Abhay Deol with mid-day’s entertainment editor Mayank Shekhar at the latest edition of Sit with Hitlist. Pics/Shadab Khan

Shortly after our conversation, before a live audience, Abhay Deol is scheduled to meet Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, the person he plays in the Netflix series, Trial By Fire — based on the life of a middle-class Delhi couple, who fought the city’s top real-estate developers, post the death of both their children, in the 1997 Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy.

Which is also when we realize Deol had chosen to consciously stay away from the real-life inspiration for his part, during the process of making the series. Deol is Punjabi by ancestry, unlike Krishnamoorthy, with the most Tamil surname. In fact, Deol has played a Tamilian before this.

That was as the bureaucrat Krishnan, for Dibakar Banerjee’s Shanghai (2012). In an episode dedicated to Deol’s films, on a podcast named Khabardaar, that I was listening to before meeting the actor, the hosts — shout-out to wonderful ladies, Aparita Bhandari, Baisakhi Roy—make an observation on Deol’s walk onscreen. They believe it is the same in all his films. Except, Shanghai, if you notice the minutiae.

Firstly does he agree, and was that consciously so, I ask Deol: “There are physical characteristics that I suppose you don’t change easily. You’re unaware of them. With Shanghai, that may be true. Not that I consciously worked on my walk, though. I did have to work on my accent. Krishnan is a Tamil Brahmin.”

“And I had to put on a Hindi, like a Tamilian would speak it, which is hard to find. Because no Tamilian really speaks Hindi — they speak to you in English. Also, we don’t have an infrastructure of accent training for actors in our country. So we found this out-of-work Tamilian writer, who I worked with, and developed a system [for it].”

If we must get deeper into this accent thing still, for instance, Deol recalls, “I hope I haven’t mixed up my memory, but I was really working on the phonetics — there is no ‘ha’ sound in Tamil, and there is no ‘ba’. In Tamil, you could pronounce my name closer to ‘Apaay’. Stuff like that was insightful. This is besides mimicking my accent-trainer off-camera — so I would know how he might say my dialogues.”

The ladies of Khabardaar podcast might wanna notice this the next time they watch Shanghai. Krsihnamoorthy in Trial By Fire, Deol points out, is different from Krishnan, because he’s a Tamilian, but essentially from Delhi.

He has what one could call a more neutrally North Indian or ‘Delhi’. Which is also a character Deol has played in Oye Lucky Lucky Oye (OLLO) — another real-life person he obviously didn’t meet, before playing him on screen. Bunty Chor was the local swindler, where would you find him?

OLLO (2008) tragically released in theatres, when the “the firings were still on” during 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. My favourite memory of OLLO is an off-screen one from the film’s BTS video online, where a dog is after Bunty Chor (Deol), who’s jumping off a tall building-gate. Banerjee asks him to turn around for the camera, so the audience knows the lead actor performed this himself, instead of a body-double.

Deol says, “It’s fun doing stunts, as much as I can. I think Dibakar was a bit surprised about how easily I was scaling such a large gate, and he said he wanted people to see it!”

Sticking to Delhi, and characters inspired by actual events/people still, how about Anurag Kashyap’s Dev D (2009). I learnt this much after watching the film that the role was in fact somewhat based on Deol’s own life. Meaning, obsession in love, and indeed experiments with drugs. If true, kindly elaborate?

“Well, I wanted to contemporize the (Sarat Chandra Chatterjee) book, because I felt there was something wrong there — with such a male, patriarchal view of a man-woman relationship, where women are falling over Devdas. No matter what he does, he can never be wrong. I grew up in an environment, where drugs and alcohol were all available.”

“My Chanda (Kalki’s) character was far stronger than what eventually got made into the movie. She was an East European pole-dancing escort, who is fine the way she is — making great money, traveling the world. She takes pity on him (Dev). Obviously it worked for Anurag [that] she was as vulnerable as he [Dev], and she was a victim too. For me, he was the only victim. The women only grew stronger from there.”

Did he know the Polish escort? “I am not going to tell you! I know all sorts of people; let’s just put it that way. Yeah, I know a few escorts ‘n’ all.”

Let’s pause at the movie titles here: Banerjee’s Shanghai, OLLO. Kashyap’s Dev D. Also from a time when both Kashyap and Banerjee were the ‘new-age filmmakers’, early on in their directorial careers. I wonder what Deol thinks of the trajectory they took thereafter.

Frankly, he doesn’t have much to say, besides “conforming to commercial pressure” that becomes inevitable in some cases. He could sense the “creative genius of Banerjee in LSD (2010)”. As for Kashyap, I find it surprising that he hasn’t seen any of his films since Dev D! Not even Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012)? What; did they have a fallout or something, I ask.

“Well, [Kashyap] went in public, and said a lot of lies about me.”

For example? “One lie was that I demanded a [five-star] hotel room [during the shoot of Dev D]. He had actually come up to me and said, ‘Listen you can’t stay with us, you are a Deol. So, I want to put you up in a hotel room.’ He literally told me that. What he told the press was that I demanded it.” The reference here is to Deol’s profile published in Huffington Post (June 5, 2020).

He continues, “So, there was clearly a lot going on at the time, which was not professional. I had my heart on my sleeve, and all that is great — but you get taken advantage of, and then you get reactive. So, he [Kashyap] was a good lesson for me. Then I just avoided him, because I don’t need toxic people in my life. Life is too short, and there is so much more to explore. But he (Kashyap) is definitely a liar, and a toxic person. And I would warn people [about] him.”

This outburst is evidently in response to Kashyap’s quote about Deol in the Huffington Post report. Deol adds later, “I don’t look in the past. When Anurag said that crap about me in public, he sent me ‘apology’ messages.”

“He does that all the time. He was like, ‘You want to shout at me, scream at me…’ And I was like, ‘I don’t care. It’s been 12 years. You don’t feature in my thoughts even now; get over it.’ He said, ‘Forgive me, because I have had a bad day.’”

“I said you are forgiven. I never had a personal agenda. It was far bigger than just me. That is how I feel about everything. How much of this is he going to do? And I would have never taken his name and said the things, had he not gone public [either].” 

Raking this up is important only because lead actors, or stars, have always been the medium to tell stories on screen — even if in the off-stream space, so to say. And by the mid Noughties, Deol was at the centre, if not the pioneer, of a movement of sorts, within Bollywood—picking up young, untested directors to star in their scripts/films, on a leap of faith, first. 

“The first five movies of mine were all by first-time directors,” he recalls. Let’s pause again to name these debutants: Imtiaz Ali (Socha Na Tha), Shivam Nair (Ahista Ahista), Reema Kagti (Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd), Sanjay Khanduri (Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local), Navdeep Singh (Manorama Six Feet Under).

These are also films that got defined as Hindi commercial cinema, merging with an entertaining art-house — ‘H-indies,’ if you like. At least a couple of the directors did fairly well for themselves — after that firm footing in the film industry.

I can see why it’s got Deol a li’l pissed off now that I want him to dwell on what he thinks of their careers as well — he did like Ali’s Jab We Met, more than Rockstar, which in turn was still outside Ali’s usual “love-triangle zone”, and therefore a step-up: “Why am I commenting on all this — [is that] what the show/conversation is about?” Of course not.

I guess what we’re getting at is an oft repeated jibe that a lot of these directors — take Ali, for example, who got his debut due to Deol — never worked with him thereafter. Is that a fair observation, with anything deeper to it?

“And Anurag used to say, this is why directors [don’t work with me]… I know a lot of actors don’t want to work with him. But I see what you mean. Or where you are coming from. I did sense this feeling [later towards me]: ‘You know, you are not big enough!’”

“Which is ironic, because when I worked with them, neither were they! You either believe in someone, or a vision — even if it goes against the norm. Or you can say, I will keep my vision, but I will acquire bigger powers [to execute it]. Because I will get more money, I suppose. Also, I was taking a lot of it on myself, and I know I made mistakes. I am searching for answers to give you, and I hate making it about me, when it’s about somebody else.”

Consider the career graph. In terms of box-office plus cult-grade, Zoya Akhtar’s multi-starrer Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) is possibly Deol’s high point. A string of seriously superb films right before, and after. And then there is s sharp slump 2013 onwards, almost a freefall. 

He’s had a release almost every year. So he’s very much been around since. The films/series are, again, by mostly first-time directors, or fresh talents, at any rate; experimental in their own right. 

You can have your views on, say, One By Two (2014), Happy Bhaag Jayegi (2016), Nanu Ki Jaanu (2018), Chopsticks (2019), What Are The Odds (2019)… Good or bad is a subjective take anyway. But you know, none of them are really, well, did he lose his mojo, how do I put it….

“It’s just a fact. You don’t have to justify [your question],” Deol comes to my rescue. As for the kind of work that comes your way, he says, “Everything is [a] collective [call]. And I don’t like talking about it, because I don’t want to come across sounding bitter, or a victim. I don’t care. But when you take a stand, then you take a stand. And that has consequences. Are you ready to face those consequences?”

Exactly what stand, for example, could do someone in? “I don’t know. Calling out people for endorsing fairness creams?” Would that mean those who endorse fairness creams would debar you right away? 

“It is not as simple as that. I did a guest appearance in Shah Rukh’s Zero, and he is a really dignified man. But there is a collective [thing that happens]. Say, showing up with a black eye on a red carpet, and calling out Bhushan Kumar by name, and saying T-Series blah, blah. Or constantly saying, why do we only have song and dance [in our films]…”

Deol has been equally vocal, in public, about critiquing his own films, with misplaced intentions — whether that be Aisha (2010), or Raanjhanaa (2013). Surely that’s hardly mastering the art of winning friends and influencing people. But you can tell—frankly, he doesn’t give a damn. And that’s what makes him more fun than the current crop of polite suckers for boring heroes. 

Also some of his criticisms could emanate from ideas he wished to champion, but found no takers, around that time. Navdeep Singh’s Basra famously got shelved. As did a zombie comedy called Rock The Shaadi, after shoot. I fish out an old video of him consulting a tarot card reader, in Simi Garewal’s TV show — to check if one of his dream projects would come true. 

Deol remembers it was an international film, with debutant filmmakers from abroad, who nobody wanted to put money on. They still haven’t made the film, and he had to stop trying eventually. 

“So yeah, post 2013, it was tough. I also took a backseat. Now I don’t want to go back and pretend like nothing ever happened, or be a different person — so, I am going to sit back, and see what comes my way. And quietly work. If that works, it works. If it doesn’t, so be it!”

As for the so-called song and dance, Deol says it’s not like he has an issue with the genre: “At least three ideas of mine are full of songs. One of them was Dev D (18 numbers in the soundtrack).” 

The film was a major winner at the box-office, for its budget. Deol remembers, “Especially after Oye Lucky and Dev D, I had a red-carpet entry to whoever I wanted to work with. And this is not just because I had successes behind me. Also because I was so-and-so’s son, nephew, brother…” 

Which puts him in a strange ‘middle’, in the nepotism debate, that is usually conflated to the ‘elite versus masses’ battle, pitched in the wider political/public space. Deol’s “anger and rebellion” within the family itself, he says, was his reaction to fame and its pitfalls. Something he had watched closely, growing up. Left to him, it appears, he’d rather be anonymous, but remain an actor — obviously a misnomer. 

“I was born an insider, but I pretty much lived as an outsider,” says Deol. That said, his debut film was a joint-family release, from Vijayta Productions — mainly helmed by cousin Sunny, son of Uncle Dharmendra. 

Interested in debutant Ali’s script, he took him to meet Sunny, who was happy to hop onboard the film, since the lead character was a lot like Abhay himself! Such is how Socha Na Tha was born, and two amazing careers took off. Only the film, that released during the low-key “exam-time, March” wasn’t hugely promoted as the proverbial ‘star is born’. Socha Na Tha is hugely loved still. 

Which reminds me, why is the Deol firm named Vijayta in the first place? “On my sister, my cousin — she is younger to Sunny Bhaiya. So, it’s Sunny Deol, Vijeta and Bobby Deol? “No. Then there is [another sister], Ajeita. Then there is Bobby.” 

Abhay’s father, late Ajit Singh Deol (Dharmendra’s brother), I hear, was also an actor. Except I couldn’t quite find a clip online to support this, I tell him. He smiles, “He did two movies, one of which he produced. They were all in the ’70s. One never got made. I remember Honey Aunty, Zoya’s (Akhtar) mum said the cutest thing to me once. That my father is the reason her film didn’t release. I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ She said that he had to hold her face, and he was shivering [through the scene]. She was the leading lady in that film. I didn’t even know it, because I never saw that movie!”

Insider-outsider is anyway a time/generation construct. Many of the outsiders Deol worked with at the beginning of his career are bona-fide insiders now. And maybe that’s what the revolt is about — to eventually get to the high table. The cycle continues.

“You hit success, then it doesn’t matter if you’re insider, or outsider. They all want to work with you. You have to understand it is also very cliquish — you are part of this, or that camp. I had access to all of them, but I was like, no!”

Living in the Deol household, he also had no “Bollywood Juhu gang” friends. Barring his schoolmate, director Vikramaditya Motwane, who wasn’t “Bollywood then”!

Everyone goes through their brash 20s — sometimes it lasts longer — “You wanna change the world!” I asked Deol what he thinks of, when he looks back at that decade, after which it appears, the world changes you, one way or the other!

Some of the things he says he’s learnt is being diplomatic —“also, not equating power and money, with corruption — that needn’t always be the case. Money is like energy, and it is something that you know you can make good use of — when you have a lot of it. I could do things a little smarter, to not be taken advantage of, or be gas-lit.

“Human condition is complex. Everything we have spoken about today are not black and white. You would think you’ve heard it all. There was a lot left out. Also, I am really lucky. I know I did create lot of trouble, but it was all intended for the right purpose. And I created change. People still refer to films I did 10-15 years ago.”

Which is true, once you glance at his filmography until 2013, starting 2005 — those who were born that year turn into adults in 2023, when we’re making this conversation with Deol, 46.

Also, in the intervening years, so much has changed with films itself: “The disruption we were looking at got brought in by technology itself.” So the ‘multiplex movie’ became ‘OTT content’.

Also, the Bollywood indie started hitting Rs 100 crore collections, with the likes of Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao. Deol was the OG ‘OTT star’, even before there were streamers: “I am not done yet. Maybe what I did was 20 years ahead [of its time]. Those 20 years have come!” Only the intentions may not be matching the outcomes for some time.

And then you watch Deol in Prashant Nair’s Trial By Fire on Netflix — a performance so subconsciously chilled, yet powerful. Without once making an unnecessary show of it. The series on the Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy is still about subtle and solid story-telling, that therefore makes the leads, the stars. Fair to say: welcome back, Abhay.

Abhay Deol and Rajshri Deshpande in Trial By Fire, which is based on the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire tragedy

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; January 22, 2020)

Not someone to mince words, Richa Chadha says it like it is. Ahead of the release of her next, director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s Panga, she talks to BT about her film career, relationship with actor Ali Fazal, casting director woes and why freedom of speech is important. Excerpts...

You feature in Panga alongside Kangana Ranaut. Given the fact that you have never been a conformist, your choice of this film is quite apt...
Not just me, I think it holds true for every independent, opinionated woman. When you voice your thoughts freely, even normal things are perceived as ‘yeh toh pangey le rahi hai.’

Don’t you think women are often conditioned to not take pangas, be it at home, workplace or society at large? Even putting across your point can sometimes be misconstrued as being rebellious...
We are not sheep. Sheep need shepherds. We should not be confused about who we are. Everybody is entitled to an opinion and we should be able to express it. This is what democracy is all about. If an issue is troubling your heart, you should be able to say it.

What is it like to work with people who may have contradicting political ideologies? Does it have any bearing on you as an actor?
Vivek Oberoi (her co-star in a web series) and I have discussed everything — from the Trump presidency to India to Brexit, and we never agree on things, but at least, I feel comfortable to have that discussion with him. It is perhaps because I have worked with him longer. Kangana and I, we never discussed politics. We just didn’t. Also, ours is a democracy. You work with people you may or may not agree with.

With the kind of diverse content that we are seeing in our movies and other platforms, isn’t it an exciting time for actors like you, who have always been experimental?
The boom in the digital space has helped a lot of actors. Shefali Shah, Neeraj Kabi, Amit Sial.. these actors are finding good work and their visibility makes me happy. They deserve to be stars in their own right. I have done a lot of supporting roles in my career and I have no issues with that. I didn’t come into the industry with the news of a big affair or a famous boyfriend that the media won’t stop talking about. I didn’t have a producer dad. I had to start somewhere, and I feel that I have done well for myself. I haven’t done one naach gaana film and it’s a miracle that I exist. I am glad to have proved a lot of people wrong.

While a lot is changing in the industry, stereotyping still happens. For instance, we have rarely seen you in glamorous roles. Do you agree?
Does stereotyping happen? Of course! The casting directors need to know that. I feel certain casting directors are more destructive to outsiders than producers. They have their prejudices. Barring Honey Trehan who insisted that I should be in Fukrey (2013), I have never been cast by a casting director in any of my films. Honey pushed me to do Fukrey when other casting directors told me not to do it as they wanted to plug their own people. Writer-filmmaker Kanu Behl auditioned me for Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye (2008). He was Dibakar Banerjee’s assistant director (AD) then. He saw me in a play and wanted to cast me. Filmmaker Vasan Bala auditioned me for Dev D (2009) through someone’s reference. He was also an AD with Anurag Kashyap. From that audition, I got Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012). As far as being glamorous is concerned, I’ll be that off the screen. That’s my motto. Because on screen toh mar jayenge na log. Saavli ladki? Glamorous?

Your first attempt at stand-up comedy was well received. It also revealed that you are good with imitating people’s voices. Many wondered why you haven’t been approached for voice-over opportunities yet?
I did stand-up for fun as I wanted to do something that was scary. As far as voiceover is concerned, again, that’s the problem of casting directors and how myopic the industry is. I wonder why they haven’t seen that side of me. Recently, I was dancing at a party and some film colleagues asked me, ‘Wow, you can dance! Since you did Fukrey, we weren’t sure if you could.’ People still come to me and ask if I can speak English as I did Gangs Of Wasseypur. I don’t care about what these people say anymore.

Your actor-boyfriend Ali Fazal was in the audience for your stand-up show. Was it comforting or unnerving?
Ali is a sweetheart. He was expected to reach at 8 pm for the show, as I was to perform at 8.30. He showed up at 6.30 with coffee and cookies for everyone. He is extremely supportive. I couldn’t have asked for a better man in my life. Our relationship is a great creative partnership. No one that sees us together feels like it’s a mismatch. It wasn’t unnerving to have him in the audience at all. My friend, Ali and my brother Pranav were all sitting together. I made jokes about my family, too. It was nice that people liked it and were pleasantly surprised by my comic side.

You said somewhere that it was a miracle that Ali and you found love in each other...
I said it’s a miracle because it’s rare to find like-minded people who share certain core values and have similar interests like poetry, music, films and literature. Ali is also progressive and liberal. To find someone like that in your industry is rare. Also, we never expected to end up together. It happened organically.

Have the two of you thought about marriage?
We don’t have time. If we were to talk about marriage, it will be like... I don’t have dates in March, May is too hot, we are shooting a film in June, it rains too much in July... It will become like a line production job. We are waiting and chilling, and we are in a happy space.

Ali is working with Gal Gadot. Was there even a pinch of jealousy to see your man working with one of the hottest women in the world?
Not at all. That film has such a great cast. It has Armie Hammer and he is also hot. Ali and I never get jealous about these things. We are partners who are excited about each other’s careers. I am so happy that he is getting such good work abroad. People are seeing what an incredible actor he is.

As an industry, aren’t we gradually overcoming our bias for fair skin?
Why don’t you ask Bhumi (Pednekar) and me? Yes, the situation is better now, as we do have duskier actresses, but just observe this. An actress who gets launched at 20, look at her skin tone at 34. It’s completely different. What happened there?

Rinky Kumar (DNA; September 8, 2018)

Richa Chadha has steadily managed to make a mark for herself with her unconventional repertoire. Whether it was as the bold Dolly in her debut film Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, the feisty Nagma Khatoon in Gangs Of Wasseypur, the tackily-dressed yet menacing gangster Bholi Punjaban in the Fukrey franchise or the ambitious Devi, who wants to break free from the shackles of patriarchy in Masaan, she has managed to impress critics and audiences alike with her performances. Now, the actress is gearing up for her forthcoming release, Love Sonia, which highlights the murky world of sex trafficking. She has already won two honours — the Best Supporting Performance award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and Outstanding Achievement Award at the London Indian Film Festival — for her adept portrayal of the madam of a brothel. We catch up with Richa for a chat. She talks to us about her ‘sometimes tumultuous, sometimes rewarding but interesting filmography’ and playing ’90s South adult film star Shakeela in her biopic. Excerpts…

The trailer of Love Sonia looks stark. Why were you apprehensive to do this film and what finally prompted you to give your nod?
Director Tabrez Noorani will tell you that I was the only actor whom he had to chase with the script. Everybody else came on board willingly. When he told me, ‘If you trust me then do this film. Otherwise I will just have to move on and you can leave it,’ that’s when I finally agreed to do it because I realised he was honest with me. I was apprehensive that the film shouldn’t be titillating. The subject is so harsh yet sensitive that I wanted to make sure it had the right intention. When I met the team, I realised the kind of work they had put in. Tabrez had been working closely for 12 years with NGOs to rescue survivors of sex trafficking, so he’s clearly someone who walks the talk. Once I came on board, I gave it my all.

How did you prepare for your role?
I met commercial sex workers and a lot of girls who are abducted and pushed into the flesh trade; sometimes they are sold by members of their own families. That really opened my eyes to the sickness in our country. There is so much demand, that’s why there is a supply. It made me realise that we are still a poor country where people are willing to sell their children in order to survive. These are the two disturbing insights that I got.

Do you stand vindicated that the movie has got a good response at international film festivals? And you have won awards for your performance?
Yes, this is the first time I have won two international awards for a film that has not even been released. It’s quite flattering. But I can’t say that I feel vindicated. I would feel that way if someone was putting up a resistance. Once you see the film, you will realise it’s coming from such a noble space that there is no cause for resistance. Love Sonia is an important film. I did it for passion just like I did Masaan. Movies like these, which are so truthful, are rarely made. Market ki sensibility bahut logon ko dara deti hai, but I believe that reality depicted and told correctly can be profitable, too.

You have finished the first schedule of Shakeela, the biopic on the ’90s South adult film star. How was the experience?
It’s going well. I am here in Bengaluru shooting for the second schedule. We are making a pretty interesting film about a slightly controversial figure. My interest in this subject is primarily because she had such a volatile life and I wanted to understand her phenomena of success and stardom.

You have also started shooting for Inside Edge 2?
Yes. I’m reprising my character of Zarina Malik. This time, the series is bigger, better and badder. We have gone global and will be shooting in international locations. The research and scripting was good to begin with, but now it’s so much better.

These are exciting times for you as an actor because you are exploring diverse mediums and different roles?
Yes, they are. People are enjoying themselves exploring new mediums. Short films and streaming platforms have come up in a big way. Inside Edge is the first original series to come out of India. I feel proud to be at the forefront of this kind of change. And it’s exciting because this means more work for talented actors. So many new artistes have been discovered in Sacred Games and Inside Edge.

You have completed a decade in the industry. How do you look back at your journey?
I don’t really think of it as a decade because I didn’t work after Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! After that, I went back to doing ad films and plays. I will complete a decade in 2022 when Gangs Of Wasseypur (GOW) completes 10 years because it released in 2012. The past six years have been interesting, sometimes tumultuous, sometimes rewarding. But I’m proud of my filmography.

Do you feel that you haven’t got your due as an actress despite your roles in GOW and Masaan being hugely appreciated?
No, I don’t feel like that but when journalists ask me this question, I feel flattered because this means they think that I deserve more (smiles). I have not done even one typical film. I have neither run around trees nor been a prop in any film. Despite playing a person double my age on screen (referring to GOW), the parts that I have been getting are only getting better. I am getting films centered around me, people value me and my name brings credibility. I want to have a relevance beyond my youth and I’m working towards that. People make choices, some do item songs, some take the pageant route and they pay for those choices. I’m happy with the choices that I have made, good and bad. And I don’t think of anything that is due to me. Who will give it after all? Kaun dega humein?

How difficult is it to continue doing diverse roles consistently?
It’s fun. I love having a great hobby, which is now my profession. My work is pleasure, it doesn’t seem like work at all. Of course, it’s hectic and stressful. You have to live away from your family, your boyfriend and your cats for months, but it’s a rewarding line of work.

Do you fear being stereotyped?
Abhi tak toh koi kar nahin paaya, ab kya karenge.

Will we ever see you in an out-and-out commercial film?
Shakeela is a commercial film, even though it’s a biopic. Having said that the actors in it aren’t commercial. It features me, Pankaj Tripathi and other theatre actors from the South Indian film industry. So, it’s a good blend of actors from the North and South. I’m enjoying working in it.


Richa Chadha in Love Sonia

Ahead of the release of their road trip film, Richa Chadha and Kalki Koechlin talk about how viewers and the industry stereotype women We’re all, we’re none
Sonila Lulla (MID-DAY; October 22, 2017)

A glimpse of the ebullient characters they play in their forthcoming film is made visible when Richa Chadha and Kalki Koechlin cheer with joy when we enter a room to conduct this interview. But, the enthusiasm has nothing to do with us, more with the generous packets of food that follow us. A harmless argument over a fish and a chicken dish ensues — Chadha, we’re told, doesn’t eat chicken — as the actors finally decide to dig into an associate’s ‘ghar ka dabba’ instead. Chadha graciously thanks its owner, as Koechlin brushes away crumbles on the table. “Cleanliness is an obsession,” she reasons sheepishly, stealing a glance at her co-actor.

That the duo shares an affable relationship is evident, essential even, given that they’re set to bring forth, as Koechlin says, Bollywood’s “first female road trip film”. At first glance, the vivid Jia Aur Jia, that sees the duo escape to Sydney, seems like a trip one would love to take with close pals, but Chadha warns that all is not happy. “If you see my character, you’ll notice there’s a pain that bothers her, and that was the challenge to pull off,” she says while tackling questions on how her role is far distanced from the garrulous ones she’s been famed for.

For Chadha, an ‘image’ isn’t one that an actor consciously crafts. It is a label that the audience puts on him/ her, as per their choices. She narrates the chronology of her releases to further her point. “I got an offer for Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela (2013) before Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012), and, the characters I play in the two films are at odds. But, because Gangs released first, I, as an actor, was attached to that character because the audience enjoyed it.”

The fervent desire to templatise elements, says Chadha, isn’t a tendency of the audience alone. “Our industry also stereotypes women. If she must be shown as a sati-savitri, they’ll show as a staunch opponent of indulging in sex before marriage. If they have to show her as a liberal woman, they’ll place a cigarette in one of her hands, and a glass of alcohol in another. Why? Do we have to be either one of the two extremes? Is there no middle ground? We can be neither of the two, or both.”

The discussion invariably moves towards the onus on writers to define such characters. Chronicling her love for the nitty gritties kept in mind while chalking out Ranbir Kapoor’s role in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, she says “nuance” is the key to creating authentic characters. A believable character, Koechlin jumps in, is an essential for her too. “If you don’t believe the character, you can’t play it. And if you feel things are disconnected, you must address your concern with the director. You may feel that connect instantly, or after a while. For instance, I took long to give a nod to Ribbon [drama that pairs her with Sumeet Vyas]. But, when Margarita With A Straw came my way, I instantly loved it.”

Yet, they are unwilling to part with their craft easily. Should they find scope in the roles coming their way, the duo will not shy away from incorporating those details themselves. “I learnt this on my first film,” says Chadha, alluding to the 2008 comedy, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! “I was given a character who was brash. She danced at weddings. So, when I read the script to find a few dialogues in English, I asked the makers why a girl like her would be well-versed in the language. We eventually amended the character to be someone who spoke broken English, like lower middle-class women would. There was the line, ‘Don’t you find me hot’, which we tweaked to, ‘Kya main thuje hot nahi lagti?’ And eventually, I arrived at that peculiar pronunciation of ‘hot’ that was used in the film. It became iconic.”

An inference to Jia Aur Jia is also drawn when Koechlin adds to Chadha’s arguments. “I wear a cast in a few scenes. While it never occurred to us initially, we realised that a person with an injured arm will eat differently, or will need help pulling on a jacket. So, we improvised there.”

Chadha, however, is quick to point out that the folly isn’t on the part of writers alone. Bringing to light a working atmosphere that she says is less favourable for them, the actor highlights how writers may be roped in for a project that may be deferred by years, but are kept from working on other films in the meanwhile. “How is he supposed to pay his bill then? Mumbai is so expensive that when unemployed, people struggle to manage essentials, like water, light and food, forget affording amenities. Had I not come from an upper middle-class family, I wouldn’t survive in Mumbai.
So, should we ignore an entire group of people, in this case, the writers, who may have talent, but can’t afford the city because of our irrational working terms? Producers should pay them a retainer-ship until the film kicks off.”

A discussion with two female actors set to release a women-oriented film is certain to draw attention to the plight of women in the industry. Koechlin highlights that while gender equality is a topic that’s being discussed , it will take a while for society to come to terms with women in the workforce. “The workforce is dominated by people who have grown up in an environment that’s different from how it is today. They’ve seen their mothers stay at home as their fathers went to office to earn. So, while they understand the importance of equality, that’s not what they’ve seen while being raised. It will take an entire generation to undo that.”

Film editor Namrata Rao tells us what it takes to be Bollywood’s most wanted
Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; October 11, 2015)

A favorite of Yash Raj Films, Namrata Rao is considered one of the leading film editors in the industry today. She bagged the National Award for Best Editor for Kahaani (2012). Namrata started her career with Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008), Ishqiya (2010), Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) and Love Sex aur Dhokha (2010).  She also worked on this year’s Detective Byomkesh Bakshy and Dum Laga Ke Haisha. We caught up with her at the Yash Raj Studios in Andheri, where she is busy working on the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer, Fan. Excerpts from a conversation:

How has your journey been in the industry been so far?
It’s been great fun. I didn’t even realise that it’s been eight years already. I am lucky I’m doing something I enjoy. I have only done films which I can connect to — every film has a part of me.

Bollywood has always been a male-dominated industry. How difficult was it to get a break?
Firstly, to be a film editor was a tough call to take. I took time to even convince myself. There was no one from my family in this line. But once I decided that I’ll jump off the cliff and see where I land, I had also figured out my way up, if I failed miserably. The industry may be male-dominated, but that is the case with life as well.

You have been associated with filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee for a long time. How is it to work with him?
I was editing a lot of documentaries when I was studying in Kolkata. One of them, I Am The Very Beautiful (2006), was directed by Shyamal Karmakar who was also my professor. It was an interesting documentary about homosexuality. After seeing the documentary, Dibakar connected with me. We spoke a lot about the docu and he later asked me to edit his film, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

There is a growing audience for unconventional films nowadays. What is your take on it?
There’s a limitation on stories and there are limited stories to be told, so then you start experimenting — that’s the reason why people are loving the unconventional films and stories nowadays.

How do you choose your projects?
The first reading of a script should touch me. If it doesn’t, I reject it. I have to relate to the character or a part of the story to edit the film.

What was your turning point in the industry?
An important film for me was Kahaani. I lived the pregnant character of Vidya Balan in the film myself. For an entire year, I was with Vidya’s character. It is difficult for me to explain the experience, but I had no connectivity with reality when I was editing the film. I’m again waiting for that miracle to happen. Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! was also a game changer for me. If Dibakar had not shown trust in me, it would have been difficult. When I did Ishqiya, I realised how everyone has their own way of making a film.

What was your first reaction when you heard about getting a National Award for Kahaani?
I didn’t believe it. I first got a call from a news agency asking for my reaction. I told them you have the wrong information. Then, I saw it in the news — that’s when I realised that I had bagged the award. I was estatic.

Did life change after that?
My life did not change, but it gave me more bargaining power for money. I could make better choices. But more than the National Award, it was the success of the film that mattered.

You are in great demand right now and everyone wants to work with you.
I don’t give much importance to all this. I don’t even think about awards. My biggest nightmare is when I finish the edit of a film, I wonder if I will be able to edit another one. With every new film, I feel the same way. Storytelling is a skill. It keeps getting better with practice, but you have to keep trying and do your best.

How difficult was it to work on Kanu Behl’s upcoming film, Titli, after your divorce with him?
Kanu and I know each other since we were teenagers. We grew up together, got married and then got divorced. He will always be a part of my life. After the divorce, there was a bit of awkwardness, but when we started working together, it was just like old times. It was the same problem, the same fights and same issues and that’s because we are still good friends.

What are your suggestions for upcoming film editors?
They need to be fearless and believe in themselves. Only a good storyteller can be a film editor. You also need a lot of patience. You need to take risks and then keep at it. I don’t think too much about the awards.