Showing posts with label Mathukutty Xavier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mathukutty Xavier. Show all posts
I am very keen to play a conventional heroine as I have spent so much time looking for diverse roles-Janhvi Kapoor
7:36 AM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; November 4, 2022)
While she is beautifully romancing the camera, and in her own words sharing a certain ‘intimacy’ with it, with every film, Janhvi Kapoor is forming a connect, a relationship with the audience. When asked about it, she unflinchingly says, “It’s tough to have an objective view of how people look at you. It keeps changing.”
That’s Janhvi for you, whether it’s a conversation or a portrayal (on screen), her honesty and vulnerability add that special something to her persona. She leads the show in yet another performance-driven film, Mili, backed by her father Boney Kapoor, in collaboration with Zee Studios. The survival thriller, where she is trapped in a freezer, releases today. It’s probably the only time she froze in front of the camera, literally. In a chat with us, Janhvi talks about the film choices she has made, the direction she wants to head, and what moves her heart. Read on…
Your films, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Roohi, Good Luck Jerry, and now Mili, have you playing the titular role. It reflects on your choice of films — performance-driven, unpredictable and each starkly different from the other. Is it by design or coincidence?
I think it is a coincidence. It never occurred to me until it was pointed out. It was never my approach or plan, as I look at every film as an opportunity to grow as an actor. It so happened that these films offered me the most scope from what I was getting.
For an actor of your age and the stage you are at, you have chosen fairly unique and offbeat subjects, and by that, I don’t mean that they aren’t commercially viable. The subjects stand tall, the story drives the show and you pack in all that you got. It must be exciting, but needs guts, right?
I think that’s the thrill of it. I like taking on characters and worlds that are as different from mine and as different from each other as possible. Firstly, it makes my job as an actor easy, as I don’t have to look at a script and say, ‘Oh, how do I play this girl-next-door differently from the previous one?’ The character is already so diverse on paper. Also, I know my life, so if I get a chance to play a glam, urban girl, it will come easier to me, but I don’t know how much that would help me grow as a person. All these characters that I have played so far have added so much to me as a human being. I like the feeling that I am becoming a wholesome person through my art. Having said that, I am very excited and keen to play a conventional heroine now, because I think that I have spent so much time looking for diverse roles that the things that come naturally to me, I haven’t done that. I really want to do that. I want to do the song and dance routine; I enjoy that, and I have grown up watching those movies. I love seeing heroines presented beautifully in these larger-than-life films. I want people to look at me like that and I want the chance to be that way. I haven’t given myself that chance as I have been so caught up in honing my skills as an actor. I didn’t realise it and I think it was arrogant of me to ignore that there is a special skill set required for that kind of performance as well, where you create an impact and make the audience fall in love with you through your nakhras and adaas. I want to do that, and it will be my next challenge.
Mili also marks your first collaboration with your father, Boney Kapoor. Was he deeply involved at every stage of filming?
He is a really creative producer. I have done several films, and I have seen how most production houses have a machinery under the producer to take care of technicalities. In my father’s case, even at this age, I see him flying off to cities to put marketing plans in place, trying to see the cuts of the trailer and songs and ensuring that they are out on time. He is so invested in every detail. Other producers have a team who the actors communicate with, but here I am communicating with him and it is not because he is my father. Just the other day, I was upset with him about this and I told him that you are not 20 something anymore and you have the luxury of deputing work to people, so you don’t need to take flights for one meeting. He says, ‘This is my life, I need to be hands-on and that’s the joy of it’. I have always seen him this way, but I had never understood his level of investment until now.
So, your previous film Good Luck Jerry was a remake of a Tamil film, and Mili is a remake of the Malayalam film, Helen. While working on remakes, do you watch the original material and eventually, put in a lot of thought into how you would give the character your own spin?
In the case of Mili, I have seen bits and pieces of the original. If you start out with that approach, then you are not being true to the material that you have. Your agenda should be, mujhe achha kuch karna hai over mujhe alag kuch karna hai. Same ho, alag ho, usse farak nahin padta. Thankfully, Good Luck Jerry was a completely different world, and there was no way that the performance could have been similar. With Mili, the director, (Mathukutty Xavier) who also directed the original, told me that he didn’t want me to see the original film or even read the script. He told me not to learn my lines. He said, ‘You have played characters so much that I don’t know if any film has captured your energy as a daughter, and that is an integral part of the film. So be the way you are with your dad at home.’
So, in that sense, you came on set with a certain unpreparedness and that’s what gave your character the edge it needed?
My director told me that my character isn’t prepared to go into the freezer, so there was no way I could prepare for that. He had built a -15 degrees cold storage that we shot in, where I actually felt cold, shivered and felt suffocated. We would do 15-minute long takes, where he would give me activities for survival, like lighting a fire with the objects I had at hand. It was exciting, and it gave me a lot of freedom. My relationship with the camera grew very intimate with this film. I felt more at home than ever, because I felt like I bared my soul, so now, I can’t ever be shy in front of the camera again.
So, you are saying that in the most contained environment that you shot in, you felt absolutely free as an actress. Interesting.
Yes, I felt so free, and all of those feelings were so visceral. There was no choice but to be open andbare my soul.
Good Luck Jerry released on OTT recently, and earlier, you were part of the web anthology Ghost Stories, which was made for consumption on a digital platform. As a mainstream movie actress, has the OTT wave somewhere changed or influenced your career choices, the way you view cinema, and the way you want to present yourself as an actress?
I would really like to think that it’s a producer’s job to think about how he wants to mount the film and release it — OTT or the big screen. My job as an actor is to pick scripts that resonate with me. I think it is silly to look at a film and say, ‘Yeh OTT hai toh iska performance aise hoga.’ Yes, when it comes to choices, there is an awareness that a certain kind of film might be more viable on OTT. However, I don’t like that to jade my approach towards my work too much.
Right. But OTT does give you more choices, more freedom and opportunities to present yourself in different ways…
Yes, there is a sense of liberation knowing how much reach the OTT platform has now. I think, at one point, there was a stigma attached to it… ki yeh toh digital pe jaayegi, and people would act like…yeh toh barbaad ho gaye! Now it’s something to be excited about, given the huge global reach that digital platforms have. I am glad that the evolution of the OTT platform has happened and has spoiled us for choices. Having said that, nothing can take away from the magic of cinema on the big screen and the community viewing experience.
From your first film Dhadak to now, do you believe that you have found more acceptance and more love from the audience? Did you ever fear that, given your privileged background (and there are often discussions around privileged actors in Bollywood), you would take a bit longer to get there?
When I am asked this question, on some days, I feel great and think that people are finally noticing my work, and then, on some days, I feel maybe they will never notice. So, I don’t know… it’s tough to have an objective view of how people look at you. It keeps changing. You do one right thing and you are everyone’s favourite for five minutes, and then, you do one wrong thing, and everyone hates you for the next ten minutes. It’s very transient. I have realised that I don’t want to get too attached to people’s opinions of me. I am confident in knowing that I have a lot to offer as an actor, and by that, I mean my hard work more than anything else. I know that I still have a long way to go. I am ready to keep my head down and keep working. As far as what people think of me, maybe you should ask me after Mili releases, I will have more clarity (laughs!).
In an interview with us, your dad said that we should wait and watch you in a full-on comedy role, as your comedy timing is great and that you get your sense of humour from your mother. What do you say?
At home, they all call me a joker, even my mom would call me a joker. I think my humour comes from my mom’s side of the family, because I spent a lot of time with them. Khushi’s humour is more like the Kapoors, and mine is more like the Ayappans.
Is there any other quality or trait of your mother that you see strongly in you?
I think it is my hyper nature, especially when it comes to Khushi and dad. I can deal with anything, but if I feel that dad is upset with me, or something is off with Khushi, or if Arjun bhaiyya and Anshula didi aren’t in a good frame of mind, it throws me off and I can’t sleep, I feel uneasy and become a wreck.
There is a lot of talk, debate, confusion and even chaos in our industry about what is working on the big screen and what is not. Some believe that larger-than-life films will bring in the audience, while some believe that we have to put out the best content, and that’s all that matters. With Mili hitting the theatres today, are you more anxious about it than you would be pre-COVID times, given the current scenario?
I am a firm believer that there is a realignment happening in the film industry, but that doesn’t mean that a good film won’t get its due. And does getting its due mean the same monetary value it got pre-pandemic? Maybe not. We will have to change our barometer to measure the kind of love a film gets. So, I am hopeful for the sake of my dad and also because I believe a lot in what we have made. I think it will get its due.
It’s a myth that the era of remakes is over. I will continue to make them-Boney Kapoor
11:16 PM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; November 1, 2022)
During the pandemic, when several movie projects were put on hold, producer Boney Kapoor was neckdeep managing over half-a-dozen films. In 2019, he produced the Tamil film Nerkonda Paarvai, which was followed by Telugu drama Vakeel Saab with Pawan Kalyan in 2021 and since then, he has been actively working on multiple South movies between 2020 and 2021. His Tamil film Valimai starring Ajith Kumar that released this year enjoyed massive success. He also bankrolled the South remakes of successful Hindi films like Article 15 and Badhaai Ho this year. Now that he has wholeheartedly plunged into producing South movies, Boney has been winning a lot of appreciation from industry folks and the audience. At the moment, he is extremely excited about his upcoming production Mili (a remake of the Malayalam film Helen), starring Janhvi Kapoor in the lead. In a chat with Bombay Times, he talks about collaborating with his daughter for the first time, aiming to hit a century by producing 100 films and more. Excerpts:
You are collaborating with your daughter Janhvi for the first time with Mili. The premise of the film, where her character gets trapped inside a freezer, seems to be a solid performance-driven role. Is this what prompted you to cast Janhvi in this survival thriller?
I was approached by a producer to make this film and he wanted Janhvi for the part. Yeh film ek-do mahine se unke (Janhvi) manager ke paas thi. I had already been recommended to watch the original. When I saw it, I couldn’t control my tears and I jumped into this subject wholeheartedly. I chose director Mathukutty Xavier of the original film, who won the National Award for it. Even before the director was signed, I approached Manoj Pahwa, who saw the original and said yes. My daughter is an enthusiastic and hardworking actor. She insisted on shooting in an actual freezer where the temperature was as low as -8 to -12 degrees. In the second half of the film, she hardly has dialogues, and it is only through her expressions that everything is conveyed. I was sure she could pull off this part well, especially after seeing the kind of varied characters she has played in her previous films. The audience should wait and watch her in a full-fledged comedy film because that is her forte. She has fantastic comic timing and a sense of humour like her mother (Sridevi).
Through the pandemic, where there was uncertainty and work came to a halt, you were actively involved with several projects. In the last three years, you have worked on as many as eight movies in different languages. What has kept you going?
With Ajay Devgn-starrer Maidaan (which now releases on February 17, 2023) I would have had eight films released between 2019 and 2022. And then there are four-five films in the pipeline in different languages — Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam, including my third film with Ajith, which will release during Pongal in January next year. I just wanted to remain busy throughout. I have lost count, but I think I have done almost 50 films till now and I want to score a century! I want to be a Sachin Tendulkar or a Virat Kohli (laughs!). Talking about uncertainty in the business, I made Mr. India (1987) at a budget of Rs 3.8 crore, at a time when films were made on the budget of Rs 50 to 70 lakhs. People went to my father and said that your son has gone mad and they told my brother Anil that I was ruining his career as he would be invisible in a major part of the film. They also told him that through this movie, I only wanted to highlight Sridevi (as an actor). I poured in so much money into the project that at the time of the release, I was broke. But today, each and every character in the film has become iconic. I had faith in the project and I told Anil that you will be remembered as Mr. India till your last breath.
Everyone in the industry is aware of your generosity as a producer. But in today’s times, producers are focusing on tighter budgets and cutting costs. Have you also changed the way you approach a project?
Of course, I am a little more realistic now. I was madly passionate to the extent that I used to get indulgent at times. I am no more indulgent, but the passion is still there. Earlier, I would produce films independently, but today I have partners on board, so I am the custodian of their investment. All the films I have done in recent times have given good returns and this is how I want to continue. For Mili, I am happy that Zee Studios showed faith in me and trusted me. It has been a great partnership with them so far.
You have entertained the audience with original films as well as remakes. You introduced a South hit like Pokiri to the Hindi audience by making Wanted and gave the South audience the taste of Hindi cinema with remakes of films like Pink, Article 15 and Badhaai Ho. As someone who understands what goes into remaking a film, how do you look at the current scenario, where people are saying that remakes are not working at the box office anymore?
It’s a myth that the era of remakes is over. Well, that’s utter rubbish. Remakes have always been there. Back in the day, Aurat was made into Mother India and The Departed was the remake of Infernal Affairs. Likewise, Indecent Proposal was made into Judaai. Talking about the remakes of recent times, Vikram Vedha in Tamil was also called Vikram Vedha. It was dubbed in various languages as Vikram Vedha. It was available across all platforms for the audience to consume. So, when people sitting at home have consumed it already, then why would they go to a theatre to watch the film? Yeh same Jersey aur HIT: The First Case ke saath bhi hua. When I made Wanted, we worked on Prakash Raj’s character. The actor was new to the Hindi audience, so we shot again with him and added a few of his introduction shots... ki as a villain woh kaisa cruel aur sharp hai. After all, jab tak mera villain strong nahi hoga, my hero will not work! I am not saying I am the authority when it comes to remakes, as I have also gone wrong, but people cannot just make a statement that remakes don’t work anymore. As a filmmaker, I will continue to do remakes and I am looking forward to Mili.
Lately, several South films have worked wonders at the box office, while most Hindi films are struggling to draw the audience to the theatres. As a filmmaker, where do you think Bollywood is falling short?
It is happening because most of our filmmakers are driven and inspired by Hollywood. Today, filmmakers from the South are making films that our Hindi filmmakers like Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra once made — full-blooded commercial cinema. At that time packaging itni achchi nahi hoti thi, ab yeh log achchi packaging karke, achcha VFX daal ke bana rahe hai. In filmon mein taali maarne ki situation hai, seeti maarne ki situation hai, gaane, action, dialoguebaazi... sab kuch hai. Initially, South filmmakers were looking up to Bollywood, but today, our filmmakers are in awe of them. In that case, I think I made the right move of heading down South and making movies there at the right time.
While in Bollywood, stars enjoy massive fan-following, the superstars down South are also worshipped by their fans. Recently, there was a video doing the rounds where fans showed their love by pouring milk on your car. Did you expect such kind of love?
(Laughs!) I was surprised to see that reaction. As much as I have enjoyed working with actors here (Bollywood), I have loved working with actors down South, too. They are so professional and concerned about the film and the way their character is shaping up. It is my experience, sincerity, honesty and dedication towards my work that people are seeing and hence, they want to work with me.
Mili, starring Janhvi Kapoor and produced by Boney Kapoor, to be wrapped up next month
8:25 AM
Boney Kapoor’s first production, an official remake of the Malayalam film Helen, with daughter Jahnvi, to be wrapped up by next month
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 24, 2021)
After breaking into the Bollywood scene with the remake of Sairat, Karan Johar’s Dhadak in 2018, Janhvi Kapoor is attempting another remake. Produced by her father Boney Kapoor, Mili is the official remake of the 2019 Malayalam film Helen.
A source informs that the project is near completion. “The Mumbai leg of the shooting kickstarted on August 4, and by October 30 the shooting in Dehradun and Mussoorie will be wrapped up. Post which, the crew will return to Mumbai and complete the remaining portions in five days on a set.”
Directed and co-written by Mathukutty Xavier, who also helmed the original, the film revolves around a girl who accidentally gets trapped in a cold storage unit. “The movie required a mall as the backdrop. Since establishments were closed in Maharashtra, the crew moved to Dehradun in September to can a few scenes and to Mussoorie for the songs,” informs the source, adding that the film also required Janhvi to shoot in a real cold storage unit to lend authenticity to the scene.
“Makeup artiste Ranjith Ambady, who won the National Award for Best Makeup Artiste for Helen, was flown down to Dehradun to do Jahnvi’s makeup.”
Mili is the first collaboration between father and daughter. Hence, Boney Kapoor is planning a grand launch when it releases in theatres next year. The Valimai producer remained unavailable for comment.
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