Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 2, 2019)

Legendary singer Mukesh’s grandsons and Nitin Mukesh’s sons, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Naman Nitin Mukesh, have joined hands to present their first production, Bypass Road. While Neil has written, produced and acted in the film, Naman makes his directorial debut with this movie. In an interview with BT, they talk about why this project is so important to them:

What prompted you to venture into production at this stage of you career, Neil? And Naman, why do you think this was the right film for you to make your directorial debut?
Neil: For Naman and me, this film is extremely important. When I started out 12 years ago, there was a debate on whether a singer’s son and grandson can really become an actor. For us, this film is an answer to that argument; it’s like emphasising strongly that creativity has no boundaries. When you come from within the industry, people question your capabilities even more and think that you have probably taken your privileges for granted. But in this exciting phase of cinema that’s driven by content, I felt the need to craft and back a story that I wanted to see on the big screen.
Naman: I started out as an assistant director. My brother got me on board only when he felt that I could handle something so big on my own. People were skeptical about it and some even said that I got a chance only because of my brother. But they don’t know that he won’t give me a chance just for the heck of it. We have a film lineage, and we can’t change that, but everyone in the family has worked hard to reach where they have.

While many actors are producing films today, you have also written this movie. What prompted you to do that?
Neil: At the beginning of my career, I didn’t want to be categorised as a particular kind of actor. I chose Johnny Gaddaar (2007) as my debut to avoid that. While I acted in big-budget films like Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) and displayed my vulnerable side in films like New York (2009), I’ve played complex characters because I want to give something different to the audience. People tend to have a herd mentality, and when something works, you’re offered the same sort of roles. I’ve always steered clear of that. One of the reasons to write the film was to tell people that this is the kind of movie that I want to be a part of. I am often asked why I wasn’t doing something like Johnny Gaddaar again. But the fact is, there’s not much written in that genre. I didn’t want to wait for someone to tap my potential, and so, I decided to do this on my own. Thriller is my forte and it works well for me. The thriller genre has an audience, but not enough content is created for it. So, I decided to write something that appealed to my sensibilities.

Was the decision to produce a film difficult to arrive at, given the challenges that it comes with?
Naman: For us, production was the right step. We have both been exposed to production work before our careers began. The confidence of being able to execute a project comes with experience. We were clear that we would never take this chance for granted. The film is dominated by the plot, and not by the fact that we are producers, and so, we can do just about anything that we want. We’ve, in fact, been extremely cautious with the money, the talent on board and the product in hand.
Neil: For the last few years, I have been the entertainment director of Miraj Entertainment with Madan Paliwal. For us, production is not about playing the boss; it is about getting the job done in the right manner. Our next two films don’t have me as an actor or Naman as the director. We are simply backing them and collaborating with deserving artistes and technicians. Many doors were shut for me, because people turned around and told me, ‘Why don’t you just sing?’ or ‘Do you think you can act because you are good looking?’ I wondered why I was being judged. I don’t want others to face that. I hate theories; I prefer doing things. So, with our little budget, we’ve done the best we could for this story.

Naman, what was interaction like with Neil the actor on the set?
Naman: His experience always comes in handy, and he is my backbone. Yes, he bullied me every day, but more like the elder brother who pushed me to do better. He never let me get complacent. In fact, he made everyone feel at home, except me.

Bypass Road, produced by Madan Paliwal of Miraj Group and NNM Films, releases on November 8

The siblings on Naman’s directorial debut, which features Neil, and looking forward to not just Ganpati but a new family member as well
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 27, 2018)

Mirror (July 11) had earlier reported that after completing a decade as an actor, Neil Nitin Mukesh has turned producer with an as-yet untitled thriller drama that will mark the directorial debut of younger brother Naman, taking their veteran musician-grandfather Mukesh and singer-father Nitin’s legacy forward. Excerpts from an interview with the duo:

Naman, most star kids choose to become actors, what made you opt for direction?
Naman: I have always been passionate about direction and have assisted Bejoy Nambiar and Abbas-Mastan. I’ve also worked on many ad films and web content. Having said that I am prone to stage fright and am camera shy too, so direction works for me. (Laughs) For three generations we have been entertaining the audience in different ways and will continue to do so.
Neil: I knew Naman to be an introvert so when he first told me about wanting to be a director, I was a little skeptical as the profession is so diverse from his personality and a director is in charge of 150-200 people every day on the set. When we started working on the script two years ago, we used to fight every other day. I’d urge him to be more aggressive but he wanted to handle things in his own way and I let him be. When he started putting a team together, I knew if he could sell his idea and convince people to be a part of his film, he would be able to pull it off. Technically he is very strong.

Neil, before debuting as an actor in Sriram Raghavan’s 2007 neonoir thriller, Johnny Gaddaar, you had assisted Kunal Kohli on Mujhse Dosti Karoge and worked in a production house. Did you have any tips for Naman?
Neil: I wanted to learn filmmaking before I became an actor and had slogged to get my first job as an assistant director. With Naman I didn’t know if he wanted to be an actor, singer or a director. So I suggested he go out, meet people, work on a set and try to find his own path. He took my advice and today knows exactly what he wants to do.
Naman: Filmmaking is similar to swimming, you will not learn, until you jump into the water. I did a course in mass media from a Mumbai college but nothing compares to the practical knowledge you get on a film set. I’ve also learnt a lot from Neil bhaiya, including time management, scripting and how to give a narration. He’s like my school.

Will Neil feature in the film?
Neil: Yes, I’m playing the male lead. It’s a thriller, in the same space as Johnny Gaddaar. We start two days after Ganpati sthapana on September 15 in Alibaug. The rest of the shooting will be spread over November and December with many action sequences.

Elder brothers are usually bullies…
Naman: (Cuts in with a laugh) Oh, I could go on and on about that. Neil bhaiya is 10 years elder to me and like a father figure. He has been my backbone. As for the bullying, that continues.
Neil: (Guffawing) I would tell him horror stories to scare him which is why today he refuses to see them. Our sister Neha and I always wanted a baby brother but over time Naman has become more of a friend. Yes, I bully him but I’m also very protective of him. When we had gone to Chennai for his mundan, I went berserk when the barber started shaving off his head.

Naman won’t be the baby of the house for too long with Neil becoming a father soon.
Naman: (Chuckles) Yes, I have been promoted. This year, besides becoming a director I will become a chachu too and we are completing 25 years of Ganpati sthapana at our residence.
Neil: Rukmini and I are both excited and nervous about becoming parents. I’m praying the baby is heathy and we can be good parents.

Will the father-sons trio collaborate with Nitin Mukesh lending his voice to the film?
Neil: This is a year of many firsts for both of us, so we are trying our best to persuade him. Recently we asked him to join us for the prep but he said it was too much for him to handle. His biggest contribution will be his support and blessings which we get in abundance.