Anubhav Sinha says he has changed as a filmmaker, choosing to make films that take a stand, even if it is over ‘just one slap’
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 24, 2020)

Years ago, a lady, who had taken regular beatings from her award-winning director-husband for 20 years, told me that if a woman did not walk out of the marriage after the first slap, she might never do it. Was the trigger for your upcoming film, Thappad, a story like this?
I’ve heard many such stories, but this one is not rooted in a real incident. It came from a moment of epiphany. I was sitting with Taapsee (Pannu)— we were flying somewhere—and I wondered why we didn’t make films on chhoti chhoti baatein, like an otherwise-perfect husband slapping his wife for the first time and her reaction to it. She pondered over it for a while and told me that if I ever made this film, she wanted to be in it. The thought kept returning to me. Finally, after many additions, I was ready with a story.

How many women know that a single slap can land a man in jail?
Not many. We, particularly women, are clueless about the law in India. And even when informed, there’s so much stigma attached to going to the cops, which is seen as ruining family prestige, that a woman would rather lie than show the husband in a bad light. I know it’s ridiculous because he has violated her self-respect, but women are conditioned to believe that it’s their responsibility to keep the family together. So, while this film is about domestic violence, it is also a trigger to touch on such conditioning through several other female characters, including one who is happy to live without a man because she has had it so good before her husband died.

Self-respect and dignity aren’t usually on top of our priority list. Did you, at any point, try to convince your co-writer, Mrunmayee Lagoo Waikul, to bring in a few clichés to make the premise more acceptable?
(Laughs) Actually, the opposite happened. One day, Mrunmayee told me that Vikram (Taapsee’s husband in the film who hits her, played by Pavail Gulati,) was too good a guy and we needed to make him darker. I asked her if she would forgive her husband, a very sweet man, if he did what Vikram had, and she replied, “Maybe I would, once” and I retorted, “Then, what Amrita (Taapsee’s character) is doing is wrong? The film is wrong?” She assured me it wasn’t. That conversation became a scene in the film between Amrita and her lawyer, Netra. It disturbed me for a few days because my co-writer felt the guy should be forgiven and I didn’t agree with that. But then, I understood that this goes back to the same conditioning we were talking about where women take the blame of confrontation and consequently, don’t want to disturb the balance. But I wanted to disturb this balance; otherwise we normalise such a situation that men would happily live with.

In the credits, your name reads Anubhav Susheela Sinha. Why?
Susheela is my mother’s name. When I was making the so-called commercial blockbusters, she had dismissed them as “bakwas, bas maar peet”. One day, during the post-production of Thappad, I got emotional over a scene and felt that had she been alive, she’d have liked this film and thought to dedicate it to her by taking her name as my middle name. My producer Bhushan Kumar volunteered to do the same, so did several others in the crew.

Would you call yourself a good son, husband and father today?
I’d like to believe I am, but it is not a question for me to answer. At least I am aware of who I am, and I try to better myself.

After Mulk, Article 15 and Thappad, how do you feel when you look back on your earlier films, like Dus, Cash and Ra.One?
(Laughs) I feel I have grown up. Earlier, I was only trying to make profitable propositions. My creativity was limited to how beautiful a film looked and sounded. Today, I am a purist, I make a film because there is a voice I want to raise. I am no longer aiming for a Rs 100-crore box-office, but since a film is a capital-intensive art form, I’ve to ensure that no one loses money, but makes some.

You’re in a good space, given your last two films were hits.
Article 15 was not the first film on casteism, but it brought the discussion into the mainstream. Going by the numbers, there was a sense of urgency to watch it, and that’s encouraging. Money is a heartless commodity, and it loves precedence. Now that my last two films have worked, there is money to invest in films rooted in real issues. It feels like there’s an audience for ‘content cinema’, a term I don’t subscribe to.

Buzz is, you will soon start a ‘highly political drama’, Anek, with Ayushmann Khurrana and Taapsee Pannu…
I’ve read this too, but all that I’m ready to say at this moment is I start shooting a film in April.

Ever wanted to go back to making an action film, like War or Baaghi?
I know my next three films, they are not War or Baaghi. But the idea of a big action film is appealing. Nothing is impossible...

Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani -- who made Dus Bahane a hit, not once but twice -- on changing tastes in Bollywood
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; February 17, 2020)

For an artiste who has been rather vociferous about his displeasure with the ongoing trend of rehashing old ditties, Vishal Dadlani took us by surprise when, along with co-composer Shekhar Ravjiani, he agreed to remix Dus bahane [Dus]. On probing, we learnt that the duo would have preferred if the track wasn't meddled with. Their decision to intervene was taken to merely "save" their celebrated chart-buster. In an interview with mid-day, they reveal how they got the makers of Baaghi 3 to let them helm their composition.

When did you learn of the remix and what was the discussion you had with Bhushan Kumar and Ahmed Khan [Baaghi 3 director] about it?
Vishal: We heard about it over a month ago. After I tweeted [discouraging] musicians from relying on old songs, Ahmed, an old friend, called and said they [team of Baaghi 3] had used Dus bahane for his film. We spoke to Sajid Nadiadwala [producer], and both of them were gracious enough to say that they had shot it, but we could change it if we didn't like it. They even said that if we wanted it to be deleted, they would do so. After that, of course we wouldn't do anything that could cause them losses. Bhushan came by our studio, and asked us to help them out. So, we did what we could, given that it had already been shot to a very generic 'remix' track. We had two options; we could either take the legal route, and cause everyone pain and losses, or try and salvage an unfortunate situation. We chose the latter, because we have worked with, and are friends with everyone concerned. We only wish that they had come to us first.

What were the instructions you gave Meghdeep [Bose, producer] for the remix?
Shekhar: Unfortunately, we were stuck with the tempo and the verse of the version that had already been shot. So, we told Meghdeep to try to [make] it as close to the original as is possible, especially the [vocals] and the groove.

Are you happy with the final result? Would you say you enjoyed the process?
Vishal: The original is the original, and honestly, it didn't need [to be] revamped. It wasn't [created] that long ago anyway. Also, we would have probably [approached it] differently if we hadn't been brought on-board at such a late stage. Still, we're glad that this one will certainly send a lot of new people searching for the original.

Twenty years into the industry, what according to you is the biggest change you have seen in film music trends?
Shekhar: The film music-business used to set trends. Now, it seems to follow them. Filmmakers seem to have forgotten the value that a unique tonal quality [brings] to the entire film, and of songs that tell stories alongside dialogues. Songs now are mostly meant to promote films, and are not necessarily part of the narrative. The tragedy is that songs like those from Jhankaar Beats, Om Shanti Om, Tashan or Tiger Zinda Hai have become rare. Those are the songs that people remember films by, even after the films have left theatres. Movies may make more money today, and songs may stream in millions, but, now [we rarely see] audiences re-living the emotions of a film through the songs. Thankfully, the few true filmmakers left, value this.

At this stage, what can you tell us about the compositions of your future projects?
Vishal: We're doing two films right now, one for YRF and the other [Khaali Peeli] for Ali Abbas Zafar [producer]. We are also writing music for two international projects based out of the UK.

Vishal-Shekhar recently remixed their own song for the first time
Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; February 15, 2020)

Composer duo Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani were recently in the news when they expressed their displeasure regarding remixes. They even issued a legal warning to people against remixing their work without their consent or giving incorrect credits. Attempts by a section of the music industry publishers to remake/recreate an old song by adding or changing a couple of lines, crediting the new composer for it and delinking the original composers from their actual work, was unacceptable to them. What triggered this move was the news that their hit track Dus Bahane was being recreated for Baaghi 3. That’s when the duo decided to be proactive; they intervened in the project and recreated the 15-year-old dance number themselves.

Talking about it, Vishal said, “This is the first time we have recreated our own song. We did it because a lot of the new remixes are just substandard quickie jobs, which have been done on low budgets, by people looking to make a quick buck or to add their name to an already successful product. We didn’t want that to happen to songs that we have created in the past. Dus Bahane 2.0 still sounds fresher than a lot of the music being made now. We didn’t want it to be given the chop-shop treatment that usual remixes sound like. We wouldn’t want anyone else to remix our songs.”

Vishal, however, maintained that recreations can never be better than the original, “As the saying goes, ‘Baap baap hota hai’. The idea was to just refresh the song, with a strong hint of nostalgia, and a beat that makes you dance. What we did was to try and keep the essence of the original intact, and since it’s our song, to have a little fun with it.”

Working on the recreation was a challenge for the composers because the song had already been shot and they had to match their composition with it.

Shekhar explained, “The tempo was faster than we would have liked, but we had to keep that because it had already been shot. So, we started from scratch and made a track that fit Tiger Shroff’s vibe and Shraddha Kapoor’s moves.”

The duo retained the original voices of Shaan, KK, their own and added female vocals with Tulsi Kumar.

“This particular instance will also define the future of how songs are respectfully and correctly re-used with the consent of and full credit to the original creators. I hope it is a breakthrough for not just this film and crew, but for the entire industry,” signed off Vishal.

Dia Mirza opens up about her decision to part ways with Sahil Sangha after five years of marriage and why it was imperative to do a film with Anubhav Sinha
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 11, 2020)

Talking to Dia Mirza is like watching a sitcom. Every few minutes, she breaks into peals of laughter, amused by her own mirth, and it's a cue for us to join in. Over the course of the conversation, it becomes apparent that, if not an actress, Dia would have been a life-coach, imparting lessons she's learnt watching trees flower and wither, and children in war-torn regions play cricket. For now, though, the actress is trying to bring about a change through the stories she tells on screen.

Her decade begins with Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad, something Dia finds hilarious for its irony. When she can contain her laughter, she reminds you she's worked with Anubhav earlier in music videos, also Dus and Cash. "But his narrative style was very different back then. There were glimpses of the genius in Mulk and then, I watched Article 15 and decided I'd shoot myself in the head if this man didn't work with me,” she reminisces, adding he didn’t reply and she thought he’d become too big a director. But then she learnt that he was hesitant to approach her for a character. “There was a long gap between Salaam Mumbai and Sanju and people thought I was no longer interested in acting or was being too picky. Also, actresses sometimes ask stupid questions, like their onscreen age or that of their kids and this comes in the way of getting good roles.”

When she finally met Anubhav, he sketched out the gist of Thappad for her and without asking which character he wanted her to play, she gave her nod. “I love Shivani Fonseca because I believe in what she represents but I'm more stoked that Thappad is a part of my filmography,” she avers. Prod her on her character and she says Shivani is someone many women aspire to be because she has found who she is.

Quiz her on the kind of person she is, and Dia points out that she doesn’t believe in holding grudges. “So, I vent, then return to my serene self. I’ve been meditating since 14 years and my mornings are spent in the building garden. Even my home is full of lush greenery, with birds and bees visiting. Otherwise, the city gets to you—so many angry people around, including the media,” she sighs.

Is she hinting at the media frenzy around her separation from husband Sahil Sangha after five years of marriage? Dia is suddenly all serious. “Now every time people write about me, they mention I'm separated. I want to ask them to move on. My privilege as a celebrity doesn't disallow me pain. I derived strength from my parents' separation 34 years ago. I told myself that if I could handle it at four-and-a-half, there’s no reason why, at 37, I wouldn't be able to. Men and women hesitate to take certain decisions because they're afraid, you have to find the courage to believe that this too shall pass,” the actress philosophises.

Talking about parents, hers come from different religious backgrounds. “I was allowed to take my adoptive father’s surname. My birth certificate has a different name. My passport has both my adoptive and biological father's surnames. We are an inclusive society and don't care about religion. It's bizarre to paint everything with the same brush,” the actress asserts, saying they’d celebrate all Hindu festivals with her mother's family and all Muslim festivals with her stepfather's family. “I lost my biological father at nine, but up until then, we celebrated Christmas and Easter too.”

Meanwhile, since she’s from Hyderabad originally, it is a dream come true to work with Nagarjuna in her first Telugu film, Wild Dog. She also wants to produce films that compel the audience to think. "When you believe in your work, money follows,” she says, adding that when she set up her production company, everyone told her she’d gone mad. “No one says that to the actors. They are never too young to produce, no one tells them that your acting career will be over if you get into production,” she signs off.

Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani intervene to take charge of rehashed version of their 2005 original, Dus Bahane, after learning that Baaghi 3 makers were working on one
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; February 3, 2020)

Upon its release 15 years ago, Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani's Dus Bahane became a party anthem of sorts. Now, the fast-paced number from Dus (2005) has been revisited by Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor for Baaghi 3. In an age where Bollywood songs are constantly being reinvented, Dadlani has been at the forefront, criticising the trend.

In a previous interview with mid-day, he had referred to his slate of angry tweets when reiterating that he wouldn't take lightly to filmmakers contemplating remixing their songs, asserting that the feat may take away from the body of work of artistes who were "trying to create a legacy". It hence took us by surprise when we learnt that the duo was willing to rehash their own song. In a joint statement, the duo says, "We're doing whatever we can to save our song. It had already been shot to some chop-shop version, before we found out and objected. We insisted on creative approval, remuneration and primary and sole credit for our composition. Thankfully, everyone concerned has recognised and understood our right to protect our work, [and] our refusal to allow it to be released with anyone else's name on it. Ahmed Khan and Sajid Nadiadwala have been supportive. Bhushan Kumar too had a long chat and promised to never re-use our music without our involvement. Since this had already been shot to a version we didn't particularly care for, we are now trying to fix it so that a song that we all love, and one that has stood the passage of 16 years, isn't reduced to merely another shoddy 'remix'."

Responding to suggestions that Dadlani may also render his vocals to the revisited track, the duo says, "We haven't decided about that yet. We may keep the original vocals, because Shekhar and I are great friends with [original singers] KK and Shaan. We started together, and were part of this path-breaking track. But, since the tempo and verse have changed, we may need to replace the vocals too. Will decide in a day or two."
-------------------------

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 3, 2020)

Contrary to reports that suggested that Disha Patani would be seen in the reprised version of Dus bahane, mid-day has learnt that the song has the film's leading lady Shraddha Kapoor matching steps with Tiger Shroff. A source from the creative team reveals that director Ahmed Khan shot the track last December. "It was filmed across Serbia, Georgia, the Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan, and Mumbai. Ahmed reimagined it as a stylised number that was shot against white backgrounds across the locales. He roped in couturier Aki Narula to design bright-coloured outfits for the leads."

Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; January 1, 2017)

Ehsaan (Noorani), Loy (Mendonsa) and I (Shankar Mahadevan) were friends since we worked together in the advertising field. But we never imagined that the three of us would be doing music for films together. We were doing a Pepsi commercial for Mukul Anand and he offered Ehsaan to do music for his next film, Dus. Ehsaan refused immediately. But when Mukul pushed him, he said he’d do it if Loy and I also do the film. We met Mukul and had the narration.

When we reached the studio to record the first song, the makers and people from the industry were all there. They asked Mukul who the composer of the film was and he pointed at us. Everyone was surprised to see three composers. They were shocked that there were no musicians, arrangers and music coordinators, etc. Mukul said these three would do everything. So they told Mukul, “Boss, tumne kisko sign kiya hai!” They’d completely given up. In the evening, we recorded the first song, Chandni, and they were floored. They offered us the entire soundtrack! A few days later, Mukul called me from New York, before we were about to record the most important song of the film, Suno Gaur Se Duniya Waalon. He blessed us, saying, “It’s a patriotic number, but I want it to play for every cricket and football match, and even at clubs.” We did the song and the team loved it.

But Mukul passed away during the making of the movie and Dus got stalled. We were happy doing jingles, but we were upset that our career in the film industry saw such a low right at the beginning. It was then that Nitin Manmohan (the producer of Dus), shot a video for Suno Gaur Se to pay tribute to Mukul. The song took off. It played everywhere, from cricket matches to clubs. Mukul was and has been a guiding force. Later, Vidhu Vinod Chopra gave us Mission Kashmir and Farhan (Akhtar) gave us Dil Chahta Hai.

Anubhav Sinha admits there are plans for an action thriller Gyarah, insists it’s not a sequel to Dus
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 8, 2016)

Even before Anubhav Sinha’s second instalment to his 2001 musical romance, Tum Bin, opens in the theatres, speculations are rife that his next film, Gyarah, is a follow-up to his 2005 thriller Dus. However, the 51-year-old filmmaker refutes rumours of Gyarah being a sequel but admits it’s in the same space as Dus.

“It’s an action thriller and Bhushan Kumar is keen on producing it. I’d spoken to Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) about Gyarah briefly earlier and will give him a full narration once Tum Bin 2 releases,” says Anubhav adding that he might start on a smaller film since this one needs to be mounted on a lavish scale and so would need more time for prep.

“I’ve spoken to a few action directors and will start getting my crew together next year,’ Buzz is, he’s also approached John Abraham for this film. Anubahv rubbishes this rumour but admits that they might collaborate on something soon. “We’ve been wanting to work together since I directed him in a Pankaj Udhas video, hopefully soon,” he smiles, pointing out that in the last 15 years, he has made just seven films and would like to add to the tally now.

For now, he’s focussed on Tum Bin 2. Prod him why he didn’t cast established actors as opposed to newcomers like Aditya Seal and Aashim Gulati and he reasons that every film has its DNA and for Tum Bin that’s freshness.

“Even Tum Bin 3, 4 and 5 will only have fresh faces. Yes, having bigger names would have made it easier to promote, but I’m very happy with every performance,” asserts Anubhav. He has paid tribute to his Ra.One actor Shah Rukh Khan in the “Ishq Mubarak” song.

“Even when I was working with him in Ra.One, there were moments when I would become a fan rather than SRK’s director,” he smiles, as he is also set to foray into directing and producing video games, an idea he has been toying with since the last four years. “I wasn’t into video games much until Ra.One. As a part of my research, I decided to educate myself on it and was soon hooked. I have set up a company and learnt how to make these games. I will personally be involved in designing them along with the experts. That’s what I am going to jump into straight after Tum Bin 2,” he concludes.