The Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) witnessed multiple panel discussions, one of which revolved around the evolution of animation films and their appeal across age groups. The panel comprised renowned filmmaker Ketan Mehta, actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani, Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Kheirandish and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Vaibhav Kumareshwar.

Mohammad Kheirandish, known for his animation film Dolphin Boy, spoke about his ambition to take his animation movies worldwide. “We prefer content that shows Iranian essence and the reality of Iran to the international market. It is not specifically made for Iranians. I would prefer if the audiences across the world could see it and like it,” he said.

Sharing his thoughts, Ketan Mehta, known for the popular cartoon Motu Patlu, spoke about India’s lack of global ambition when it comes to animation. “The problem we have been facing is that most channels and producers are international companies, who want to cater to the Indian market. However, when you are creating specifically for the domestic market, it has very little resonance outside the country, and that is the problem. We need to break out of this cycle. We need a more global mindset and ambition as we are all global citizens now,” he shared.

Vaibhav Kumareshwar, who won an Emmy for his acclaimed cartoon Lamput, has another perspective to offer. “Frankly, I am not thinking which market I am going to create for. We never planned that Lamput would be for a particular market. The only thing we kept in mind is that it won’t simply be Indian. It was not rooted in any particular culture,” he shared.

Actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani, who aspires to get into the world of animation, said, “We are working towards getting into the animation space. Chatting with different filmmakers here today, who’ve done such amazing work, was exciting. On the animation front, we are very new, but I believe we can push the envelope. The beauty of animation is that it is all about expression, and you are not limited to that area. In animation, you can imagine anything and create it.”

A heartfelt tribute to his aunt Usha Mehta, who had played a crucial role in India’s freedom movement—that’s how Ketan Mehta had envisioned Freedom Radio. In May 2022, the director and producer Anubhav Sinha announced the ambitious biopic. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. After the Sara Ali Khan-led Ae Watan Mere Watan was announced last year, Ketan was persuaded by Sinha to drop their project as both movies had the same subject.

Now, as the Karan Johar production is slated to première on Prime Video on March 21, Ketan remembers how his film was to be an intimate portrait of his aunt, who established the underground radio station, Congress Radio, during the Quit India movement.

“Developing this story was pure joy. Sifting through her personal diaries and delving into my own memories have been a crucial part of the work. We were planning to make Freedom Radio, but another film was already being made on the same subject. That had progressed substantially, and we were still in the pre-production stage. It wouldn’t have been wise to repeat it,” he says.

The decision to drop the story, which he held so dear, was not easy. “It was heartbreaking when we decided to not do Freedom Radio. But that’s part of filmmaking; you have to take it in your stride.”

The team of Ae Watan Mere Watan released the teaser in January 2023, while Johar and Khan launched a motion poster at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa last November. In director Kannan Iyer’s film, Khan steps into the shoes of the late Mehta, who was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1998. Did the film’s team reach out to Ketan or his family during their research?

“Not at all. We were planning to tell her story, with flashes from her childhood till India’s independence in 1947. I lived with my aunt for 15 years before she passed away. So, we shared a deep connection.”

One wonders about the road ahead for Freedom Radio. Has he shelved the biopic completely? “I’m not making it for the time being. We had an independent perspective, and since [we had] personal knowledge of the family, it would have been a richer film. But Anubhav felt that having two similar stories come out was not the best idea. We kept it on the backburner; we’ll see how it works out.”

Renowned art director and production designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai died by suicide at his studio (N D Studios) in Karjat, 80 km from Mumbai, yesterday. As per reports, he was going through financial stress and speculation is that this could have been the reason for him to take this step.

In his career spanning 20 years, he worked with prominent filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowariker, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He was the brain behind the sets of Hindi films like 1942: A Love Story (1994), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India (2001), Devdas (2002), Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai (2010) to name a few.

His last venture as an art director was Panipat (2019). He had also created the sets for the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). Desai won several awards throughout his career, including four National Awards.

In 2005, Desai established N D Studios in Karjat, which was spread over 52 acres. This studio has played host to many movies as well as the reality show Big Boss. He also tried his hand at acting and has been credited as an actor in Daud (1997) and the Marathi movie Hello Jai Hind! (2011), which he directed.

Last month, Desai had performed a pooja at his studio in anticipation of the upcoming festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. He was working on the pandal decoration for Mumbai’s iconic Ganpati mandal Lalbaugcha Raja. He was also busy with an OTT show on Maharana Pratap.

Regarding his demise, Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Somnath Gharghe said, “Police were informed by a worker on the set. When the team reached the studio, we saw his body hanging. We are investigating further to ascertain all the aspects in this case.”

- With inputs from ANI

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There is a sense of magic as the lights in a theatre dim for we are often, within moments, transported into another world. And if we were lucky, we would be transported to a world created by art director Nitin Desai. From the earthy village of Lagaan (2001) to the vibrancy of Devdas (2002), from the 16th century palaces of Jodhaa Akbar (2008) to the ’70s Bombay in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (OUATIM, 2010), there wasn’t a setting that the four-time National Award winner had not introduced us to.

OUATIM director Milan Luthria remembers how he began shooting the gangster film with Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi in real locations across Mumbai. Soon, crowd-management issues made him consider filming on sets. That’s when someone recommended the production designer to him.

“I told Nitin what I had in mind. He said, ‘Don’t worry, it will all happen in my studio [ND Studios, Karjat].’ He came back with a plan and sketches of how he was going to turn around various parts of his studio. He made a vintage café, made Sultan’s [Devgn’s character] house all white, and made the bustling streets where we shot the song, Pee Loon. His greatest quality was that he could adapt to the sensibility of the film. He realized that each movie had a different demand, which is why every film of his looks different,” he shares.

The director remembers that the climax where Devgn’s character is shot at while delivering a speech was the most challenging. But Desai, he says, came up with quick solutions.

“The studio originally didn’t look that way. There was chaos, but he quickly changed the colours of the backdrop, erected a wall on one side and removed certain fountains, saying that the style did not match the era we were depicting. He was hands-on. If you had an issue and needed a solution, Nitin was the man,” adds Luthria.

The studio originally didn’t look that way. There was chaos, but he quickly changed the colours of the backdrop, erected a wall on one side and removed certain fountains, saying that the style did not match the era we were depicting. He was hands-on. If you had an issue and needed a solution, Nitin was the man,” adds Luthria.

Desai had won National Awards for his work in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar (1998), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan and Devdas. But to Bhandarkar, his work went beyond grandeur.

“Nitin was synonymous with [elaborate] set design after his brilliant work in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. But he was equally a genius in creating realistic sets for films like Traffic Signal, Jail [2009] and Indu Sarkar [2017]. He visited Yerawada and Thane prisons to create a realistic set for Jail. When I asked him [to recreate] Connaught Place, he promised that it would be as real as Delhi’s landmark location. I was amazed at the transformation. I clicked some pictures and sent it to my friends in Delhi, who couldn’t believe it was a set.”

A trait of Desai that endeared him to the director was his ability to make good his promises. “He was always flexible with budgets and would say, ‘Main kar ke deta hoon.’”

Director Ketan Mehta shares that the Aamir Khan-led Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) was the first endeavour to be shot in ND Studios that opened in 2005. “When he launched the studio, the qawwali song from Mangal Pandey was the first shoot on the location. Nitin was a disciplined and systematic designer. So, even before we began shooting, everything was pre-visualized and pre-decided with major contributions from the creative genius that Nitin was,” says Mehta, who worked with him over 28 years and several films.

Producer Ronnie Screwvala, who collaborated with Desai on several films, most notably Jodhaa Akbar and Fashion, remembers him as someone who thought big and created even bigger. “He always gave his all to whatever he did. He always thought big and then actually made it happen. I am very sad to hear the news, ” he says.

The particular permanent set in ND Studios, Karjat, where Desai was found dead on Wednesday

Set pieces used for the filming of Lagaan. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has an open offer for his director-friends. They decide the story they want to tell, and he will throw his weight behind the project. This year, he has backed Hansal Mehta’s Faraaz. “The same offer is open to [Anurag] Kashyap, Ketan Mehta and a few other friends,” smiles Sinha, whose Bheed hit the screens last week. Up next are two productions — Sudhir Mishra’s drama Afwaah, and an anthology.

Sinha and Mishra were trying to collaborate on a film for the past 10 years. It was the Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Bhumi Pednekar-starrer that finally excited them. “It happened organically that I produced Hansal and Sudhir bhai’s films. Sudhir bhai and I talk four times a day, discussing new stories. Producing is creative, social and personal.”

Sinha, who made his feature film directorial debut with Tum Bin (2001), has come a long way in the past two decades — directing hard-hitting films like Article 15 (2019) and Thappad (2020), while enabling his peers to tell their stories.

“I don’t look at what I am doing as helping someone tell a story. That’s too condescending [to others]. I am in a position today where I [have] money [to support] a film that I think should be made. Tomorrow, someone else will be in this position, and he will hopefully say that about my film. It’s about sharing the individual’s belief in the film.”

While he attaches his name to small but significant stories, the audience, of late, seems to show an inclination towards big-scale entertainers.

Point it out to Sinha, and he doesn’t mince his words, as he states, “While one seeks approval from the audience, one also wants the audience to identify a good film and back it. One is disappointed when they don’t go and watch a film like Faraaz, which was about youngsters and got great reviews. They need to explore newer kinds of films. It has become a convenient discussion that some films are made for OTT, and some for theatre. Watching a film on OTT is like having coffee, and not smelling it. In theatres, you can [fully experience] a movie.”

Of late, there’s been buzz around films such as RRR, The Kashmir Files and Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, as they stand a chance to represent India at the Oscars next year (95th Academy Awards). But, experts suggest that fans shouldn’t get overwhelmed with the hype yet, as the official selection process hasn’t even begun.

“The process of seeking entries will start at the beginning of September, with the Film Federation of India (FFI) sending invites to all the [film] associations in India. The jury will start viewing the films on September 16, and the official entry will be announced by the end of September. That film will be sent to the Oscars in October,” says Supran Sen, secretary general, FFI.

Breaking down the process of finding India’s official entry to the Oscars, Nitin N Datar, vice president, FFI, shares, “We don’t have a fixed selection committee. We add new members every year, who are all National Film Award winners. While we watch a lot of movies to decide the official entry, some producers can also send their entries directly to the Academy, if they meet the eligibility criteria. We take note of films from all across India and not just the popular ones.”

While the jury has been formed, the names of the members haven’t been revealed yet. “That’s because once the names are out, there is a lot of pressure from people, as they try to influence the jury members’ decision,” adds Datar

Trade experts are happy with the films that are creating the buzz. Taran Adarsh says, “These films are strong contenders, as they are unique and reflect real India.” Producer and trade analyst Girish Johar adds, “These films are apt because they represent Indian viewing consumption right now.”

Director Ketan Mehta, who has been on the jury in the past, decodes the criteria for picking the official entry: “The story and filmmaking should be high quality, and the story should have the ability to travel the world.”

Last September, mid-day was the first to report that Ketan Mehta is planning a biopic on his freedom fighter-aunt Usha Mehta (Another biopic in Bollywood, Sep 7). Telling such an ambitious story requires unflinching support from collaborators with like-minded vision. Fortunately, Ketan has found the perfect partner in producer Anubhav Sinha.

For the director, Freedom Radio is a means to celebrate the fiery spirit of his aunt who played a crucial role in establishing the Congress Radio. “In 1942, when Mahatma Gandhi announced the Quit India movement, the British Raj arrested all the top leaders in a midnight swoop. The movement was rendered leaderless. That is when the youth of India came forward to take charge. Usha Mehta, a 22-year-old student, galvanised a team of fellow students to counter the British. They established a secret, underground radio station. Under constant threat, they continued to provide the true news of the freedom struggle to the people of India,” he recounts.

Developing this story has been pure joy for Ketan, as he revisited his aunt’s bravery. “Sifting through her personal diaries, and delving into my own memories have been a crucial part of my work. I couldn’t have found a more supportive producer than Anubhav who understands [my] vision.”

Freedom Radio is in pre-production, with the makers in the process of finalising the lead actor. Backing the biopic under Benaras Mediaworks, Sinha says, “It’s the kind of patriotism that we need to revisit in today’s day and age.”

In a previous edition, mid-day had reported that filmmaker Ketan Mehta was considering roping in Bhumi Pednekar for a biopic on his aunt, freedom fighter Usha Mehta. Now, in an interview with this writer, the actor says essaying the part of a freedom fighter would be among her most cherished opportunities.

“Playing a freedom fighter would be my dream role. I am fascinated by such remarkable personalities. It would be an honour. I hope the universe listens to this,” says the actor. With a string of offerings, including Bheed, Rajkummar Rao-starrer Badhaai Do, Ajay Bahl’s Ladykiller, Govinda Naam Mera, and Raksha Bandhan with Akshay Kumar, within the span of one calendar year, Pednekar is set to explore a gamut of personalities for the big screen.

“All my films see me attempt to shatter stereotypes. That’s what I have done right from my debut film, Dum Laga Ke Haisha. I see myself playing ambitious, beautiful, and gutsy characters, because I relate to them. I am thrilled to be creatively expressing myself.”

Despite having tackled a variety of genres, Pednekar says there is one that she is still keen to give a go at. “A fantasy project. I would love to experience that, as an actor,” she signs off.

Filmmakers Ketan Mehta and Karan Johar are in a race of sorts to bring out a biopic on freedom fighter and revolutionary Usha Mehta.

Usha, Ketan’s paternal aunt, was one of the key members who took charge of the country’s fight for freedom against the British regime between 1942 and 1947. Most senior revolutionaries were put behind bars at that time and it was the young revolutionaries who played a vital role to keep the freedom movement alive using underground radio stations. Usha Mehta was the one who initiated this use of technology to reach out to the masses. It was reported that Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar are the top choices as far as Ketan’s biopic on his phoiba (aunt) is concerned.

When we spoke to Taapsee Pannu about being considered for the role, she said, “This is news to me. I have not been offered this film and neither do I have its script with me to see. Yes, it is a dream to play a freedom fighter or someone who crosses limits to show her love for her motherland.”

The Badla actress further added, “It would have been an honour for me to play the role but I have no idea where this came from and I have not been offered this film.”

On his part, in his recent chat with BT, filmmaker Ketan Mehta had stated, “At this moment, all I can say is that the screenplay is still being worked upon. It’s very early to say who’s playing the part.”

Ketan Mehta, who has made films like Sardar, Rang Rasiya, Mangal Pandey: The Rising and Manjhi: The Mountain Man, has been in the news for his upcoming film, a biopic on freedom fighter Usha Mehta, who played a pivotal role in the Quit India Movement of 1942. The biopic became a point of discussion also because it came to light that filmmaker Karan Johar, too, is reportedly planning a film on the same subject. Ketan Mehta spoke to BT exclusively about this and more:

India is a free country, and I can’t deny that my phoiba (aunt) makes for a great subject. I wish Karan all the best. I feel personally responsible that a tribute to her is made and presented as well as possible. It is a family legacy. My father was also a freedom fighter, and this is the only legacy dad and phoiba left us with and I feel this should be passed on to people. I have been out of the ring for a while. The last film I made was Toba Tek Singh and Manjhi: The Mountain Man. I am also not an industry insider to pick up the phone on another filmmaker and talk about things. I prefer to be that way. I am Usha Mehta’s kin and reaching out to me is their decision. If they want to do that, they can. And why would I anyway stop them from making their film? Yes, it’s unfortunate that these things happen all the time in our business. When I was making Rang Rasiya, it so happened that a few more films were in the pipeline on the same subject. I can’t stop others from doing what they want to do.

Usha Mehta was my father’s sister. I’ve grown up under her guidance, and she also spent the last 20 years of her life with us at our home. She has guided me all my life and that inspiration, I felt, should now be shared with the world at large. I made films like Mangal Pandey: The Rising and Sardar because the freedom movement has inspired me in a big way. This film is about the Quit India Movement, our last battle for freedom, which is the most underreported aspect of our freedom struggle. All the prominent leaders like Maulana Azad, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were in prison and the youngsters took over the mantle. They guided the nation in its last battle for independence with very little resources at their disposal. They used the radio to reach out to as many people as possible. That underground radio station was run by my aunt, Usha Mehta, at the age of 22. That entire phase between 1942 and 1947 has barely been recorded. Next year, it will be the 80th anniversary of the Quit India movement, hence the movie.

My grandfather was a judge in the court and he still allowed them, especially my aunt, which only goes on to show that he was an open-minded man, who not only made it a point to educate his daughter, but also support her decisions. Phoiba was studying to become a lawyer at that time. She went on to do her PhD degree, too. My grandfather didn’t know about the underground radio station, but he knew where the sentiments of his children were. I can imagine what that time must have been like...It was a do or die situation, youngsters took charge unprepared and took it to the finish line. Deep down, in all of this is a father-daughter story. I was very close to my aunt and this film is close to my heart.

It’s because our society was, and to a great degree, is patriarchal even today. It has forgotten the contribution made by women in our freedom struggle. Their work has remained unsung and that is the reason we need to look at our history with a different lens now, and revisit chapters to understand our past better while looking towards the future.

At this moment, all I can say is that the screenplay is still being worked upon. It’s very early to say who will be playing the part.

Telling the story of a freedom fighter is a significant undertaking. The responsibility only grows manifold when the subject has been an intimate part of your life. On that count, Ketan Mehta’s next, a biopic on freedom fighter-aunt Usha Mehta is perhaps his most important work. Sources say that the period drama will be mounted on a lavish budget.

Even as he is shaping the final draft of the script, the National Award-winning filmmaker has simultaneously begun the pre-production. With the late Mehta having spent the better part of her life in then-Bombay, the director is recreating the city of the 1930s and ’40s.

The historians who assisted Ketan in the script development are also overseeing the process of world-building. A source reveals, “Mehta’s team has reached out to well-known art directors. Alongside, they are conducting a recce of south Mumbai, mainly Colaba and Fort, where a large part of the action will be set. The director hopes to kick off the shoot by the first quarter of 2022, with the indoor sequences. Post that, the unit will shift to Madh Island or Virar, where grand sets replicating the architectural style of the ’30s and ’40s will be built. Ketan is studying every element that is being sourced — from the fabrics to the vehicles — to ensure it is historically accurate. A fair amount of VFX will be employed as well.”

While a leading studio has come on board, the director is keen to sign on Taapsee Pannu or Bhumi Pednekar for the titular role. Ketan is unfazed that Karan Johar too is reportedly backing a story on the same subject, instead viewing his movie as a personal story of the gritty Gandhian who had helped establish the Congress Radio during the Quit India movement.

The source from the unit adds, “The film will shed light on her contribution in setting up the underground radio station in 1942 as well as her serving a prison sentence in Yerawada Jail. Ketan sir has a lot of first-hand anecdotes from his aunt and her personal diaries, which are forming the crux of his story.”

Over the past fortnight, rumours abounded about Karan Johar backing a movie on freedom fighter Usha Mehta. The brave achievements of the 20th century freedom fighter have inspired another storyteller. It is heard that Ketan Mehta, nephew to Mehta, is developing a film on the Gandhian who had helped establish Congress Radio. The underground radio station amplified Mahatma Gandhi’s message of peaceful rebellion during the Quit India movement.

The director’s penchant for biopics is known, having made Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) and Manjhi: The Mountain Man (2015) in recent years. A source says that the filmmaker is drafting the final script. “Ketan has simultaneously begun pre-production, and aims to kick off the film by late 2021. He has narrowed down his choices for the lead to Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar. Given the actors’ busy date diaries after the second lockdown, the casting will be locked by November.”

Mehta remained unavailable for comment till press time.

The cult ’90s show Captain Vyom is all set to make a comeback in a renewed avatar. Original creator, Ketan Mehta, who helmed the sci-fi superhero series back in the day, confirms the news and says that it is a “very exciting development”. “It is after 20 years that we are reinventing that concept. Captain Vyom was the first Indian sci-fi series and an entire generation of kids enjoyed it at that time. It was also India’s first encounter with space age. Now, with India getting into space, it is an incredible concept to be reinvented for the younger generation,” says Mehta, who won’t be spearheading the franchises but will be creatively involved in the five-part film, and five-part web series.

The series starring actor Milind Soman had a huge fan following back in the day, and Mehta believes that it is the best time to bring it back. “We are perfectly placed to reimagine the mythological and supernatural elements of the show. So, a fresh Indian perspective to the space age should be exciting,” he adds.

Since the ’90s, the visual effects and animation industry in India has only seen an upward growth. And Mehta says that it is now time for the industry to take the big leap, and compete in the global markets. “Captain Vyom was the beginning of visual effects in India. It was the first such show and since then, the entire scenario has changed. India has emerged as a strong player in the animation game. The visual effects industry has really developed in the last 20 years. So, we are ready to create content for the global audiences. It is time that we took the big leap in the world of science fiction,” signs off Mehta.

In a mince-no-words conversation with Bombay Times, ahead of the release of her upcoming film Simran, Kangana Ranaut bares her mind on Bollywood and battles -fought within and outside. Excerpts...

When Rangoon did not take off, there was some visible happiness. That a Kangana movie did not work. Now isn't that a benchmark of having arrived? When people are waiting for a flop to come and are happy when it does?
Yeah, it's a celebration!

Does it feel like I'm vindicated, my losses also draw attention?
No, you know, the thing is, with Rangoon, I knew the stakes were very high. And Rangoon flopping, I knew there is a set of people who are going to come out with their daggers and stab me to death, in a way ... So I knew this. It was my biggest nightmare, my biggest fear, that if Rangoon flops, what will happen to me? And when it did, every nightmare came true. People were just waiting for this to happen. There was a time when my phone was ringing all the time, there was so much. And they all came together. And to my surprise, when I survived that, the rush that you feel, that's when I felt - if my worst fear cannot do anything, what is there for me to worry about? So now I feel like this unchained beast, because this is the limit of my enemies. All the controversies, all the... And to add to that my accidents, to add to that how my film (on Rani Lakshmibai) was struggling financially, the film I was supposed to do with Ketan Mehta didn't get any financiers. And then he came with a lawsuit and then the nepotism debate went abroad and... So for me, like, when all this happened and I survived that, now I honestly don't fear anything. What will you do to me now? Nothing! There's nothing you can do to me now, because everything that can go wrong did go wrong, and here I am, completely perfectly happy in my own world.

What have your hits taught you, what have your flops taught you?
My hits have taught me nothing. When a film flops, there is a lot of learning. Post a failure, you're heading to big success. But success is a result of the learnings from failures. If I have succeeded in a film like Queen, it's a result of eight years' failures. But Queen in itself didn't teach me any thing. Celebration in itself has no learning to it.

If those eight years had not been a tough ride, would you have been the person you are today, if you had a hit to start off with?
No, no way! And I wouldn't want to change it for anything. Because of course when I started out, I didn't know I wanted to be an actress. But when I became an actress, like anyone else, I wanted an easy life, I wanted to be in the Yash Raj camp and the Dharma camp and be doing Khan films when I was an 18-year-old. Of course I wanted all of that. And because it didn't happen, I realised that the real treasure is not something that someone can give you... you don't want to be the moon who is reflecting light from others, because when everyone's gone, you have your darkness to live with. You want to be like the sun, you want to give light, not just borrow light from people.

Somewhere, people feel that an individual's struggle is about the individual and the world. My struggle is about me. My struggle did not start with the point that I want to show the world who I am. Because I did not know in the first place, who I am, who I was. So my struggle was 'I want to find out who I am'. Because what I was told as an individual, by my family, and the limited impression of mine that people had, even growing up ­ that didn't ring true. Being physically less capable than a man, being emotionally or financially always dependent on a man... I didn't speak English. None of the women from our family have a success story to brag about, so even I can't have it... yes, it does make sense, nobody has made it so far, why would you? But then there is a feeling within you which tells you otherwise. So that's the struggle - between the facts and the feeling.

How often do you end up Googling yourself?
These days, quite a lot (laughs)! Because there are, like I said, a hundred people, a hundred opinions, and I have a digital team, so of course they keep sending me links, asking, 'do you want to give a reaction?' Or they keep telling me, 'don't react to this'. Most people think when you are an actor, you should stick to your business, but I see myself more like a personality, than an actor. So just the movie is never my agenda, never has been.

What is your agenda?
Most people expect me to be like, now that you're promoting your movie, just stick to your business. But the point is, who are you to tell me what my business is? If I am entirely here only for movies then why did I reject Khan films? Why don't I care to work with Karan Johar? Why don't I go get awards, if just that's my business? But I don't care about my business, can't you tell? So who are you to tell me what my business should be? I am here in the capacity of a woman, and my personality as a woman is a lot more valuable to me than the business of my films. Like I've said no to Rs 300-crore films. It's not like they became Rs 300-crore films and I regret it, they were always Rs 300 crore on paper also. I mean, can't you tell that I really don't care about the business of my films? Especially, like I said, after I hit rock bottom and realised that actually, it really doesn't matter, because people have loved me as an individual. So I have to make sure that when somebody points a finger at your character as a woman, you've got to respond to that. You can't be like, oh, I'm an actor, in my capacity I should just be promoting my film. I would never respect anyone who is so calculative in life, who can't rise above the status of the business and the method of marketing. It's a horrible thing to tell somebody that now that you're promoting your film... what is a film? In the scheme of things, tell me, what is a film? I've given so many hit films, today they're not even relevant. Who are you to tell me I should only be bothered about my film? What is a film? A film is nothing. I already have four offers...

I wonder what people involved in your movies think of that take...
No, but like I said, I already have four offers. It's not even relevant to them either. I am an actor, I'll get a job regardless. So anyone who thinks that a profession is above one's character and dignity is just an idiot who doesn't know how to live life. Life is not about tricks and techniques. Life is about finding yourself, and finding peace with that.

The thing is, see, what is the definition of success? I want to ask a successful person. If you are crawled in your little hell hole, and you do not have a voice, you're shit scared of losing whatever little you have earned in life, you are the most unsuccessful person in life. I want to tell these people that I've made this conscious decision that I set out to just discover myself and be like... you know, I don't subscribe to this, first papa's ghar and then husband's ghar and then that's just the cycle of my life. I just wanted to be an independent girl. But now at this point, at 30, I have earned a lot more than that. And it's a conscious decision you make ki yaar, I had just come ki mujhe thoda kaam mil jaye, bahut hai mere liye. And today I am one of the most successful actors, I am among the highest paid, I have won so many awards, I've even set records. Toh ab mujhe kis cheez ka darr hai?

Being actors, if it is about our gender, about religion, about the debate of India's struggles, the army fighting at the border ­ why, for all this, do you show your back and why do you crawl into your little holes, why? If you can't speak... beyond being an actor, beyond being a professional, you are a citizen of the nation, first and foremost. How dare this industry forget that? Their lives are very limited. And that's why, like I said, I am more than happy to let go of this industry. And why? Because I don't have an iota of respect for it. And they can tell. And that's why they don't like me. And my genuine reason for not liking this industry is very personal. And I always say, if I stay, good for them, if I don't, good for me (laughs)! This kind of freedom also comes from the fact that I'm ready to move into another phase of my life, which can comprise anything. I can turn an author, or I can direct the kind of film I want once in a while, or I can do organic farming - I've built a beautiful house in Manali. But the thing is, if a certain industry doesn't have, you know, you don't have any respect, or pride or even gratitude, why do you want to live like that? We don't give back to the country enough. And there are very few films that address what the nation should be. There are very few that are actually made for the hinterland, the real India. So we really need to buckle up and earn our respect as an industry.

The Simran trailer has lines about “Chhote chhote titli jaise pankh nikal rahe hain...“ Many people would look at you and probably visualise “Chhote chhote seeng...“
(Laughs) Like I said, with extreme failures or bullying, there's a point when you're like, you're trying to watch your back, you're trying to save yourself, you're trying to fight conflicts ­ and then there comes a point where you, I don't know, you just become this beast. And also to see what the opposition is about. I mean, I don't even call them worthy enemies, because they're not. The ones who play underhand games, who come from behind with a dagger, the ones who will use different means to fight back, are not worthy enemies. I wish they were like me, to tell me things to my face, or to come in front of everyone and say things as they are. Or what they feel, because I would love to know their perspective. I guess I will never know, because like I said, coming from front and attacking from front is not what they are taught to do. So yeah, I think I've become this beast post my Rangoon failure and everything that happened post that.

Your character says, “tum jante kitna ho mera nature kaisa hai, character flaw toh nahi...“ ­ what's your character flaw?
Mera character flaw yehi hai ke I am, I mean, being headstrong is a good quality, but I am too headstrong. I am too, too, too headstrong. And sometimes I even get a bit taken aback with my own ego as a woman. Because ­ A, a woman, and B, ego. It's not a combination that doesn't exist, it does, of course. But it's not acceptable. And that too in this much multitude. I think ego is genderless. It's harmful for anyone. But for me, I do feel that I am too egoistic... but my pride and my dignity do stem out of it.

Doesn't that disrupt logical thought, influence your reactions?
Well, of course. Luckily, I am not an impulsive person. I always have a filter of objectivity through my thoughts. That's why I can take really strong stands. I really value my personality more than my profession. And I've earned it, over a period of time. Luckily, I became familiar with the cause and effect theory by Vivekananda, and I subscribe to it. I have to put everything through that filter, and then I realise, oh, yes. If I didn't have that, I would be a disaster, I agree. Ego is like a death trap, ego can completely destroy you. But then I have Vivekananda's blessings, and I have his teachings.

Are the people close to you, who when they see you continuing with your anger and ego, behave like Sameer in Simran's trailer, fleeing from you without hearing you out, and you have to exclaim, poori kahani suno!
(Laughs) Well, people around me, yeah they get fed up of me, it's not that they don't. I don't meet my set of friends sometimes for days, because I am embroiled in some kind of controversy, something's going on. So they do get fed up, ki tumko chain nahi hai? Matlab when you're in so much trouble, why don't you keep quiet?

You and Vidya Balan are actors who are often the sole face on their posters. You in particular seem to have a lot of cinema which looks like it is being made around your personality. If a role is contrary to your profile, is of a love-struck, dependent character, will you be able to fit in?
Of course I'll do such a role. If the script is good, if the story is good, I would play such a role. In fact, Julia, to an extent, till half the film (Rangoon), she's that woman, who's looking for the approval of a man, who's so needy in love that it is almost like a sickness. Also, I can't say that I was not that person at one point of time. Growing up, I had a terrible time with romantic life and love interests, and I used to be lovesick to an extent that I wouldn't eat for days, I wouldn't go to school, I would cry all the time. And also there's a lot of shame that comes with being lovesick, with the fantasies of youth and the trap of primitive mating instincts. There's a lot of shame attached to it. You can't share that with anyone. I used to lose a lot of weight every time I was in love. I've had a terrible time growing up. And the same with maternal instincts. Like the last few years of my life, since I've been 25, and now I'm 30, I'm just, brooding, want to have a family, all my girlfriends are expecting. So it's not easy. I would show a lot of empathy to young women and tell them it's just fine, it's fine if you're lovesick, it's fine if you cry all the time, it's fine if you don't feel hungry, feel the butterflies that come with the initial encounter of passion, that pukey feeling that you get with the excitement of meeting someone. Oh my God, I remember all of that. So that time, yes, that's your world and you can't think beyond that. I have a lot of empathy for such a state. And I'm sure I'll be damn good at playing it because I have been lovesick to such an extent... I used to listen to Jagjit Singh's poetry. I was a Ghalib fanatic!

Which ghazals?
Tere aane ki jab khabar mehke teri khushboo se sara ghar mehke (laughs)! Oh God! Ghalib ­ Khuda ke waste parda nakab se utha zalim, kahin aisa na ho yahan bhi wohi kaafir sanam nikle... Hazaaron khwahishein aisi ki har khwahish pe dam nikle. How much, uff! Matlab, what beautiful days of growing up.

What irks you the most currently?
How people think they have the right to tell me how I should live my life. Who are you to tell me what I should do with my life? “Just keep to your film“? Why?! This platform that I have, I've earned, dammit! You will tell me what I should say? Why should you tell me? There was so much shame in being in love when you were younger and now there is shame in being a nationalist or being someone who's fighting against gender bias or... if there is going to be shame at every stage, then what is the fun of growing up? (Laughs) Young women are shamed for being in love, older women are shamed for talking about issues, what do you do?!

Write a book?
(Laughs) I definitely have a lot to tell!