickle. Many of your contemporaries have retired, while others are settling for smaller parts or even try to revive their careers, though not so successfully. But even after 41 years, you are still going strong...
I am just following my instinct and going with the flow. I have been fortunate that young filmmakers want to work with me. I took risks in the early stage of my career. So, they know that they can approach me with their crazy ideas. I have done films in which the heroine had a better character graph than me. Had I been slightly rigid, I would have missed out on them. There were times when I did films in which I didn’t play the lead role, like Taal (1999), Biwi No 1 (1999) and Slumdog Millionaire (2009). I did them because, as they say, ‘there are no small parts, there are only small actors’. I never cared about the length of my roles. I tell filmmakers, ‘You give me two good scenes and I will do it, but don’t use my presence just because I am Anil Kapoor’. I remember when Farhan Akhtar had approached me for Don (2006), I told him that I don’t mind playing a don in a film which features Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. There were times when I did films for friendship as well. They have told me, ‘Main yeh film bana raha hoon, main takleef mein hoon’. I had an inkling that the film won't do well and even told them ki yeh picture nahi chalegi. They turned around and said, ‘Aapko kya farak padta hai sir. Kar lo aap’. Maine kee hain woh pictures. I am not a ruthlessly self-centred person.

There was a time when you were hailed as a superstar, and now, you are called ‘evergreen’. Today, when we talk about superstars in Bollywood, only very few names feature on that list. How seriously do you take these tags?
My tags change every decade. At first, it was ‘Yeh actor hai, star nahi hai’, which changed to ‘He is not just a star, but a superstar’. Then people said that he tried to replace Bachchan, but he couldn’t. Now, the tag is around my fitness and good health. I never aspire for a tag and don’t work towards earning one. They keep on changing from ‘Forever Young’, ‘Star’, ‘Superstar’, ‘Evergreen’, ‘The next Amitabh Bachchan’, ‘The next Sanjeev Kumar’ and ‘Jhakaas’. However, the one tag that remains to be my favourite and has been bestowed upon me by respected directors, is that of a ‘Chameleon’. I would strive for it to remain with me.

You will be seen with your son Harsh in the Abhinav Bindra biopic. There were rumours that you were initially hesitant to share screen space with him as you did not want any unfair comparisons...
These are all rumours. I can play anybody’s father, grandfather or even great grandfather. That has never been an issue. I had, in fact, almost played Sridevi’s father in Lamhe. I have played father to many actors, so why would I have a problem playing Sonam and Harsh’s father? My children are more worried about me than I am for them, because they are very sure of their work. Fortunately, like me, both Sonam and Harsh don’t worry about the length of the character. I have also done cameos. Similarly, Harsh is doing a cameo in AK Vs AK. It’s not ‘I, Me, Myself’ for any of us. Nobody is anybody’s fan or harbours superiority or inferiority complex. That’s the atmosphere in the house.

When Harsh’s first two films didn’t work, did he come up to you for advice? For any actor, box-office failure can be quite upsetting...
In fact, he advises me on every film, including Malang. He suggested that I watch Harvey Keitel’s character in Bad Lieutenant (1992). We (Sonam, Harsh and I) don’t advise each other, but throw ideas. Of course, box-office success is very important and it does affect you, but you have to move on. Harsh was upset, too, when his films didn’t do well. He is a normal human being. Success and failure are a part of life and our profession.

Lastly, is there anything that makes the ‘evergreen’ Anil Kapoor insecure? Does the thought of ageing play on your mind, at least at times?
What do you think? Everybody has to age and that, too, gracefully, die. There is no sequel to youth, old age and death. You experience it only once.

Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; January 5, 2020)

From being a part of successful television shows like Balika Vadhu (2010) and Qubool Hai (2013) to doing commercial Bollywood films like Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) and Half Girlfriend (2017) among others, Vikrant Massey has come a long way. The actor, who made his Bollywood debut with Lootera (2013), has also been part of award-winning films like A Death In The Gunj (2017) and the controversial movie, Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017). His next — Chhapaak, directed by Meghna Gulzar — focuses on acid attack survivors. In a chat with BT, ahead of the film’s release, Vikrant speaks about his co-star and co-producer Deepika Padukone and his role in the film. Excerpts...

Chhapaak is probably the first film in Bollywood, which is based on an acid attack survivor. What were your first thoughts when you were approached for the project?
Just like every other individual associated with the film, I, too, wanted to be a part of it, immediately. When I heard the narration, I was shaken up. I was also looking forward to collaborating with someone like Meghna Gulzar, irrespective of what the length of my role would be.

I had made up my mind that even if I had just two-three scenes, I would want to be a part of it, as I had read the story of Laxmi Agarwal (an acid attack survivor on whom the film is based). As a crime, acid attack has been ignored for the longest time, though it has seen an alarming rise. It’s high time we reached out to as many people as possible and spread awareness about it. And, it could have been possible only with someone of Deepika’s stature; she will help us reach out to a much wider audience across the world. Films like these should be made. Yes, at the end of it all, everyone wants to make money. Unfortunately, today, a certain section in the industry has started evaluating the success and impact of a film, based on its box-office numbers. This entire practice, I strongly feel, is corrupt.

When you are making a film on an issue like acid attack, the environment on the set could be intense. And, one of the biggest challenges for the team is to ease that out...
(Cuts in…) It is not a depressing tale, as ultimately, the person facing an acid attack is not a victim, but a survivor. They are fighters. Despite facing all of this, they have the will power and the strength to stand up on their own and face the world. It’s a journey from being a victim to being victorious.

In Chhapaak, you play the partner of an acid attack survivor (played by Deepika). Given that this is your first film together, how did you break the ice with her?
I have met Deepika socially prior to this film. We interacted during the shoot of Dil Dhadakne Do, which also featured Ranveer Singh. She was on the ship (on which major portions of the film was shot) with us for a couple of days. We generally chatted and had a few conversations. She was on a holiday, but we were working (laughs!). Whatever little time I spent with her was wonderful. I am glad that I got an opportunity to work with her, especially on this project. In terms of our on-screen chemistry, this film brought out all the possible vulnerabilities within each one of us. As people, we were emotionally pure and naked in front of each other. Also, when your director is Meghna Gulzar, half of your job is taken care of. I think we have done a fair job.

Was it Deepika’s idea to cast you in this project?
Well, Meghna ji wanted to work with me ever since she saw A Death In The Gunj. Personally, I have always wanted to work with her, too. Her directorial, Talvar (2015), happens to be one of my favourite films. I have been an ardent admirer of her work and wanted to get a glimpse into her process of filmmaking.

On one hand, Deepika was playing an intense character like Malti and on the other, she was also the co-producer of the film. As a co-actor, how do you think she juggled both roles?
During the course of the shoot, I never felt that she was the producer, she was always my co-actor. When we were together, our only focus was to get the shot right. I don’t think at that time she was thinking what the balance sheets were looking like.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas to aid Zoya Akhtar's campaign by hosting several screenings of Gully Boy in Los Angeles for India's Oscar entry
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 19, 2019)

While the brightest talents of Indian cinema have made the country proud at the Oscars, the golden statuette for the Best Foreign Language Film has unfortunately eluded us thus far. Understandably, all eyes have been on Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy ever since it was announced as India's official entry to the 92nd Academy Awards. With its stellar performances and masterful storytelling, the Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer is being tipped as India's ticket to the Oscars. Even as the makers have kicked off their lobbying campaign in the US, mid-day has learnt that desi girl Priyanka Chopra Jonas has thrown her might behind the film.

As a first step in the direction, Chopra hosted a screening of the movie, along with Amazon Studios and director Akhtar, at the Ray Kurtzman Theatre in Los Angeles on October 14.

A source reveals, "Priyanka has been close friends with both Farhan and Zoya, ever since she worked with them on Dil Dhadakne Do [2015]. She is also invested in the film because she is fond of Alia. Knowing the crucial role that lobbying plays in a film's graduation from the long list to the shortlist, she intends to help the film garner as much visibility as possible. The actor has lined up another screening in Los Angeles before the month-end, where she plans to invite her close friends from Hollywood. She may host a few more screenings till the year-end."

Akhtar and co-producer Ritesh Sidhwani — who have been stationed in the US over the past few days — too have been bullish with their marketing strategy, hoping to grab the Academy's attention before it announces the nomination list in January 2020.

As told to Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 2, 2019)

When I was just a kid, dad would play a cassette before going in for shower. The first song was “O O Jaane Jaana” from Salman Khan’s Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, followed by the Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin chartbuster “Kya Hua Tera Vaada”. He would often perform on the songs and I would try a few moves of my own too.

The shower dances led to birthday parties and weddings. I was, otherwise, a shy kid but when I was grooving I broke free of my inhibitions. My parents observed this but never pushed me into pursuing dancing professionally. We come from a middle-class family and our dreams were rooted in reality.

Dad is a Chartered accountant and the family thought that was a safe career choice for me. I appeared for CPT (the CA entrance exam) but on the side, I was doing theatre when in college. I can’t explain but some kind of energy was always pulling me towards acting. So, I was acting in plays and even co-writing a few while studying for the exams. I used to attend CA classes from 7 am to noon, and from 2 pm to 5 pm I would be at rehearsals, returning home to revise my syllabus and my dialogue before going to bed. Since I was in the cultural department, attendance was never an issue, and anyway Bachelor of Commerce is an easy stream for someone doing CA.

I had to quit theatre because IPCC (CA, second level) required me to study 14 hours a day. I wanted to finish the course as soon as possible and start acting again so I focussed single-mindedly on academics. I cleared both groups in the first attempt, scoring 426 marks, just 20-30 marks short of getting a rank.

After IPCC, I had to do articleship for two-and-a-half years. I got into a firm but after a couple of months, I felt like taking a break and getting back to the stage. I entered and won the fresh face competition but then it was time to start prepping for my CA final exams. When you are featured in the front page of a newspaper and winning laurels in acting for your college, Mithibai, at inter-collegiate festivals like Umang and Malhar to name a few, it’s difficult to switch gears. Still, I enrolled myself for CA classes even though my heart was not in it. But after attending classes for three days, I decided I had had enough. I didn’t want to continue with CA.

I’d become like Ranbir Kapoor’s character in Tamasha so dad let me go for auditions with my theatre friends. I went for a lot of them and every audition was a learning experience. Initially I didn’t even know how to look into the camera. But slowly, I trained myself and polished my skills. There was a time when I was this pseudo pretentious artiste who wanted to do an art film. But slowly, I realised where the audience’s interest lay and took the jump towards commercial cinema.

I had always planned on becoming a hero, but I took a different route. I was offered a three-film contract by one of the best production houses in India, but I didn’t feel they were the right films for me so I turned them down. My parents were aghast, wondering if I’d gone mad!

My struggles continued and after several rounds of audition, Inside Edge happened. Everyone agreed it was brilliant casting and the producers of the show Farhan (Akhtar) sir and Ritesh (Sidhwani) sir specifically asked me not to undersell myself, promising me something big soon. At the success party, I spotted Zoya (Akhtar) and since I had nothing to lose, I asked the DJ to play “Gallan Goodiyaan” from her film Dil Dhadakne Do. I then walked up to her and requested her to come with me on the dance floor. Everyone, and that includes Zoya herself, was shocked by my audacity, but honestly, I had no other way to catch her attention. She was impressed by my confidence and called me to audition for Gully Boy.

I didn’t know how to rap but had a sense of poetry and rhythm. So, I wrote my own rap song detailing my struggle and crooned it during the audition. The next day, Ritesh sir called me to say, “You are on board.”

Soon after, I started workshops with Zoya. She groomed me and I started writing my own songs, becoming a rapper in the process. And that’s how bathroom dancer Siddhant Chaturvedi who had once set out to become a Chartered accountant like his dad, went on to become MC Sher, sharing the journey with Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. Sometimes even dreams that are mere fantasies come true.

After three years, the National Award-winning choreographers are gearing up to work together on a song in Sajid Nadiadwala’s Nitesh Tiwari directorial
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 16, 2019)

Three years ago, Mirror had reported that choreographer-duo Bosco Martis and Caesar Gonsalves, after 200-plus songs in around 75 films, had decided to go their separate ways but would continue with their four-decade friendship. Now, we have learnt that the National Award winners have reunited to choreograph a song for Sajid Nadiadwala’s Chhichhore, featuring Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor. The Nitesh Tiwari directorial which kicked off last September, is set in an engineering college.

Caesar confirmed the news, saying, “Yes, it’s true, I’m back with Bosco to choreograph a song after three years. Before we split, we used to do all the songs together, barring a few when there were date clashes. I don’t remember our last song together, but Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) was among our last projects.”

He admitted that after choreographing “Senorita” for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, the song that bagged them the National Award, director Zoya Akhtar had wanted them to work together on her next film, Dil Dhadakne Do too. “Bosco and I did two songs separately for her recent release as well and now we will be working on one song after a long time. Sajid (Nadiadwala) sir and Nitesh (director Nitesh Tiwari) sir wanted us to get together for Chhichhore. I have already choregraphed another song for them alone where the characters are being introduced,” Caesar reveals, adding that they have just started working on the creatives and so he can’t reveal any details. “We shoot it in April in true Bosco-Caesar style,” he promises.

Bosco–Caesar started out as backup dancers for Farah Khan. They turned independent in 1994 with a stage show for singers, Shaan and Sagarika, at an awards function. They made their film debut with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir in 2000.

Will they collaborate in the future? “I hope so, our break-up was not over a fight or because we hate each other. Yes, we have had a few creative differences, but I always say Bosco is my better half as a choreographer. We have been best friends since childhood, he is like a younger brother. I love him and will always stand by him,” Caesar signs off.

Meena Iyer (DNA; February 13, 2019)

Zoya Akhtar has an impressive body of work, including feature films like Luck By Chance (2009), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) and Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) as well as anthologies such as Bombay Talkies (2013) and Lust Stories (2018).

The writer-filmmaker is known for her attention to detail and presenting well-etched characters with an emotional graph. She is also the talent behind the Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt Valentine Day-release Gully Boy, which is currently the talk of the town. Frankly, her plumes need no further polishing. In a freewheeling chat, the pleasant yet candid award winner talks about her independent banner, teaming up with Ranveer for the second time and more.

Your banner name Tiger Baby is intriguing. Is Gully Boy your first production?
Well, we co-produced one movie with Ritesh (Sidhwani) earlier and also did Made In Heaven with Amazon, which is dropping on March 8. Gully Boy is our third offering.

Why Tiger Baby?
My partner Reema (Kagti) and I liked the name. I love the tiger, it’s extremely Indian. It’s fierce, feminine and most of all, it’s specific to us.

Coming back to Gully Boy, the film is tracking extremely well. Does that make you nervous?
Yes and no. Of course, you are happy, because when you put out content, you want everyone to respond to it. Now we’re just hoping they come in to watch our movie and enjoy it. So obviously, there is nervousness because people are excited about the film. But, we’ve crossed the first hurdle.

The voice of the movie is young, it’s inspirational. It seems like a Slumdog Millionaire kind of a story…
It is an underdog story. It’s also talking about a section of society that doesn’t normally get represented in the mainstream.

It speaks of rap, an art form that came up from the street, like anywhere else in the world. These people use music as a tool, they’re all poets, they speak truth to power, so, it’s exciting. Hopefully, it will resonate with a larger section of the audience than just the youth.

Was Ranveer always your first choice?
Yes, he was my first choice, so was Alia, actually.

You’ve watched Ranveer from his Dil Dhadakne Do days. What would you say about his growth as an actor?
I knew Ranveer even before he did his first film. I always got along with him. I liked his energy and what he brings to any situation that he’s in. When I did Dil Dhadakne Do, we got along so well. I’m extremely comfortable with him. He is a real collaborator. He is a generous actor and a good co-creator of the character. He comes without any ego. At the core of his stardom, he is an actor who wants to do well. He understands the role, the script, and reads between the lines. He knows exactly where I’m coming from and brings stuff to the table. We can say yes or no to each ther’s ideas. I find that really exciting. He lifts the characters up. Usually, people just see the flamboyant and slightly larger-than-life side of him, but he’s got a lot of depth and sensitivity. I like being on a film set with him.

And, Alia...
Alia is special, she operates from an instinct that is so powerful. She follows her gut. She is so centered within herself that it comes through in her performances. In fact, it’s evident in everything. She is in the moment. I think that allows her to make her choices and play the characters she does. She is a dream to work with. I can’t wait to collaborate with her again.

Both, you and your brother Farhan Akhtar have a good body of work. Is it possible for you to say who is better?
No, it’s not. There’s nothing as better. Honestly, we’re not even halfway through our body of work. We still have so many films to make, so many stories to tell.

So, there’s never been any sense of competition with him?
No, never. And there can’t be because my film is his film. He’s either acting in it or he’s producing it or writing it. So, the ownership is always there.

There’s also a common soul in your father, in Javed Akhtar saab, who is also associated with your work.   
Of course, I feel extremely privileged.

And who is the apple of his eye; you or Farhan?
I’d say it’s me (smiles). I’m the first born and a girl... so we have a different equation like my mother (Honey Irani) and my brother have a different dynamic. I feel blessed and lucky with my family, not because of the privilege, of course, I’m grateful for that as well that we never wanted anything. But what is a real privilege is that we (my brother and I) were treated equally. I was treated with equal amount of opportunity, freedom and confidence as him.

We were allowed to make mistakes. I mean that is a real privilege, to be able to go your own way, find your voice, just have a support system that allows you to do all that.

How involved is your partner Reema (Kagti) in this film?
She has co-written it; so yes, she is very much involved; from the research till the script was ready.

What did you think of her film Gold (2018)?
I cried at the end; It was a massive film. It was nicely made. I think there were certain things that went wrong for her, in terms that she wasn’t happy with the effects. There was not enough time and things went off there. But the film really moved me and I cried. I’m happy that it got made.

There was also talk of similarities between Gully Boy and Eminem’s 8 Mile (2002). Do you see it as unfortunate?
It’s not unfortunate, it’s obvious because 8 Mile is the biggest reference for rap. So people will look at it and be like, ‘Okay, this and that...’ Like during Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’s release, everybody was saying it’s The Hangover (2009). But it was not The Hangover and I got upset. However today, I don’t feel that way about this film. I know that when Gully Boy opens in cinemas, they will understand that it’s specific to people from our space. I think what they are talking about is the rap battle, but those things are common everywhere. So, I’m not reacting to that.

Ranveer has done a good job rapping in the film. While you say he was your first choice for the role, was it the same case with his rapping, too?
It’s better na, because rap is spoken word. You can’t have another voice, it’s better that he do it himself. And he does rap, he also writes. So, there’s a certain sense of it. But we needed to know how he would flow with the sound that we were producing. I’m so happy that he’s in this film.

Did you get a chance to watch Simmba?
No, I was in post-production. I missed it but I will watch it once my film releases. Because when you’re in the last lap of post-production, you don’t have the space.

You, Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar Banerjee have been collaborating on short films.  Will that association continue?  
Yes, definitely.

Who is your favourite filmmaker among them?
They or should I say all of us are unique. There isn’t another Karan. You can’t replace Anurag. They’re my gang, my friends. We have so much fun together. We’re a good bunch when we are together. And that’s what I mean; you can’t compare them, they are incomparable. Who will you replace Dibakar Banerjee with? There isn’t another one. We are four unique voices.