Showing posts with label Kausar Munir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kausar Munir. Show all posts
In 90% of our commercial cinema, the depiction of fully developed female characters is lacking-Leena Yadav
9:03 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; March 10, 2024)
Leena Yadav, who directed the 2015 drama Parched – the film revolves around three women living in seclusion in their village, who decide to take charge of their lives – tells us that depiction of female desire on screen has increased, which is a step forward because it sparks conversation.
She says, “Female desire is shown from a lot of perspectives, and many of them are not to my liking, but it's fine as long as it's there (on screen) and there is a conversation about it. I think we still have a long way to go. We need to normalize depiction of the female desire. It is still the case that one film on such a subject will come out, there will be some conversation around it, and then no other project on similar lines will follow. In a love story or any portrayal of a relationship, a depiction of a woman’s needs should be normalized. It should be the most normal thing to explore, like we have been exploring the male desire for years and years.”
She adds, “Actors should not have a problem with portraying female desires on screen, but they do, which is fine. After one gets past that, there is society. The societal framework is important to navigate. I remember some sex scenes from Parched were leaked online. That is how suppressed and starved we are for sexuality as a society. At that time, there was another (short) film that Anurag Kashyap had done with Radhika Apte; those scenes were also leaked. I think there needs to be a change at the societal level. Just putting some content out is not enough. We have to create enough awareness and normalize it in society to really progress further."
Addressing the same depravity in society, when Radhika Apte’s scenes had leaked from the Anurag Kashyap short, the director had said, “You try to take a step forward as a filmmaker, they take you five steps back."
‘Depiction of female desire should be normalized; we’ve been exploring male desire for years’
'There are even a few films that pose as feminist films but actually are a male fantasy of feminism'
Leena Yadav says, “To be honest, the depiction of sexuality on screen is a distant goal right now. I am appalled at the content now, where one sees such underdeveloped female characters, at times. If the conversation has progressed to discussing sexuality, let’s at least see female characters being portrayed properly. But we still come across sloppy writing of female characters. Within the setup of any blockbuster, there’s nothing preventing filmmakers from better defining the female characters – it wouldn’t make the film less commercial. But, in 90% of our commercial cinema, the depiction of fully developed female characters is lacking. Therefore, a decent portrayal of female sexuality remains a distant destination."
She adds, "We have to create enough awareness about the female desires and normalize it in society to progress further.”
Kausar Munir, lyricist who has written songs like Doobe Doobe for Gehraiyaan and Main Pareshaan for Ishaqzaade says, "When one thinks of songs portraying female desires in films, the first song that comes to mind is 'Na jao saiyaan' from Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam which had pathos, longing, and oppression, capturing the beauty of the scene. But that song was more about a woman who is wronged and oppressed. Many of Gulzar Saheb's songs, such as 'Aaj kal paon zameen par nahi parte mere,' when looked at from a woman's perspective, are songs about female desire. In fact, 'mera kuch samaan' is tinged with longing, desire, and loss. Gulzar saheb comes out as a champion of (writing) female desires in songs. Even a song like Kajra Re, which is kind of a club song with the line 'aankhein bhi kamaal karti hain, personal se sawaal karti hain', is the ultimate flirtatious line, layered with context where she is asking -'what's next? where do you want to take it now?' Many of Kaifi Azmi's songs have also expressed female desire. One of the best songs on female desires is Jaan Nisar Akhtar's 'Ae-dil-e-nadaan,' with the second line 'Aarzoo Kya Hai, Zustajoo Kya Hai,' beautifully depicts desire."
She adds, "When people, and by people I mean mostly men, think of an item song, it's often very different from what female desire actually encompasses—it's much more varied."
Talking about her songs, she says,"'Gehraiyaan' is particularly fascinating; it goes into forbidden desires. But it is for both men and women. I was asked to capture the film's essence in the song. I coined the word 'besafar' for the song, which many people thought was an actual word. Similarly, I created the word 'Ishaqzaade,' which, in fact, is not a real word. Reflecting on it now, 'Main Pareshaan Pareshan Pareshan' from Ishaqzaade is also about female desire. What else would she be pareshaan about?"
Is Bollywood killing off the lip-synced song?
8:27 AM
Natasha Coutinho (BOMBAY TIMES; February 2, 2024)
When it was time to shoot for Tum Kya Mile and What Jhumka? in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Alia Bhatt was in a bit of a fix. She simply wasn’t confident that she could lip-sync her way through the numbers. “I was very nervous, going to shoot a full proper lip-synced song after Ishq Wala Love (Student of the Year, 2012). So, Karan (Johar) told me why you don’t call Shah Rukh Khan, he will give you some tips. I called him and told him no one does lip-syncing better than you,” Alia admitted at the film's press conference.
Shah Rukh, of course, is a veteran of lip-syncing, having delivered a hit with Zinda Banda in Jawan last year, a song for which he lip-synced in three languages. But as Hindi cinema becomes realistic, and songs are either not included or become a part of the background score of films, will the art of lip-syncing die out? We spoke to singers, lyricists and composers to find out.
OUR WEDDINGS AND FESTIVALS REVOLVE AROUND HINDI SONGS: ARSHAD WARSI
Indians love lip-synced songs; it’s in our DNA. Our weddings and festivals revolve around Hindi movie songs, which are sung by fabulous singers and lip synced by great actors. The audience loves imitating these songs. However, it’s fine that some movies don’t have songs; if it’s realistic, there’s no point forcing it. It’s also expensive to shoot songs, and thus filmmakers shy away from it. My favourites from my own films, would be my first song Aankh Maare (Tere Mere Sapne), sung by Kumar Sanu da, and everybody loved it.
FILM SCHOOLS SHOULD TEACH HOW TO SHOOT SONGS AND USE THEM IN FILMS: SHANTANU MOITRA
Film schools should make the shooting of songs and their use in Hindi cinema an essential part of the curriculum. We are following western trends and have stopped using songs, but each time a song is used sensibly, it takes the narrative forward. In 3 Idiots, which I scored for, Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh was not lip synced, but Zoobi Doobi was. Initially, I had done a couple of songs for Sardar Udham, but Shoojit (Sircar) and I felt that the human voice was disturbing the silence, which is an important tool in the film.
A HINDI COMMERCIAL ENTERTAINER REQUIRES LIP-SYNCED SONGS: SAJID ALI KHAN (Sajid-Wajid)
Lip syncing is a special skill, and it takes actors like Shammi Kapoor to make it believable. Filmmakers are emulating Hollywood and focusing on picturization and graphics, but a Hindi commercial entertainer still requires lip-synced songs. Music is a part of Indian culture, and I don’t think that will ever change.
WHEN HAWA HAWAII RELEASED, PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS SRIDEVI SINGING: KAVITA KRISHNAMURTI
I belong to that lucky generation (1980s-90s) when songs and their filming were important. Almost every song – happy, sad, philosophical or spiritual – was lip-synced. I started off by dubbing Lata ji’s (Mangeshkar) songs, after which Lata ji would sing the final version for Rekha ji or Jaya Prada ji, heroines who excelled at lip syncing. I started singing my own songs for actresses like Padmini Kolhapure, Shabana Azmi and Sridevi. When Hawa Hawaii (Mr India) released, people thought it was Sridevi singing. A lot of credit goes to the actors, who excelled at lip movements, which is an art in itself.
I'M TOLD TO COMPLETE THE SONG IN TWO AND HALF MINUTES: SAMEER ANJAAN
Directors like Subhash Ghai would give 50% credit for their success to a film's songs. There was a time when there were at least six-eight songs in a film. I used to write two-three antaras for songs that were five-six minutes long. But nowadays I’m asked to complete a song in two and a half minutes, since people apparently don’t have patience. Many directors shoot the visuals first and then approach us for a song. This eliminates the chance of a lip-synced song. We need one big musical that can change this entire trend.
BESHARAM RANG WOULDN’T HAVE WORKED AS A BACKGROUND SCORE: KAUSAR MUNIR
I hope and believe that lip-synced songs will never completely disappear from the Indian film narrative, as it's beautifully exclusive to our films. Lip-syncing is also important to viewers. If you see the films that featured superstars and did well in 2023, all of them had at least one lip-synced song. For instance, Besharam Rang (Pathaan) would never have worked as a background score, it needed that dance, drama and the lip-synced visuals.
SONGS HAVE A GLORIOUS HISTORY IN BOLLYWOOD
- The 1932 release Indersabha had over 70 songs, a record that's tough to beat
- Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit's hit -Hum Aapke Hai Koun...! (1994) had 14 songs
- Shah Rukh Khan is a master of lip-syncing. Two films starring him - Devdas (2002) and Mohabbatein (2000) both had 10 songs
- Amitabh Bachchan could effortlessly switch from his angry young man image and mouth the lyrics of a song. His Silsila had 12 songs
Our initial approach was a bit younger, but the characters in Gehraiyaan were more complex-Ankur Tewari
9:16 AM
Kicking off the new year with what promises to be a great musical score, Gehraiyaan sound designer Ankur Tewari on the Deepika starrer
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; January 3, 2022)
Raise your hands if you, like us, had a second look at the trailer of Shakun Batra’s Gehraiyaan only to listen to its balletic music, again. Sound designer Ankur Tewari — responsible for monitoring the score and soundtrack artistes for the making of a cohesive theme — discusses breathing life into the Deepika Padukone, Ananya Panday, and Siddhant Chaturvedi starrer.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
What was your initial discussion with Shakun about the film’s music?
We were sure that the music should not be mainstream. A lot of films on infidelity have been made, and they have had a certain kind of sound attached to them. We wanted to approach this with a new sound. Having said that, we first paid heed to what the script was saying. The film is about a group of young people who are going through a transactional relationship, when it come to love. We thought about the kind of music that these guys would listen to. All the songs in the film are in terms of a score. None has been [lip-synced] to. We thought about the music that would be in their playlist, and then dug deeper into each character.
Did you ask the actors what they listened to?
No. But I got sneaky. I started noticing their Instagram pages — songs they were posting about, or sharing on stories. Since I have worked with Siddhant in Gully Boy, I know the kind of music he listens to. I was also thinking about the characters. This film is very strong, even on paper. So when you have access to a script where the character is so well defined, it’s easy to work accordingly. Kabir and Savera are two musicians who have worked on the score to give it a distinct sound. Their music is precisely the kind that these characters would consume.
When you have such a fine understanding of creating music best suited for a script, how do you navigate filmmakers’ demands to create a commercial score even if the story doesn’t require it?
Unlike in the indie space, where you write as you desire, in films, every one is catering to the script. You are committed to that. Different scripts have different needs, and some of them need a commercial treatment. If that is not done, then what is the difference between your approach towards an independent song and film music. Each sound-scape has a different colour, and that can be niche, mainstream or an entirely new genre. In this film, for instance, a lot of the [music] is inspired by French [music]. The song needs to pull you further into the film; not pull you out of it with a sound that doesn’t fit.
How often do you end up changing your work after seeing the first cut?
When I saw the rough cut, I noticed that there were places where we were going off, especially, as far as Deepika’s performance is concerned. She is such a powerful performer. Also, actors put a lot of work into understanding the characters. So when you learn of a character on paper, and then see how the actor has pulled it off, you start understanding their perspective. I had to move away from the music and lyrics that I [had etched in my mind]. The brief that I gave Kausar [Munir, lyricist], before I saw the rough draft was different from the one I gave her after it. Our initial approach was a bit younger, but the characters were more complex. We had to tweak it to suit that.
Women’s Day Special: Alokananda Dasgupta, Jasleen Royal, Kausar Munir confess that only way to success is through their work
8:04 AM
Alokananda Dasgupta, Jasleen Royal and Kausar Munir
Three female artistes on what drives them to success in the male-dominated music composing, and writing
MID-DAY; March 8, 2021)
Alokananda Dasgupta
Intricate and impassioned as they are, conversations on music composition with Alokananda Dasgupta are delightful for every interviewer. A far cry from the superficial accounts of the art, Bengali filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s daughter always elucidates her answers with those engrossing anecdotes of the concerned project that enhanced her final creative piece. It is this obsession with the craft that, she admits, is an essential to enjoy a long career, especially in a field that, much like many others, is attuned to the needs of men.
“It may sound like a cliche, but, keep at it,” says Dasgupta, adding, “You must have a [deep] desire to keep at it, despite disillusionment, and intimidations, and know why you wish to express yourself. The truth is that scoring can get monotonous, because one is watching and re-watching [the film] over and over again. So, only if something is up my alley am I usually kicked about composing for it. I will make something that I want to hear as a viewer, and hence take my role as an audience and consumer of that project, very seriously.”
Following her acclaimed work in Sacred Games with shows like Leila, Breathe: Into the Shadows, and the fast-paced AK vs AK, Dasgupta doesn’t shy away from admitting that gender discrimination, while not exclusive to the film industry, is something she encounters owing to the authority afforded to her as music director. “Sometimes, I am egged on to analyse why certain incidents happen, and I understand that people hesitate to accept instructions from a female [musician], who doesn’t look old either. I’ve chosen to wear horse-blinders for several issues. Things may upset people, but what can I do? It is my job, I have to talk to them and tell them what has to be done.”
Admitting that gender bias isn’t the concern that initially perturbed her about a probable career as music composer, Dasgupta says she had other battles to wage, including her rather introverted nature. “I am not a people person, and prefer spending time with [my pets]. But, I learnt on the job, and could see the loop holes and inequalities. It wasn’t shocking [to see discrimination since such instances] subtly make way into every woman’s life. For me, it started with insecurities due to simple things like being unable to participate in conversation with my male contemporaries [on topics like technology, which they can freely indulged in].” Patriarchy, she says, is so deep-seated in society that “even a filmmaker making a [pro-women] documentary is likely to come home and do something that [can be classified] as patriarchal behaviour.”
Jasleen Royal
For 29-year-old Jasleen Royal, singe-songwriter-composer, an increase in representation of women’s perspectives will offer a breath of fresh air in the music industry, and some respite from the barrage of “songs on infidelity” that have been topping the charts. “I would love to see female writers hold more key positions in the industry than they do. The industry welcomes both genders, and only considers the work that one can create. But, given that women started working late, it will take time for them to catch up,” says the singer-songwriter, adding that focussing on the creative piece, instead of the artiste who is creating it, has enabled her to develop a good ear for music.
“Women have different perspectives on matters, but let’s acknowledge that several women-oriented films have been beautifully penned by [male writers like] Gulzar sa’ab too. So, it’s essential to be influenced by good art alone.”
Royal, with films like Baar Baar Dekho and Gully Boy on her resume, says despite all odds, it is her ability to create work that she loves, that has repeatedly borne fruit. “I believe that only if I love what I put out are there more chances of others loving it too.”
Kausar Munir
Mirroring Dasgupta’s opinion, lyricist Kausar Munir says a fair share of the path to acclaim in the music industry is spent in oblivion. “You are shooting in the dark because there will be no appreciation [for a long time]. You need to spend time, and effort [in enhancing] your skills, and have faith, which is what makes the process difficult. There are several sociological factors [that deter] women from exploring the field. You need women in production arts, but as far as writing is concerned, their representation is abysmal. It could be because the writing process is disordered and fluid. There is no clear path to success, so you have to be obsessed with your work. It is a rigorous path with little guarantee of return. Women want something more promising,” says Munir, adding that though she stumbled upon the career by happenstance, she was able to pave her path by exploring various avenues of writing, instead of sticking to lyrics-writing, alone.
Munir counts herself among the fortunate for two reasons — to begin with, she claims to have not faced gender discrimination, as we know it. Also, on the rare occasion that she did, she could afford to walk out of the project, without worrying about her bread and butter. However, aware that her appointment on any project is owing to a skill-set that only she possesses, Munir celebrates factors that set her apart. Responding to questions on drivers of success, she says, “I know that there is something I can deliver, which is why I am appointed for the job. If I try to be an Amitabh [Bhattacharya] or Irshad [Kamil], I am being unfair to myself. I have recognised what makes me unique, and why I am appointed for projects. So recognizing your ability, and nurturing it will take you where you want to be.”
Admitting that the “system isn’t conducive for women”, Munir says several practices would be termed unprofessional by aspiring singers. “If I am called for a project at 12 midnight, I can go. But many women cannot. They may find it unprofessional, which it is. But this system is tuned against women. I am not even going into the [sexual] harassment aspect, which is prevalent. To women, I would say, don’t be afraid to fail, and tread new paths.”
Nikkhil Advani to directed a TV show titled Moghuls
8:42 AM
Ronit Roy plays Babur in Nikkhil Advani-directed show which also features Shabana Azmi, Dia Mirza
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 5, 2018)
After winning accolades for his TV show POW: Bandi Yuddh Ke and high
on the commercial success of his last production, the John
Abraham–Manoj Bajpayee starrer Satyameva Jayate,
Nikkhil Advani is now directing a lavishly-mounted show, tentatively
titled Moghuls. It is a screen adaptation of Alex Rutherford’s
six-volume historical fiction novel, Empire of the Moghul, which starts
with Babur and ends with the reign of Aurangzeb. Bhavani Iyer is
writing the screenplay, and Kausar Munir
has penned the dialogue. While Ronit Roy plays Babur, Shabana Azmi will
essay the role of his grandmother, Esan Daulat, and Dia Mirza will
feature as his sister, Khanzada. The team started shooting in Jaipur
last week.
Confirming the news, Nikkhil informs, “I have always been fascinated by the Moghul era, its politics and the lives of the emperors, so when the channel came to me with the adaptation rights to the book, I was happy to come on board. The first season will revolve around Babur, his obsession with the city of Samarkand and his rule in Kabul before he came to Hindustan.”
The
starting point for the filmmaker and his team was deciding on the scale
of the show and its point of view. “We are trying to keep it as
authentic to the era in the book as possible. After Jaipur we have moved
to Karjat for two weeks after which I dive into Batla House, my next
film with John, and resume shooting the show in February next year,” he
shares.
Dia who is “extremely excited” to be a part of the historical,says that when Nikkhil approached her with the part, she was intrigued.
“I’ve read this part of Indian history but wasn’t aware about Khanzada. While Babur’s sister has been documented well in Baburnama and Humayun’s memoirs, our history textbooks in school didn’t have much on her. So, it was when I started reading up for the part that I discovered what a loved, respected and powerful person she was. To play her means so much to me,” the actress says, adding that she is looking forward to work with Shabana ‘Amma’, as she calls her. “I consider myself fortunate to call her family and even more so to be able to work with her. She has had a deep impact on my life and my choices. I know I will learn a lot working with her again.”
Shabana describes her character as a “feisty lady” who took charge
and crowned Babur as king when he was only 12 after his father Umar
Shaikh died in an accident. “It’s a strong part and I am happy to
finally work with Nikkhil after a few false starts in the past,” states
the National Award-winning actress.
Ronit is still prepping for the part. Informing that the team recently shot his introduction scene and praising Nikkhil for all the homework he has done, the actor says, “Whenever I start working on a new project, what matters most is the energy of the person who has cast me. Nikkhil and I are like brothers, I’ve known about this project since its inception and had said ‘yes’ to it long ago.”
Alia is my real-life masterpiece. No cinema of mine can even come close to her-Mahesh Bhatt
8:16 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 10, 2017)
Articulate and intelligent,
acclaimed director, screenwriter and producer Mahesh Bhatt, 68, has the
gift of the gab. His words are not bound by his necessity to say the
right thing and that sets him apart. His audacious thoughts and beliefs
make you sit up and listen. As his next production Begum Jaan gears up
for release, he gets candid about reinventing his brand of cinema, his
message for daughter Alia Bhatt and his take on Kangana Ranaut's views
on nepotism in Bollywood. Excerpts...
At one point, many raised eyebrows at the Bhatt camp's 'erotic thrillers', which did well at the box office. Did that trigger your quest for reinvention?
We were caught in a self-imitating loop, in which the market feels safe when you follow a certain template. Our films were packaged well and had great music, but somewhere, the content was getting dumbed down. I discovered that Raaz was good, Raaz 2 was also reasonably good but Raaz 3, despite being a hit, had a diminishing impact. That was the time I realised that we had become everything that I hated when I began my journey. I was reminded of the Mahesh Bhatt, who stood outside Rajshri's office to make Saaransh, with fire in his belly and a vision. We had to purge the cobweb of space that we had made this place into.
Why did you stop making films like Arth and Saaransh?
Times had changed. People who were going out there and watching movies like Arth and Saaransh in the 80s were no longer going to theatres in the 90s as the place had become a pigsty! India was moving towards the digital age, so we decided to make movies like Aashiqui that catered to the young and restless of the 90s.
Did the fact that socially-relevant films seldom did well at the box office also trigger your need for change?
When Zakhm got a National Award but didn't do well at the box office, I discovered this is the kind of India where people say they want good movies but they actually don't watch them. It made me a little bitter. I didn't want to pander to a niche audience. Ultimately, it's a business of entertainment. I am not here to steer the conscience of the nation into some direction, which will change them forever. I am here to entertain, engage, inspire and stimulate them. Thus, as a policy change, we decided to make movies, which will bravely and audaciously aim for the box office. Raaz turned out to be a hit at a time when horror, as a genre, was sniggered at and most believed, 'You can't make movies without stars'. With Raaz, we found a recipe - high-concept story, great music, edge-of-the-seat experience and a dash of erotica.
You don't regret modifying your sensibility to achieve box office success?
Is it dumb to make films that people want to watch? Or is it wise to make movies that they don't want to watch? People who saw movies like Raaz, Murder and Jism are from our country! They didn't come from Mars. Why did they pay money to watch these films? People thought that I had sold my soul to the devil for 30 pieces of silver. Yes, 30 pieces of silver is what I set out for when I began my journey. As Charlie Chaplin said, 'I went into the business for the money, and the art grew out of it.' When I was 16, my father was not doing well, so I had to go out and supplement my household income. I came to make a living and support my family. I had to survive in this dog-eat-dog business, so I was unapologetic about what we made. We dared to junk the old skin.
So, with Vishesh Films completing 30 years, you have made a conscious decision to move away from the Bhatt movie template and focus on films like Begum Jaan...
We thought that the best way to celebrate this feat is by supporting path-breaking cinema made by enigmatic film makers like Srijit Mukherji. However, Begum Jaan is not a modified continuity of the Mahesh Bhatt kind of cinema. It's a new bird in town. We needed an outside surge of energy. The Hindi adaptation has taken a quantum leap from the Bengali original (Rajkahini). Srijit and Kausar Munir wrote it and her personality gave it the flavour and emotional sub text, which Hindi cinegoers can relate to as Bollywood films are faster in terms of their pace than Bengali movies.
Will we see you return as a director soon? It has been speculated that you will direct Alia, Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Bhatt in a sequel to Sadak. True?
Direction? No. Mahesh Bhatt, the director is dead and he led a happy life. I don't believe in reincarnations. What has bloomed from my dust is a far more vibrant plant called Vishesh Films. I had reinvented myself as a director in the 80s and 90s, but my desire to make movies has withered away.
But one hopes you'll direct Alia someday.
Alia is an intelligent girl and she knows it when I say that her father is an extinct volcano. Once upon a time, there was a filmmaker who made these movies, but I do not have the desire to make them anymore and nothing can take me back to doing it.
As a father and a filmmaker, how do you view Alia's early success?
Alia has astounded me and I am awestruck by her ability to dedicate herself so sincerely to whatever she has done. She has fiercely moved away from the work she has done previously. You talk about my cinematic masterpieces, I think Alia is my real-life masterpiece and no cinema of mine can even come close to her. Also, I keep on telling Alia, 'You should do your work seriously but never take yourself too seriously. Be proud of your achievements but don't become the first member of your fan club.'
You launched Kangana in Gangster. She recently spoke about nepotism in Bollywood. Your thoughts?
There is some truth to what she says. The film industry not only in India but also Hollywood, is insular. It's inward-looking. It doesn't look beyond its own little window, so it seems like a fortress to an outsider, hence I don't grudge her view. That is the reality, but you can't generalise this kind of critique. My career says that my doors will always be open for all. When an Anupam Kher walked in through my door at 28 and got Saaransh, it launched his unimaginably productive career. I have always done this kind of work. Even when Kangana came to us, she was a brilliant actor and today, she has much to be proud of. There is no denying that entertainment industries are insular, but you can't generalise that statement and apply it to everyone. There is this self congratulatory attitude that since I was an outsider, my journey was more difficult than yours, which was from Juhu to box office peak. It's a good rhetoric, but it's the people who decide who is a star and who isn't. We may have the power to give you an opportunity, but we don't have the power to decide which film will work and which won't.
All your films, including Begum Jaan, have had strong female characters...
My mother, Shirin Mohammad Ali, was a single parent who brought us up, inspired us and inculcated in us the values of respecting the diversity of this country. You should allow others to disagree with you. She was not married to my father in those days and did not lament about it or make some tragedy out of her life. She did not prescribe her aberration to anybody either. She proved that it's possible to live life on your own terms with dignity, no matter where you come from.
At one point, many raised eyebrows at the Bhatt camp's 'erotic thrillers', which did well at the box office. Did that trigger your quest for reinvention?
We were caught in a self-imitating loop, in which the market feels safe when you follow a certain template. Our films were packaged well and had great music, but somewhere, the content was getting dumbed down. I discovered that Raaz was good, Raaz 2 was also reasonably good but Raaz 3, despite being a hit, had a diminishing impact. That was the time I realised that we had become everything that I hated when I began my journey. I was reminded of the Mahesh Bhatt, who stood outside Rajshri's office to make Saaransh, with fire in his belly and a vision. We had to purge the cobweb of space that we had made this place into.
Why did you stop making films like Arth and Saaransh?
Times had changed. People who were going out there and watching movies like Arth and Saaransh in the 80s were no longer going to theatres in the 90s as the place had become a pigsty! India was moving towards the digital age, so we decided to make movies like Aashiqui that catered to the young and restless of the 90s.
Did the fact that socially-relevant films seldom did well at the box office also trigger your need for change?
When Zakhm got a National Award but didn't do well at the box office, I discovered this is the kind of India where people say they want good movies but they actually don't watch them. It made me a little bitter. I didn't want to pander to a niche audience. Ultimately, it's a business of entertainment. I am not here to steer the conscience of the nation into some direction, which will change them forever. I am here to entertain, engage, inspire and stimulate them. Thus, as a policy change, we decided to make movies, which will bravely and audaciously aim for the box office. Raaz turned out to be a hit at a time when horror, as a genre, was sniggered at and most believed, 'You can't make movies without stars'. With Raaz, we found a recipe - high-concept story, great music, edge-of-the-seat experience and a dash of erotica.
You don't regret modifying your sensibility to achieve box office success?
Is it dumb to make films that people want to watch? Or is it wise to make movies that they don't want to watch? People who saw movies like Raaz, Murder and Jism are from our country! They didn't come from Mars. Why did they pay money to watch these films? People thought that I had sold my soul to the devil for 30 pieces of silver. Yes, 30 pieces of silver is what I set out for when I began my journey. As Charlie Chaplin said, 'I went into the business for the money, and the art grew out of it.' When I was 16, my father was not doing well, so I had to go out and supplement my household income. I came to make a living and support my family. I had to survive in this dog-eat-dog business, so I was unapologetic about what we made. We dared to junk the old skin.
So, with Vishesh Films completing 30 years, you have made a conscious decision to move away from the Bhatt movie template and focus on films like Begum Jaan...
We thought that the best way to celebrate this feat is by supporting path-breaking cinema made by enigmatic film makers like Srijit Mukherji. However, Begum Jaan is not a modified continuity of the Mahesh Bhatt kind of cinema. It's a new bird in town. We needed an outside surge of energy. The Hindi adaptation has taken a quantum leap from the Bengali original (Rajkahini). Srijit and Kausar Munir wrote it and her personality gave it the flavour and emotional sub text, which Hindi cinegoers can relate to as Bollywood films are faster in terms of their pace than Bengali movies.
Will we see you return as a director soon? It has been speculated that you will direct Alia, Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Bhatt in a sequel to Sadak. True?
Direction? No. Mahesh Bhatt, the director is dead and he led a happy life. I don't believe in reincarnations. What has bloomed from my dust is a far more vibrant plant called Vishesh Films. I had reinvented myself as a director in the 80s and 90s, but my desire to make movies has withered away.
But one hopes you'll direct Alia someday.
Alia is an intelligent girl and she knows it when I say that her father is an extinct volcano. Once upon a time, there was a filmmaker who made these movies, but I do not have the desire to make them anymore and nothing can take me back to doing it.
As a father and a filmmaker, how do you view Alia's early success?
Alia has astounded me and I am awestruck by her ability to dedicate herself so sincerely to whatever she has done. She has fiercely moved away from the work she has done previously. You talk about my cinematic masterpieces, I think Alia is my real-life masterpiece and no cinema of mine can even come close to her. Also, I keep on telling Alia, 'You should do your work seriously but never take yourself too seriously. Be proud of your achievements but don't become the first member of your fan club.'
You launched Kangana in Gangster. She recently spoke about nepotism in Bollywood. Your thoughts?
There is some truth to what she says. The film industry not only in India but also Hollywood, is insular. It's inward-looking. It doesn't look beyond its own little window, so it seems like a fortress to an outsider, hence I don't grudge her view. That is the reality, but you can't generalise this kind of critique. My career says that my doors will always be open for all. When an Anupam Kher walked in through my door at 28 and got Saaransh, it launched his unimaginably productive career. I have always done this kind of work. Even when Kangana came to us, she was a brilliant actor and today, she has much to be proud of. There is no denying that entertainment industries are insular, but you can't generalise that statement and apply it to everyone. There is this self congratulatory attitude that since I was an outsider, my journey was more difficult than yours, which was from Juhu to box office peak. It's a good rhetoric, but it's the people who decide who is a star and who isn't. We may have the power to give you an opportunity, but we don't have the power to decide which film will work and which won't.
All your films, including Begum Jaan, have had strong female characters...
My mother, Shirin Mohammad Ali, was a single parent who brought us up, inspired us and inculcated in us the values of respecting the diversity of this country. You should allow others to disagree with you. She was not married to my father in those days and did not lament about it or make some tragedy out of her life. She did not prescribe her aberration to anybody either. She proved that it's possible to live life on your own terms with dignity, no matter where you come from.
I’m not bipolar, I’m quadripolar’-Shah Rukh Khan gets up, close and personal...
8:20 AM
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; December 6, 2016)
What people initially thought would be an extended guest appearance turned out to be a proper role. Yes, Shah Rukh Khan’s Jehangir Khan from Dear Zindagi has been loved by all and the film is doing great business at the box office, thanks to great word-of-mouth. SRK has moved on and is now finishing the patchwork for Raees. He was busy shooting for the action entertainer at Madh Island, where this interview was conducted. After just about half-an-hour of waiting, SRK came out of the van and headed back home. “We will do the interview on the way to the bungalow,” he said. And we began our conversation. From Madh to Mannat, we spoke about everything... almost. The success of his recent film to his take on his zindagi — the different episodes, the regrets, the successes, the failures and everything else... up, close and personal! Excerpts:
Dear Zindagi was well-received. Did you anticipate such a reception when you said yes?
I met them as a team one day at home. To be honest, Gauri Shinde, Alia Bhatt, Kausar Munir and Karan Johar were there and they read out the film to me, I really wasn’t interested in the storytelling part of it. I just believed that when women are making a film in which they believe so much, there has to be something good, that is, perhaps, beyond the comprehension of men. I’m one of those men! (Smiles) For me, it is more important to go along with them. Perhaps, this is the only business in the world where I can live by somebody else’s belief and learn something new. When I say, ‘I learn’ in my interviews, I don’t mean about acting and blah, blah, blah. It’s about the feelings I had. When I was on the sets, there were these simple, nice things like playing kabaddi with the waves or saying wonderful lines like ‘Jab hum zindagi bhar khulke ro nahi sake toh khulke hasna kaise sikhenge’. And these are real truths of life, which we all know. But I think women feel it more, so there’s a lot more conviction when they make you do it. When you talk about appreciation, I would say.. (pauses) See I’m an actor, I like to be applauded. I’m an actor, I want to be cheered. I’m an actor and I want to be accepted. And I know, as an actor who’s been there for 25 years, it’s not going to happen every time with every character. But this is beyond a character. Even for Alia, if I may so. It’s just a very raw expression of feelings which is captured in a beautiful world — real or unreal — it doesn’t make a difference. Will you ever find a Jehangir Khan? Will your life get okay like Kaira’s or not? That’s a question that still remains and that’s how the film ends also. It’s a journey, it will continue. I am just very happy that people have liked what I’ve done in the film and it has nothing to do with me which is why it’s more likeable for me. I had no part to play in this. I believe, as an actor, if you can do something in which you don’t have a part to play and somebody else has completely guided you — whether it’s Gauri, Alia or the other ladies on sets — it’s the most beautiful feeling.
Dear Zindagi teaches one that the minutest problems can actually cause havoc in one’s life. Do small problems bother you more personally as well?
Yeah, absolutely! Actually, if you see, a simple problem soon becomes a big problem. If you keep thinking about it and make it more complex than what it is! There are only two ways to look at life. Either it is... or it is not! There’s no third route, absolutely nothing in between. So if you are in a relationship, acceptance is the first thing for everything. And truth has this amazing quality that if you accept it, somehow it becomes so inconsequential that it becomes a part of your life. So, are you in a relationship? Either it is or it is not. If you are enjoying it, enjoy and feel happy about it. Don’t keep thinking about, ‘Oh what if it wasn’t’ or ‘Will it remain like this?’ Don’t keep hoping that it doesn’t break-up. Enjoy that time. Live in that moment. Because at the end of it all, either it will remain or it will not. I think big problems always get resolved on their own. If you try to take them on, no human being is big enough to change it. And I don’t jump to solving problems. I am not a solution-seeker. I never have been, I let things be. A lot of people tell me that I’m just too laidback and am not the right person when it comes to solving things. They say, ‘You don’t solve issues, you don’t take the bull by the horns.’ Ya, I don’t. And the bull will stop on its own if it has to. Either it will, or it won’t! (Laughs) One of the two will happen.
You said in an interview that you can gauge whether a film will click at the BO or not by looking at it. Did you always feel DZ would work?
I thought it would do very well. But this ‘very well’ too has a limit. It is very important for an actor or a film to have an audience cheering for it. So the release has been very tight. It’s perhaps the smallest film of my career in the recent past. I mean, what it has collected in four days is my first-day collection, normally! (Smiles) Still, it’s beautiful because that’s how it is meant to be. It is meant for a niche audience, it’s a very niche film and we didn’t promote it differently. The film belongs to Alia and Gauri, it’s not a Shah Rukh Khan film. I’m not patronising the sense of importance but I’m just an actor in the film. It should be celebrated as a Gauri-Alia film. Now this also doesn’t mean that they cannot make a Rs 200 crore film. They will, whenever they wish to, I’m sure. But this was meant to be that much from the heart. And yes, it’s done really well. Actually, I think it’s done even a little better than I had assumed or the office had assumed. We have experts who kind of know it. I normally don’t call my directors or producers till Monday-Tuesday. But then I tell them that normally stars drive the film through Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Monday onwards, it’s a director’s film. I think I called Gauri yesterday and told her that now the film is yours, the stardom part is over. And it’s very nice to see that the director’s film is doing nearly as well, if not better than the star part of the film.
We’ve never seen an A-list hero in a film where the central character is essayed by a woman. Do you think DZ will bring about a change?
I have mostly done films where the woman has a great role. I have never done films that are totally about me. It might not be completely female-oriented. But if you see DDLJ, Darr, Anjaam, Baazigar, Dil To Pagal Hai, Chak De India, My Name Is Khan and even Chennai Express, the ladies do play the hero. Very few heroes will get their car toppled down and shot at point-blank like in Dilwale. (Smiles) However strange and outlandish it may be. I’m okay and really comfortable if women take the lead in every aspect of life. Whether it’s business, management, creativity or in love, I think women should take the lead. I have no awkwardness saying the film belongs to XYZ because I know my own bone and I know how to gnaw at it, I know how to bury it and then take it and gnaw at it again. I know my bone! Who I am, whether I’m the best or not, whether I’m good enough or not, I am who I am! And that you can’t take away from me. We take a whole lifetime to understand ourselves and even then, that learning won’t be complete. Just be yourself. It’s better to be unique than perfect, even if uniqueness is marred. I’m extremely marred in every which way, I’m quite damaged like that but it’s me and it’s damaged. Whether it makes me happy or sad is my call. I don’t need to repair it according to somebody else’s standing.
You have produced a small film like DZ and you also have a Chennai Express or Raees on the other. Is it more difficult to make a Dear Zindagi?
I have to give a lot of credit to Dharma and Gauri for DZ. If it wasn’t for them, we could not have made the film on a certain budget which is very low and they stuck to it, which is why we were in profit by Sunday. It encourages you to invest more in these films. Big ones get you big bucks, but then you have to make a bigger film. But if you are making good money with films like this, it’s way more encouraging. I was telling Karan last night, ‘Let’s make another one, yaar’. If you can keep the budgets low, I will come in for the marketing part. It’s not that I am a genius but every film requires its own marketing ideologies. Like the Raees thing happened on the spot. “Kab se keh raha hoon aa raha hoon aa raha hoon, ab toh aa hi raha hoon!’ (Smiles) It’s not a very well planned or thought-of thing. You know what your film’s ideology is, what’s happening around! Which is why DZ had to be marketed in a manner so that it came across as a film for the audience it is meant for. Plus it needed to come across as Gauri and Alia’s film with me just lending support. Not blatantly saying that I was just a guest appearance. It wasn’t a cameo. There are no small roles, there are only small actors. I have the best role that way. But people think I came in the second half. They forget, that in Deewana, I came in the second half. So it’s no big deal.
Last time we spoke, you had told me that today, you are in the same mind space as the first few years of your career and just left it at that. Can you elaborate?
When I came in, I didn’t know much about cinema. I just did whatever the performer, actor in me said. I was like ‘Okay, I got this role, I’ll do this!’ I was just one of the other guys in Dil Aashna Hai, but I liked Hema Malini, so I worked with her. Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman was a big star vehicle. There was Amrita, Juhi Chawla and Nana Patekar. But it was sweet for me. I wasn’t even supposed to be in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. I was writing it with Kundan Shah, sitting for readings, but I got cast in it. Even now, as a producer, I have never produced a film for Shah Rukh Khan. God forbid a day comes when I’ve to produce a film for myself. God forbid I have to find a vehicle for me to drive in. I should be the driver of every vehicle I have! That’s how life should be. I’m sorry I’m being pompous but to me, it’s demeaning that somebody has designed a vehicle for me. You give me the vehicle, I will drive it. So as a producer, I have never produced myself and I hope I never have to. It’s like producing a film for your star son. And I’m not a star son. I’m just an actor who did bit roles like. I was so excited to do Fan or a Dear Zindagi. I was thrilled when I landed in Goa... ki yaar, kya kar raha hoon main bolo. And then, people would turn back and say, ‘You don’t do different roles?’ No, I don’t do different roles. But then nobody has done as many different roles as I have. (Smiles) So till anyone can do that, I don’t think they should discuss it. Some people are like, ‘Oh this film is making only Rs 80-90 crore, it’s not Rs 200 crore’. I mean really, man? People don’t even realise that to be in a commercial space I am in, where I garner so many eyeballs, so much money, so much at stake, so much business, so much name and fame and still within all that, to be able to do what you feel like in the morning, it does take a little bit of gentleness in you, if not bigness. It’s like, ‘Look, I just want to act. And I’ve always wanted just that much’. You can ask Gauri or Alia, too. Did I ask what my role is? Did I ever say the scene is not right? The climax scene in the film had me which they removed. I didn’t feel bad. Instead, I felt they did the right thing because it was getting too long anyway. I have never questioned any film. I just want to participate, be an actor and just be happy about it.
Are you spoiled by stardom?
It will sound really arrogant on print! But I don’t find it surprising that I am successful or great. I am, I was always meant to be. To me, it was a natural course of things. I worked very hard then, I work very hard now. And I am really going to be good at this. So it might sound arrogant, but it’s an innocent belief of a child. So if you put it across like that, that could be the reason. But this was meant to happen. God had ordained it for me and I expected it in the nicest, humblest of ways. The second way to look at it is: I am detached from material things and am very emotional about people. But it’s simultaneous, that’s why I coined the term. I am not attached to anything and am very emotional about my success, my work and getting it right. And the third part to it is that I still don’t think I have achieved the kind of success I need to. I still feel I’m struggling and I’m still doing the same thing I was doing 25 years ago. I sit in a car, Mohan drives me, I go to shooting, I wear make-up. I’m as excited today because the teaser has released as I’m on any other day. If there’s a scene that goes wrong, I have to get it right. Then the Friday comes and the movie is out. I take a bath for two hours. And then, if the film is a big hit, I get back working harder. So that I can make a bigger hit. If it’s a big flop, I get back working harder so that I can make a hit again. At the end of it all, I just end up taking that bath on Friday and getting back to my job. So, I don’t know what else to feel proud of or look upto. I have not been able to count the number of T-shirts that I bought in my last outing from New York. I don’t have the time. I don’t even have time to stand and stare and I’m okay being like that. I don’t want that. I can’t look back upon something and say, ‘Oh, I have achieved it’.
Please continue.
The day before yesterday, Pooja (his manager) was filing a form and counting my awards for a function I have to attend where they will have to talk about them. I was reading it and yaar, I have lots of them. I don’t even know where they are also now. And it’s not that I think less of them. I like to win awards every year. I still have the same penchant and desire for awards, rewards and applause. But if it’s not there, it’s alright because I wake up in the morning and after that bath, I’m back to work. So I don’t know if stardom has spoiled me or I have spoiled the name of stardom forever. Whichever the case may be, nobody knows and I’m not letting anyone feel that either because I can lie about feelings and move on. Am I grounded? I must be! Is it a good thing? Maybe, maybe not! Sometimes, I meet some people who tell me, ‘You are too soft, yaar. Come on, you gotta show or talk.’ No! Actors don’t carry visiting cards. If I have to carry one, I’m not a big enough star. So it’s a simple logic there. I don’t need to show off. By God’s grace, I have a great house which is not a motive for my stardom. God has been kind to me and I am not being disrespectful or ungrateful but I don’t really sit back and think about what I’ve done, what I am going to do or what I have not done. I am just going to do it.
You said you don’t get hurt often. Does a film’s failure affect you then?
It kills me! I get distraught, extremely disturbed, very sad and very lonely. And that’s the offshoot of being a star. That you can’t share it with anyone, you can’t explain it to anyone else. At the end of it all, it’s just a film for everyone else. For me, it’s a part of my life which has got smashed away to completely been disregarded by the people who love me the most and who have made the star I am. So it destroys you completely so you shack up somewhere within yourself. But you do come out in a tuxedo, attend a party and still smile. And then when you go back, you are still shacked up and you’ve got to deal with it with a varied number of emotions. I never analyse it, I feel there can be no reason for anything going wrong. It was wrong, which is why it went wrong. Exactly like that, there are no reasons for a hit, too. You just enjoy it. Balls to anyone who says whatever they want to. And likewise, when it goes wrong, balls to whatever you say to yourself. That acceptance, that distress, the sadness is very personal. And even though I am saying it in an interview, I can’t explain it, I can’t tell you the extent or be explicit about it because it only happens when you are distraught. That’s one of the most personal feelings as an actor that I have learnt to own and live with it only with myself.
Does it get difficult to play out those dual expressions within yourself then?
No! That I explained. I am an actor. I don’t have any problems living multiple emotions. Even inside, yaar! It’s not just the exterior that I’m acting out. Sometimes, I feel happy and sad at the same time. In life, emotions can never be isolated. We might be suffering from deep depressions and I know this sounds dichotomous or schizophrenic and to a lot of people, very strange, but actors have trained emotions. We are able to make emotions our pets. They live within us together and both are breathing at the same time sometimes. So I’m extremely happy somewhere expressing that to some people while I’m deeply sad at the same time. Maybe, it happens because of actors or maybe, it’s just me. I don’t have to play anything. It’s very strange that both of them live together. It’s difficult to sometimes be there because you also don’t know what state you are in and you see through the day. Sometimes, you might be standing in the lift and I’m extremely depressed. The lift door opens and I’m extremely happy. But I am feeling it. It’s very schizophrenic. It’s more like being bipolar. I am not even bipolar, I think I am quadripolar. It’s all happening at the same time. And people who are close to me think so too. But yes, it’s not been like I’m acting happy but andar se, sad hoon. I’m feeling happy and sad at the same time. It’s sometimes soul-wrenching.
Are there any regrets?
There are no regrets at all. You can’t be regretful. Of course, sometimes little remains of incomplete things reside within you. I am not regretful about it, but it’s part of me now. If something I wished could be, but I didn’t go there in my personal life, it’s part of me. I’m not looking back and saying , “F**k, aisa kyun nahi hua?’ It’s a part of my soul, my heart and it will sometimes be seen in my eyes in a scene. It will always be there. And there are lots of things which are incomplete. Personally or professionally, they are living with me. But I am never like, ‘Oh God, I wish that had happen or Oh God, why did I miss out on that one?’ It’s a miss-out! I am very claustric like that. I don’t go out and give vent to it even to the extent to saying something like that. I don’t let it be easy on myself. It remains harsh and hard but within me only. The should have been and the could have beens are all there but I am not vehemently in disagreement to those feelings as well.
If you look back at all the different episodes in your life — from your first theatre group to losing your parents, getting married to your love, then becoming a superstar and the birth of your children — how have they changed SRK, the person?
I am gentler, that’s all. With AbRam, especially. But no, it hasn’t changed me too much. I think I am the same. Like a famous person once said, Only the pictures have got bigger. I am the same and I have not changed at all. Just that my persona looks bigger. That actually also answers the question you had asked about the groundedness that keeps me going. Of course, there are a few other changes. My clothing style is different, my hairstyle is different, I wear more expensive perfumes because I can afford to. I travel in expensive cars. So all those material things are there. But that hasn’t really changed me as a person. It doesn’t make or break a person. You remain who you are! I have become more namby-pamby (Laughs). Even when I see my 5’11” son, it’s the same feeling. I feel my hands are softer, the hands of my soul are softer because of my children.
Bollywood's women share their success mantra
8:00 AM
With International Women’s Day two days away, we ask some successful women in cinema to part with one valuable advice that they would give young ladies in their field
Nikshubha Garg (MID-DAY; March 6, 2016)
The fact that Bollywood is largely male dominated is well known. However, over the years, several women have not only managed to make a mark in the industry, but an increasing number of them continue to throng fields which were long considered a man’s domain. With International Women’s Day around the corner, we speak to women in various fields of filmmaking, who are masters of their trade, about what it takes to be a woman in this industry and ask them for tips on how to keep going.
Richa Chadha, actress
Known for her unconventional choice of films, Chadha made her debut with 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!' and went on to do critically acclaimed roles in 'Gangs Of Wasseypur', 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela' and 'Masaan'.
Bollywood, for actresses, is still a male-dominated domain and expectations from women are different. For instance, from wearing a chiffon saree to doing an action sequence, you are always expected to look stunning, no matter what. Also, people in the industry perceive you differently once you are married or have a baby. There are way too may dynamics to discuss but people are way more critical of women.
Don’t compare yourself with anyone
I have garnered fame in the past three to four years and that’s the result of hard work, luck and getting the right opportunities. Everyone in this industry works hard to be where they are. Whether you appreciate their work, or give enough credit to them is a different matter altogether, but that’s the truth. Having been around for a while, I would say that it’s very important to be patient and understand the fact that everyone takes different means to be successful and defines success in their own way. You can’t sit back and compare yourself with others. You have to chart your own course.
Kausar Munir, lyricist
Munir began her career with writing for the television show 'Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin' and has written songs for films like 'Ishaqzaade', 'Ek Tha Tiger' and 'Dhoom 3'.
I think that things are looking up for female lyricists in Bollywood and an increasing number are getting opportunities to showcase their skills. The ratio might be lesser compared to men, but I am cautiously optimistic. I don’t see anyone’s work being judged based on gender. However, having said that, I feel that people behind the scenes are judged mostly on the quality of their skills.
Be yourself
Whichever field you may choose, there are no guidelines or handbooks. Everyone has to find his or her own way. I think the awareness of what novelty one can bring in helped me. Humility and strength comes from knowing what you can do and what you can’t and pretending to be someone else is doing disservice to yourself. The same thing goes for gender. Embrace being a woman or a man and flaunt with that identity. Honestly, if I try to be one of the guys, it’s not going to help. But if I am going to be a friendly woman without the baggage of being one, I am bound to go a long way.
Shruti Mahajan, casting director
Mahajan began her career as a casting assistant and is responsible for casting films like 'Bajirao Mastani', 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela', 'Mary Kom', 'Shamitabh', 'Bobby Jasoos' and 'Finding Fanny'.
There is no short cut to making it big. If you have the correct intention and focus on your job, you will survive no matter which field you are in, whether you are a man or a woman. In fact, as a casting director, I feel that this field of filmmaking is not a man’s domain anymore. Women today have an edge over men in this field because it requires one to possess soft skills, which women naturally own. My male contemporaries have guided and supported me as well.
Intentions matter
If someone focuses on the job and takes it up for all the right reasons, he/she is bound to survive. I didn’t take casting up because it looked easy. I came into the field because of my passion for cinema. You just have to be good at your job.
Deepa Bhatia, editor
Having worked on films such as 'Kai Po Che', 'Taare Zameen Par', 'Rock On!' and 'Student Of The Year', among others, Bhatia has made a mark as an editor.
I cut my first film when I was 23 and the editing industry then was male dominated. However, Renu Saluja’s (Parinda) success at that point of time made me believe that all of us women could do it. And look how far we have come now. You pick 10 films today and women would have edited at least four to five of them. You can equally name five top men editors and women editors. It’s an open forum.
Hang in there
The nature of the job is such that you get better with time. Every editor needs to be patient and just hang in there. I struggled during my first few films, as I was apprehensive about doing it correctly and doing it well. I often questioned myself whether I knew all that is there to know about the craft because I was self-taught. However, I stuck around and it got better. Recognition, money and wisdom doesn’t come overnight; you need to give it time. I have seen newcomers who were good, quitting because the pay was less but I would want to ask them to hold on and everything will fall into place. It did for me.
Hetal Dedhia, gaffer (light designer)
Asia’s only woman gaffer till date, Hetal has worked on Bollywood films such as 'Don', 'Luck By Chance' and 'Guzaarish' as well as international productions, including 'Eat, Pray, Love' and 'MI 4: The Ghost Protocol'. She is the daughter of Mulchand Dedhia, a celebrated gaffer.
Academics wasn’t for me and I dropped out of school after the 10th standard, and began working immediately. It was an awkward feeling when I started; people didn’t believe in me and thought I would give up soon. However, that only strengthened my goals. Getting into a non-woman zone thrilled me and I haven’t regretted it even one bit. As for surviving, it wasn’t difficult. I know women do not become gaffers for various reasons but it’s a great place to be. I embraced being a light designer and focused on the job, and the respect I got in return was unimaginable.
Nothing is impossible
Everyone’s journey is different and difficult as far as being a gaffer is concerned but the only tip I could give is that once you know that this is what you want, just go for it. Nothing is impossible and you can do wonders. Once they get into gaffering, women will realise how satisfying it is as a career.
Women's Day Special: Candid chat with 8 power women of Bollywood
9:59 AM
From left: Richa Chadha, Pooja Bhatt, Guneet Monga, Shonali Bose, Kalki Koechlin, Kausar Munir and Shilpa Shukla. Pics/ Rane Ashish
On the occasion of Women’s Day, eight of the most eloquent industry women reveal what makes them tick and what ticks them off in the male-dominated Bollywood
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; March 8, 2015)
Participants
> Filmmaker Pooja Bhatt
> Actress Kalki Koechlin
> Actress Richa Chadha
> Actress Shilpa Shukla
> Writer-lyricist Kausar Munir
> Filmmaker Guneet Monga
> Director Shonali Bose
> Singer Sona Mohapatra
As a woman, what works for and against you in the film industry? Also, for those who are from outside the industry, what are the pros and cons of being a woman? What kind of discrimination do women face, the inequality in wages...?
Sona Mohapatra: I grew up in an environment where I wasn't treated differently because of my gender. I do come from an army background where it is all about fighting, changing and adapting and being yourself. My individuality was celebrated, but it was during my student days at an engineering college that I started getting aware of the fact that I have a different body. It went to the extent that I was told how I should wear my dupatta. The fact that I wore my watch on the right hand, instead of the left, became an issue. I later went to host business shows on television and I was immediately labelled as someone who is sleeping around. In a small town, doing anything associated with the glamour world involves a lot of graffiti on the walls. You have to deal with the fact that you have probably gotten there because you are only doing XYZ things so those insinuations start. I went on to do an MBA, then picked up a job in the FMCG industry which is testosterone driven. You don't have women heading sales teams and you get by only gaali-galoch (abusing) and that's how you show you can head a team of 100 people who go out to sell 'tel' and 'sabun'. Later, I decided to turn to singing. The stage was my dream. You have to come across as someone who is amicable, blends in, doesn't have a point of view and definitely has no personality. We will put you in your place — in general there is the caste system. It's strange because it's something I couldn't decipher. I had grown up thinking naively it's a beautiful world. It's for you to make your place. I think everybody will have his or her own story, but the good part about this is that we are living in interesting times. Even as a musician, it's not the be-all and end-all of life. We used to celebrate the female perspective more so in the past decades, we seem to have regressed now.
Kausar, as a lyricist in a male dominated industry, did you face any issues?
Kausar Munir: Usually people attribute success to luck, but I feel there is a sense of change and of acceptance. I feel it is on the basis of merit. You are getting work irrespective of gender, but there is a sense of tentativeness when the job is given to you with a disclaimer that if you are not able to do it... it be passed on to somebody else. It means do the job well. I have also seen the flipside of it, where I have been rewarded with the faith being returned and working on more projects with the same people. Writers are at the bottom of the barrel — whether you are a man or woman. You are putting on paper what is going to be shown on screen, but your point of view is least important. You have to make your way in trying to prove that you can do it well and do it without creating any trouble. It is not that there is no light at the end of the tunnel — there is. Largely, my experience has been good. I lack the killer instinct of writing every film and that I should get more and more films. So in some ways that helps.
Talking about aggression, an ambitious woman is looked at differently from an ambitious man. It's looked as a positive quality in a man, but not in a woman...
Guneet Monga: I began at an early age as a DJ and I thought being a woman DJ was cool. I had a say in what gigs I wanted to do. I was the second lady DJ in Delhi and then I moved to anchoring. I loved communicating with the masses. My family was cool with it. They said, "Do whatever you want to." I was in touch with all my male DJ colleagues and they would book shows with me for which they would get paid more as I was part of their team. In Delhi, when I went on to do international films, even as an intern I expressed my opinions. I have never experienced a gender-related issue, I have always behaved the way I am. I have faced age issues as people would say I was too young. I have had lack of support and fund issues, but never discrimination issues. I lost my parents very young and when I came to Mumbai I know many family members said, "Ladki haath se nikal gayi, industry main chali gayi," but that never bothered me. I was so strong inside that this never affected me.
Sona Mohapatra: It's interesting that the DJ thing worked in your favour. For the longest time, when I would say that I will perform with a band, the organisers would say, "Ladki hai.... dance with the group dancers wearing coloured clothes, boys will be with the band. It was tough to convince them. But of course you stick by it and things change.
Kalki, would you have liked to be paid as much as your male co-stars?
Kalki Koechlin: Yes! That will be wonderful. I grew up in a liberal household probably because my parents are French. At 17, when I was dating my first boyfriend, my mom told me about the pill and condoms, so I was on an open page with my family and they supported me in everything. I am a tomboy, but am also feminine. What I do feel is the daily reminder of the sexuality from the time you step out of the house. The watchman is looking at your breasts, you start censoring your moves according to where you are going or what time you are going and when you are coming back. You dress differently at different occasions. Being in the industry there are obvious pressures on the way you look. I have been showed the exact spot where I need Botox. I know young girls who are getting it done. It is just a sign that everyone has to look the same. Before I was known, during an audition, a producer told me, "What a lovely face you have. We need to go out for dinner." I said, "Really? Why?" He said, "Oh just to understand the character." He told me all those kind of things like this is my big break in Bollywood. I got the point and I left. But that was the only time it happened to me. After that, I don't know if it's the way my career went or the choices I made or the fact that I married a man whom everyone was quite terrified of. I didn't feel that pressure. What I did feel is the pressure from society — how they perceive an actress. When I moved out of Anurag's place, I had trouble finding a house because I was single. For them, an actor spelt a loose woman with men and orgies all the time. I wish I had such an exciting life. I was surprised because this is Mumbai and everyone is here to make their career and doing things on their own.
Sona: Has it changed though? Because when I came looking, it wasn't that bad.
Kalki: When I moved to Mumbai in 2007, I had no issues finding a house in Bandra and suddenly now it's a big thing. The other thing is that as I am no longer with Anurag, people are way more interested in my life — everything is associated with me being this independent, heartbroken damsel.
Pooja Bhatt: Why do they think we are heartbroken because we ended our marriages. I think my heart just opened up. It just split wide open.
Sona: I wanted to have an identity of my own, but when I did two songs on Satyamev Jayate with my husband, every interview that followed the second question was about my husband. My identity seemed to have shifted.
So Shilpa, how is it being a single girl in the big, bad city?
Shilpa Shukla: I got married at 22 to my best friend. Coming from a middle-class family, when everyone got to know about our affair, we thought the next best thing to do is to get married. I went to Pakistan and for two years I shot there, so I didn't see the other side of life at all. I love living in my own world. I opened my solo performance and he directed it, but we stopped being together in 2009. So there are reporters who want to know what happened and I am like, "Yaar... we are soulmates and we are best of friends just that we confused it for a man-woman relationship." But I don't try to hide it — that's not the person I am. It's not about who you are. It's about becoming your own person you are, to begin with. I am selfish when it comes to that. As a single woman and as an actress because they call me the bold Shilpa Shukla after I did BA Pass, it was more of a class issue, never a man-woman issue. People in Delhi always told me what to wear, but I was fine with it. I never questioned it. When I was in Pakistan, I covered my head. It was okay with me. I was always someone who wanted to be a part of the crowd, rather than standing out. For the industry, when you have played a certain part they think you are a certain actor, which you are not. You are not even one per cent of what you play, but people start perceiving you that way. I wanted to look soft, so I stopped wearing kaajal and started smiling extra in the pictures. So that was my struggle and it also ended because I am more comfortable with myself. People have changed and perceptions have changed.
Have they really changed Pooja?
Pooja Bhatt: I don't think they have changed at all. I was born in 1972 to my struggling parents who decided to have me anyway even though they had no money in the bank. I remember a letter, which my father wrote to me when he was drunk at Shivaji Park. He wrote to me: 'Be truthful and be fearless for you are a part of divinity and not a sin'. That really became my Holy Grail and I realised that the world that exists within my home. Kalki and I are privileged to have a set of parents who allowed us to recognise our sexuality. So when my father figured out that I have a boyfriend at 17, he said, "Hey... I want to talk to you because your mother will not have this conversation with you even though she should. Please don't get pregnant." There was an uproar. People were like, "What kind of a father is Mahesh Bhatt? He is advocating free sex, he is asking his daughter to not get into a situation." And that's exactly what our parents should be liberating us with. Because I think somewhere along the line either you are born in a situation where they would try to kill you — or they will kill your spirit every inch of the way. Then one day you wake up and realise that my home is very liberated, but the world outside is different. And then not only are you defending yourself, but also you are schizophrenic about what you learning at home and outside. You are having to defend those kind of liberal attitudes as well and then watering it down to please some man, or please some friend or please somebody. Ironically, with all of that even though at 17 I was a huge star, at 22 I was a has-been and at 21, I became India's youngest producer. I made Tamannaah based on female infanticide and then made Dushman and Zakhm, but when I made Jism, then people only remembered Jism. Even with all my success or my ups and downs, at a certain point of my life, I felt that my life would not be complete unless I got a validation from a man in my life. All of us eventually say, "Oh my God, are we going to find that man to give us approval?" I searched and searched, but luckily I didn't get married at 22. I chose to have a string of broken relationships and I said, "No man/marriage am I going to hold on to!" I did get married and people gave me two weeks, and it lasted for 11 glorious years where I didn't feel the need to cheat — neither did he. He was my best friend, but one fine day, I woke up and felt achingly lonely and I thought I had to address it to somebody whom I had shared 11 years of my life with. I had the courage to do that. I put it out there before the media could sniff it. But I believe some where down the line it all comes down to pleasing the men in our life — our fathers, our lovers, our brothers, our sons, our dogs, our friends. I think that needs to stop. This whole obsession with body type and we are all different body types, so we are going to grow and expand and contract depending on how our genes are engineered and we are obsessed with Botox. Eventually the key lies with us. Just lead your life and sing your song. I think our grandmothers were far more emancipated. People ask me, "You were an actress how come you are a producer?" In other words, I was a bimbo... how am I managing the figures?
That's another thing — actresses are immediately thought of as bimbos.
Pooja: Oh yeah.
Kalki: Especially if they are really good looking! You can't be good looking and have brains.
Sona: Even if they are not, inherently they have to act like that.
Pooja: When I was 17, I said I have a boyfriend. They said, "Oh! My God! You are going to corrupt the nation." I said, "Are you crazy? If my parents know, why should I hide it?" But then we had Sridevi, who I think is one of the best actresses this country has produced. She said, "I will not kiss on screen because I don't kiss in life," so you see when you have that role model and here you have someone who is 17 running around and saying, "I have one boyfriend, no two, no three"... you are looked upon as evil. Manisha Koirala and I got so much flak and we took it on our chin. Tanuja Chandra told me do not think that this industry is only for the men to inherit, you have that much more reason to claim the industry than 90 per cent of these men out there and that really resonated me. I think eventually you are in the boardroom or in the bedroom if you believe that the Holy Grail lies in the man's feet then you are doomed.
And where does that confidence come from?
Pooja: It comes from falling and then getting up. In my home there is a Mahesh Bhatt and a Mukesh Bhatt born to a same mother. There are different mindsets, my brother is different from me. Alia is also different from me. She is a smart cookie.
But Alia must have learnt from looking at you?
Pooja: Do we learn from looking at anybody? I don't think we do. We only learn when we fall hard and I think we get up and from that comes a realisation that you take forward. I am unafraid of falling. When I was around 19-20, I was rebellious. The truth is when you are 19 and your love life is on the front page of a newspaper, it does irk you somewhere. I don't give a damn except my own conscience. I am now 43 years old. I am single. I am desirable and I have a life ahead of me. And no, I am not heartbroken — my heart is wide open. They ask, "Are you looking for love now?" And I am like what has love got to do with anything?
Richa, you want to talk about that bimbo bit?
Richa: When I did my first film people just assumed that I will not be able to talk in English. They told me, "Aapka kaam bahut accha hai." I would like to take this forum to express gratitude to the commercial side of cinema because I do feel that people in that space tend to look at you at a certain way. It's confused both ways so the arty side of things say, "You are intelligent... why are you doing this song and dance?" And the other side is like: "Oh you are a good actress... Smita Patil died young and all that.... but you can try." I am grateful to people like Pooja who emancipate actresses who want to do all kinds of work, to come forward and say these things and also the fact that people's jaws should no longer drop when you can make a sentence that is perfectly formed or even express an opinion.
Kalki: And also in this line of thought the woman has to either be a sexual person or a goddess or a mother. A lot of people are mothers and are sexual and successful or meek and feminine — you can be all these things in the same woman. We have the potential to be everything — to be motherly, sexy and intelligent — this idea is just so non-existent.
Guneet: I got a lot of flak for shaving my hair. People wondered if things were okay with me!
Pooja: My dad always says we are what we hide — what we don't reveal to the world. If we have the audacity to be what we are, then the society cannot deal with it, then they are like: "Ok where is the mask now?" I cannot be bothered with the mask.
Sona: For centuries women have got very few opportunities. When you get a chance to prove yourself, you become more man than you ever should be.
Pooja: There are men who empower the women in their lives and push them to do what they want. Why don't we celebrate those men enough?
Shonali, do you think so?
Shonali Bose: I was fortunate to grow up in an extremely feminist supportive family and I didn't ever had to have a mask, even when I declared that I am bisexual. In Miranda House, during my first year as a fresher just before a concert a guy grabbed and squeezed my breasts. It was shocking and upsetting. Yet, I went up and started the event, but what surprised me was that I broke down when I went backstage. It just felt so humiliating and defeating. My mother was with me and we decided to go to the police. I had to go and identify the guy the next day. They didn't arrest him and that just opened my eyes to how things worked. We called for mass demonstrations from all colleges and I spoke up. When I went back to my college, my principal said a character certificate will not be given when you graduate because you have brought shame to the college. Anyway... that's what happens in India. For me, my struggle has been that all my films have been women oriented. My film Margarita With A Straw is a strong mother-daughter relationship. When I was raising the finances, I was asked whether I would consider making this character male. This is just shocking to me. I am told this is how box office works in India. Kalki is playing this lovely role of a young girl and I have a scene in my film where she masturbates, this is such a huge taboo. People think women don't masturbate. I feel it's important that I will show and break this. Personally I face this because I write women-oriented roles.
Kausar: I had someone from the industry asking me to write a duet song from a boy's perspective also. I said yes. So he was like... how can you think like a boy?
Pooja: Jaisa aap soch saktey hain ke main nahi soch sachti — should have been the answer!
Kausar: I was travelling with my daughter and at the immigration counter I faced this situation. I have retained my father's surname and my daughter has her father's surname, so the officer asked me if I was sure she was my daughter. He took some time and then cockily asked me, "Aap sure hain aapki hi beti hai?" I said, "Dekhiye aap mard hain aapka koi baccha hai toh aap doubt kar saktey hain ke aapka hoga, main toh sure hoon."
Shonali: I just want to add something on a different level. Because I stay in the US, I am asked in interviews that I have must faced a lot of problem shooting in India. They always assume that in India I must have faced issues.
Pooja: I agree with you, they just know.
Richa: I remember we were shooting in Udaipur and everyone was escorted out of the sets when the SP disrupted the shoot. I remember Pooja standing there firmly talking to the SP, "Kya problem hai? Kahaan complain karna hai?"
But as Shonali said there is a resistance to women-centric films. As a producer, do you agree, Pooja?
Pooja: There is a resistance for sure.
Why is making films purely a business decision?
Shonali: It's a problem in Hollywood and Bollywood both.
Pooja: When I did Jism, it was the only film which had a woman on every poster. Sa Re Ga Ma fought with me and told me there was no way this could be done. I said, "If you want to release my movie, you are going to have it the way I want to. If not, you are not going to have the poster.
Shonali: Basically you just have to hold on to your ground.
Kausar: The music industry is dictated and monopolised by men. If you have written something. it'll go in the shoot and get recorded. You will then get a call in the middle of the night and usually it's Pritam because that's when he wakes up. The next thing you know is somebody else has written the song. Then you will be told the woman thing and family time as it happened late at night. But even men have family time? But the disparity is still there, male actors are still paid more, they get profit sharing. Also, they have a say in which actress will be cast opposite them.
Pooja: Not anymore. Not in my movies. And like I said, I am making a tiny film and Kalki gets paid the most, than the other two actors in the film. Same with Richa, she gets more than the other actors in my other film.
Richa: This will all go in print haha!
Pooja: It must go in print.
Guneet: I have to say this that in The Lunchbox we picked up the highest collection and stuff. We are talking about women's issues, but for me, every film is a struggle — people are like pata nahi tum kya banate ho.
Pooja: But the truth is, whether you are a man or a woman you have to start from scratch when you walk into that room. You have to say I made this and this.
Kalki: You are only as good as your last film.
Sona: I think all said and done we are living in better times. We are a very young country yet.
Pooja: But that young country is what frightens me Sona, because I find a lot of young people today far more regressive than my great grandmothers and fathers.
Richa: I agree with you.
Shonali: Today's youth is frightened.
Pooja: Let's just be honest, it's a film industry. Whether you are a man or a woman or something in between, you have to make money for them. If you make money for them, they will give you the next film to do. But wouldn't they trust a man more than a woman, even now with money?
What do you think is that one thing which will make a woman's life better here?
Richa: I have just come from watching the news, I am deeply upset that they have banned a documentary which shows a rapist in jail who has the audacity to say things like she asked for rape. We have Navratri, Kali pooja and Ashtami, but what the hell are we talking about? The fact that even if you highlight or protest this on a social networking website you will be abused. It's misogynistic to another level. Why should we only address concerns specific to our country? Are we blind towards the other issues which concern the society? How can you call someone's rape a durghatna?
Pooja: I do believe that there are families which are far more worse. What happens when a girl gets raped by a family member and she is asked to keep quiet because it will bring shame to the family? The word shame has to go from the dictionary. In an ideal world a woman should be able to walk down the streets naked and a man should come and cover her up and say, "Hey... can I drop you home?" But we are not living in that ideal world. Violence against the woman begins in the womb. They want to control you in every manner you know. What we need to do is stop getting validation from men.
Shilpa: Self-esteem I think, at the periphery we all look fine.
Kalki: For me, the big thing is that we need to educate the boy child. We need equality, modern woman is out there it's the men who need to accept it.
Shonali: I would say marriage is an oppressive institution for women in this country. It's outdated and it needs to be smashed and taken on.
Kalki: It's like having a glorified maid.
Kausar: I feel this conversation should not be restricted to boardrooms and women, we should include boys. I have a 13-year-old daughter and I am trying to get the boys also in her group to talk about what periods are.
Kalki: Yes, there are grown-up men, who have no idea what periods are. They think there is a Brahmaputra flowing out there.
Pooja: Ironically, it's a male river.
Shilpa: I feel empathetic towards men. I feel we still get a chance to express ourselves — men don't.
Pooja: I feel there are lots of beautiful men out there, but we put pressure on them that they have to make the first move. I shamelessly woo the men I love!
We used to be shy but Salman bhai has made us so free - Sajid-Wajid
7:57 AM
Sajid-Wajid, one of Bollywood’s most prolific composer-duos give us a glimpse into their music-making process and tell us what has driven their pursuit of excellence over the years
Bryan Durham (DNA; January 24, 2015)
With Tevar and Dolly Ki Doli in quick succession and a
strong showing in 2014, composer-duo Sajid-Wajid are at the top of
their game. Known for their strong melodies and hit tracks in every film
they take on, they’ve become a force to be reckoned with. The sons of
Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan have come a long way since their breakthrough
with Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya in 1998 and have worked for the best and
biggest films in Bollywood, of course with varying degrees of success,
but mostly successful nevertheless. One thing has remained constant.
Sajid’s technical prowess and Wajid’s larger-than-life love for every
creation of his and his photographic memory of tunes and lyrics and
people he encounters. That and their love and respect for Salman Khan.
They had their ups and downs, but have the distinction of being part of a
very small club — of composers who fly solo on soundtracks — at least
most of the time. The brothers are inseparable and that bond shows all
too well in the music they compose. We met one evening and chatted
nineteen to the dozen about their journey so far...
Is it okay to tell you that I enjoyed Dolly Ki Doli’s music more than Tevar’s?
Sajid: It happens. Each soundtrack has to be different. Also, you also have to consider that a director’s vision is involved and consider how that works in a collaboration.
Wajid: And people like what they want. Despite releasing this close to each other, it helps that none of the songs sound the same. And that both albums have worked. That says a lot.
When voice casting, how do you reach a balance between using established and new singers?
Wajid: I believe the song chooses the singer. Nobody could’ve sung Phatte Tak Nachna like Sunidhi or Fashion Khatam like Mamta or Superman like I did (laughs).
You’ve had a great run over the last few years...
Sajid: Yes, 2014 went quite well — we had Jai Ho, Main Tera Hero, Heropanti, Daawat-E-Ishq and this year, Tevar and Dolly Ki Doli!
More often than not, Mika and Mamta Sharma feature in almost every other album of yours
Wajid: Really? I don’t know. (shrugs). When you speak of item numbers you need to have a voice. And Mamta is fantastic for character singing. Her voice texture is brilliant. She goes perfect inside that pocket, if you know what I mean. She just sits there... the way she learns the song and she's very raw, those little nuances she adds to a song, a trained singer cannot. And Mika has that alag andaz to his singing.
How do you choose your lyricists?
Wajid: Whoever gives me the best line (laughs). Of late, we’ve been working with Kausar Munir a lot, but here’s the thing. We work as a team. Danish Sabri, who’s my cousin as well as my assistant, has written some of the lyrics on the latest albums and I credit him for his contributions. But I give Kausar credit. She’s a senior writer who also appreciates something somebody else has written and is willing to share credits where it demands. Most lyricists are not open to doing that.
You’ve also worked with Kumaar...
Wajid: Yes, he’s written Mere Naina Kaafir Ho Gaye (from the DKD soundtrack) and is very happy. He writes hit songs for most films but never something like this for anyone. This one was exceptionally good.
Each soundtrack now sounds like a bazaar.. a cacophony of sounds with multiple composers on an album
Wajid: I’m not happy with this thing going on. it’s not fair to anybody (shrugs).
Sajid: At the same time, it’s fair also. you can’t even say if its fair to them or not fair to them, because jo struggle kar raha hai, usse ek gaana mil jaaye toh woh bahut badi baat hai. It all depends on whether you want to be a one-song wonder or a versatile music director.
Do you think it’s a passing phase?
Wajid: We really don’t know. We can only speak for ourselves when we say we’ve really worked hard to get to where we are. We work extra hard to ensure that all our songs are hits.
There are times directors/producers go in for an extra composer at the last minute...
Wajid: How much difference does it make to a film? Most often, these are promotional tracks and has a short shelf life. It happens with a lot of films.
What keeps you motivated enough album after album?
Sajid: Our love for music and our upbringing.
Wajid: We lost our father, Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan last year. He was a passionate musician who taught us that you don’t have to compete with anyone else but yourself. We work extra hard to make sure we live up to his name.
In the days of OP Nayyar and R D Burman, composers were kings, then singers became the superstars. I believe the age of composers (rather composer-singers) is upon us. Your take?
Sajid: Composers have come back in a big way.
Wajid: For me, it always was the composer who was the rockstar. Being a composer-singer is always a bonus. If you can sing your compositions, very good. I’ve seen new composers struggle to get a foothold but new singers manage with gigs. No such luck for struggling composers .Woh daldal hi hai. Either he has to sink in or get out of it. He has no other choice. It is very important to understand that. Everyone is equal. Bas koshish mein kami nahi honi chahiye.
How do you divide the work among yourselves?
Wajid: Sajid bhai always tells me if a song isn’t working. He’s got a fantastic ear. And he comes up with fabulous one-liners. He likes to compose that much and jokes, ‘Aage ka kaam tera hai’.
Sajid: But seriously, to make it simple we give the other his space.
Wajid: I do more compositions while he looks after the arrangement and how it sounds. But he’s the elder brother, so he takes the cake. He takes advantage of that.
Wajid, do you seek out his opinion?
He respects it when I do. I should be clear to counter him if needed. We do have disagreements at work because at the end we want what’s best for the film. We welcome our technicians as well to to voice their opinions openly. We foster that kind of culture at the workplace. We’re more like best friends than music directors.
I remember reading somewhere that Salman Khan said at a children’s event that he wished that you two were here because they’d keep the kids more entertained. What does he know that we don’t?
Wajid: One thing we’ve learnt from him is to exude that energy impromptu. We used to be shy, but he’s made us so free that now if he asks us to do something, we readily agree. We’re like kids who forgot to live and are getting a chance to relive our childhood by being kids around kids.
It’s a lesser known fact that you were the composers of Sonu Nigam’s Deewana album...
Wajid: What most people don’t know is that the album was prepared even before Sonu Nigam could come on board. He joined the project after all the compositions were created. His involvement began with later albums. Back then, to have an album on that level where the composer could call the shots musically — we were first-time composers then — was a big deal. At the time, only Daler Mehndi worked and everybody advised us to compose Punjabi numbers. I told them ‘I’ll do what my heart feels.’
Sajid: I said the same thing. We made that album, it broke records and made history. Since then, our formula has remained the same, eight songs toh eight songs hit, five songs toh five songs hit. The D-factor has worked for Sajid-Wajid, right from Deewana to Dolly Ki Doli!
What makes either of you incomplete without the other?
This rishta is made by Allah, it is not of this world. It will last us beyond forever. What stronger bond than that? We’re bound by blood, what can come between us? Those that don’t share that strong a bond can be separated by the smallest of things. In my opinion, it is all about upbringing. There exist differences between siblings, but they shouldn’t be that great that it separates you. That’s common between us as brothers. There are three of us — Sajid, Wajid and Javed. We’re a really close-knit family.
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