In June, mid-day reported that filmmaker Ritesh Batra of The Lunchbox (2013) fame was developing a cross-cultural romance featuring a mix of Indian and international cast (Shuddh videsi romance, June 28). Now, it looks like the acclaimed filmmaker has found the leads to bring alive his love story.

Mid-day has exclusively learnt that French actor Julie Delpy, known for the wildly popular ‘Before’ trilogy, is likely to star in the yet-untitled film. This news comes on the back of months-long rumours that Anil Kapoor has been zeroed in on to play the male lead.

A source says, “The film is a love story between an Indian man and a foreigner. In Julie, who is naturally charismatic on screen, Ritesh has found the perfect actor to lead his sensitive romantic drama. It aligns with the cinematic sensibility of the actor, who is known for her films that balance humour, love, and realism beautifully.”

What makes the international co-production — which has Guneet Monga Kapoor’s Sikhya Entertainment serving as one of the producers — all the more exciting is the fresh pairing of Kapoor and Delpy.

Another insider shares, “Anil, who is pursuing novel stories, is keen to be a part of Ritesh’s world. He has loved the director’s previous works, and is eager to creatively collaborate with him.” With the cast in place, the movie is expected to go on floors by the month-end.

Casting director Seher Aly Latif, known for her work on films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Durgamati', passed away yesterday due to a cardiac arrest, her associate and director Neeraj Udhwani said. She was in her early 40s. The co-founder of independent production company Mutant Films, Latif backed the Netflix series 'Bhaag Beanie Bhaag', starring Swara Bhasker, and 'Maska', a film for the streaming service, which featured Manisha Koirala.

Udhwani, who directed 'Maska,' said Latif was admitted to Lilavati Hospital eight days ago due to kidney failure. “There was some infection, which caused renal failure. She was admitted last weekend. She was on antibiotics and was recovering. But today she suffered a cardiac arrest and suddenly it was all over,” the filmmaker said.

Latif was known for her extensive work as a casting director on projects like mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan’s biopic, The Man Who Knew Infinity, starring Dev Patel, filmmaker Gurinder Chadha’s period film Viceroy’s House and Bhumi Pednekar-fronted drama feature Durgamati.

She was the Indian casting associate for acclaimed international projects like Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, Julia Roberts-starrer Eat Pray Love, the Netflix series Sense8, season four of the Showtime espionage thriller Homeland and the BBC One/AMC series, McMafia. 

- Latif was attached as the executive producer on films like Shakuntala Devi, starring Vidya Balan, and Akshay Kumar’s Gold.

- Some of her international credits include Dev Patel-starrer The Man Who Knew Infinity, and Eat Pray Love, Furious 7, Viceroy’s House, McMafia and Sense 8, in which she served as the Indian casting associate. 

- Irrfan Khan-starrer The Lunchbox, and Dia Mirza’s Kaafir, were other offering that Latif worked on.

- Maska, starring Manisha Koirala and Nikita Dutta, is among the Netflix projects she was associated with.

- One of the kindest, most loving people Mumbai gifted my life with. Still trying to process this unreal news. Travel on into the light, my dearest, sweetest, Seher. The unpredictable, ghastly shortness of life remains baffling - Nimrat Kaur, actor

- I don’t believe it. Unfair parting with a kind soul and real friend. I hope there is another side - Ritesh Batra, filmmaker

- The heaven will be blessed with your mushy hugs and infectious smile. Still can’t fathom this though. - Nikita Dutta, actor

- Her default expression was a smile. You would always find her smiling. She was one of the nicest, kindest people I ever met. - Neeraj Udhwani, director

The actress says many people haven’t been able to come to terms with Irrfan’s demise
Ismat Tahseen (BOMBAY TIMES; May 15, 2020)

Legendary actor Irrfan Khan’s fans from across the world are yet to come to terms with his sudden death. Recently, Nimrat Kaur, his co-star in The Lunchbox (2013), happened to spot a mural of the actor in the bylanes of Bandra, which took her down memory lane. She even posted the picture of Irrfan’s mural on social media with the caption, “Chanced upon this arresting mural in Ranwar Village on an errand run today. Incidentally only a few houses down the one where Saajan Fernandes’s house was located in The Lunchbox. Such an ominous yet celebratory confluence of life and art... My heart felt compliments to the artist @bollywoodartproject and a million thoughts and loving prayers for this immortal soul. All that came to the mind was, who knew...#IrrfanForever (sic).

When BT contacted her, she said, “I live in Santacruz, but I had to go that side as I buy food for my cats from a store there. As I was driving, I entered a lane, where Ritesh Batra (director) and I had met for coffee, last year. During our conversation, I remember telling him, ‘I don’t know the house where Irrfan’s scenes in the film were shot’. He then walked me out of the cafe and showed me where Irrfan’s portions were shot. And yesterday, just a few houses ahead of that, I came upon this mural at Ranwar Village. It evoked a bittersweet feeling in me. After I clicked the photo, I was unsure if I should post it, as we are under Coronavirus lockdown. I felt that somewhere, many of us have not been able to come to terms with Irrfan’s demise. He was such an iconic figure. I remember his sense of humour and ease in all circumstances. His mere presence was an uplifting experience.

In its latest push for inclusivity, the Oscars Academy has invited members from 59 countries
BOMBAY TIMES (July 3, 2019)

Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap and Anupam Kher are among the 842 new members invited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in its latest push to become more inclusive.

Kher has starred in Hollywood films such as Hotel Mumbai and The Big Sick while Akhtar, who has been invited in the Directors’ branch, most recently directed Gully Boy. Kashyap has been invited in the Short Films and Feature Animation branch. Lunchbox writer-director Ritesh Batra is also a part of the new invitees’ list.

In the Visual Effects branch, Sherry Bharda of Hichki fame and Srinivas Mohan, best known for his work on 2.0 and Baahubali: The Beginning, have been invited.

AND THE NEW INVITEES ARE

Zoya Akhtar - Directors branch

Anurag Kashyap - Short Films and Feature Animation branch

Anupam Kher - Actors branch

Ritesh Batra - Writers branch

Srinivas Mohan, Sherry Bharda - Visual Effects branch

As told to Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 18, 2019)

For my first job, I performed a 20-minute musical skit at Pragati Maidan, a trade fair centre, in Delhi. It was directed by Roshan Abbas and was about a couple getting married. I was in first year of college back then and was paid Rs 10,000 for a week, which was big money for me and I opened my bank account with it. I had only done school plays before that.

After that I did anchoring jobs that got me some extra pocket money. As an emcee for corporate events and in shopping mall set-ups, I would be put in weird situations and had to handle the crowds well, but I was getting paid a lot of money for it. I also did print ads in Delhi and was paid Rs 3000 for my photograph that appeared in a soap ad. It was the first ever close-up photo I had seen of myself with makeup on.

I moved to Mumbai with all the money I had saved up and some portfolio pictures. I happened to meet (writer-editor) Apurva Asrani who used to work with Sony Music then. He auditioned me, and I landed two music videos, “Tera Mera Pyaar” sung by Kumar Sanu, and Shreya Ghoshal’s “Yeh Kya Hua”, as they were looking for a new face. I got paid just Rs five-10 thousand for the videos, but I started getting work after that in Mumbai. I also featured in a Kailash Kher video and did many more.

With the first two videos, I was facing the camera for the first time and was clueless. “Tera Mera Pyaar” was shot at Fame Adlabs theatre. For the second video, a massive set was put up at Kamalistan studio. I had never seen a set from inside before that. I was so fascinated, it felt like I had entered a Ramayana kind of a set-up with the pond, swans and trees. There was a point in the video where my pallu comes off and the male model and I come closer. I was so shy, in my head it was a big thing. I freaked out but Apurva was very sweet, he told me it would look beautiful onscreen. I kept fretting… what if it looked too sexy? What would my family say? Now, Apurva and I laugh about it.

Initially, my mum was worried that I was in Mumbai alone, but she was always supportive. When I was without work, she wondered what my next job would be and ask me, “How long do you plan to do this?”

Before I landed The Lunchbox, I did theatre for four years. Ads were getting me the money, but they weren’t getting me experience as an actor. I started watching plays and figured out the kind of work and people I wanted to be associated with. Soon, I got two plays, Damages and All About Women, and won a Best Actress award at a youth theatre festival for the former. I was thrilled; I couldn’t believe I’d won an award for my first play. In Damages I acted with Ali Fazal, while I got a lot of love for All About Women and did maximum shows. Another one, called Baghdad Wedding, also did well.

It was the plays that led Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox director) to me. He was in India to cast for his film and later told me that he had seen some of my plays before he met me. The rest, as they say, is history.


A still from the song ‘Tera Mera Pyaar’

Sanya Malhotra on being hailed by The Hollywood Reporter as a global talent to watch out for at the upcoming Berlinale
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 2, 2019)

Sanya Malhotra’s upcoming film, the Ritesh Batra-directed Photograph, was recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival and now will be showcased at the Berlin Film Festival which kicks off on February 7. And after terrific performances in Dangal, Pataakha and Badhaai Ho, the 26-year-old actress has caught the eye again, and not just of critics back home. The Hollywood Reporter has listed her as one of the five talents to look out for at Berlinale and Sanya is naturally elated. “A friend forwarded me the article, it feels great to be appreciated for a film as special as Photograph. Berlin is a prestigious film festival and a great platform to showcase my talent.”

Talking about how she bagged the film she revealed that a couple of days after Dangal’s release, casting director Mukesh Chhabra patched her on a call with Ritesh. “But since he was busy with Hollywood films, this one took off only seven months after Dangal even though Photograph was actually the second film I signed. I hope the response in India is as overwhelming as that at Sundance. It was memorable working with an accomplished actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui.”

Talking about her diverse film choices, the actress says, “I am blessed to explore different genres, but it isn’t a conscious effort. It’s just that I am being offered great scripts by different directors,” she beams, gearing up to shoot Anurag Basu’s yet-untitled next opposite Aditya Roy Kapur later this month. “I have already worked with Anurag on an ad film, he has his own style of working. Fatima (Sana Shaikh, Dangal co-star) who’s been shooting with him recently told me that he is a fun director to work with,” she concludes with a smile.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui on why he prefers working with debutant directors and what he’s learnt from Wong Kar-wai films
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 28, 2019)

If one reviews Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s erratic career graph, it would resemble an ECG report. But that barely says much about the actor’s appetite to experiment. In fact, this year, he seems determined to jump into unchartered territories. Beginning the year with his Tamil debut in Rajinikanth-starrer Petta and the recently-released Thackeray, his next, Ritesh Batra’s Photograph has already made it to Sundance’s Premieres section. Later this year, he will also be seen in Tannishtha Chatterjee’s debut romcom Roam Rome Mein (opposite Italian actress Valentina Corti) and Debamitra Hasan’s family comedy Motichoor Chaknachoor (opposite Athiya Shetty). But for an actor known for this unconventional character choices — essaying a serial killer to a controversial author on the big screen — the multiple romcoms this year signals a turn in favour of convention. “Even in those romcoms, my characters will be relatable. The heroes in our films barely resemble anyone we know in real life, but I ensure that I pick characters that seem like they exist in your shehar or mohalla.”

About his last release, Thackeray, Siddiqui admits feeling grateful for getting to essay the controversial politician in the film. “I used to read about Balasaheb even before I came to Mumbai. But when I came here, I saw ambulances, flyovers and other public infrastructure projects that were credited to him.” He adds that while each person has a different opinion of the prominent Maharastrian figure, “the overarching image was that of a man who worked for the upliftment of those marginalised”. “When the mills shut down in Mumbai, he was there to encourage the workers to find an alternate means of income,” says the actor who watched over a 100 interviews of the Shiv Sena founder to pick up finer nuances of the leader’s body language. “I didn’t want to mimic him, but only offer my impression of him, much like a painting. If you mimic someone, it becomes a caricature.”

He backs his theory by citing the example of memorable biopics such as Lincoln, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Gandhi. “Ben Kingsley’s voice didn’t match Gandhi’s and even his English had a British twang which was retained in his performance in Gandhi. He just picked up Gandhi’s signature walk and stance and that was enough. We make a bharta of biopics in India,” he says, revealing how he translated his character’s research into his performance. “When he [Bal Thackeray] spoke during his speeches, people felt he was speaking directly to them. He had a booming voice and yet, an accessible manner. But when he was at home, he spoke so softly — one had to actually focus to understand what he was saying. I’ve tried to closely follow these mannerisms.”

Today, Siddiqui’s selects a project “depending on how much the character allows to be internalised”. “I have watched Tony Leung’s performance in several Wong Kar-wai films (In The Mood For Love, Happy Together, Chungking Express) and I was blown. He doesn’t reveal anything about his character in his demeanour or even through his eyes. But one can still read what’s going through his character’s mind.” A world cinema buff, Siddiqui counts The Hunt (2012) and Amour (2012) among films where “the lead was able to sink into his character with complete immersion”. “I also look for characters which have both, a good side and a negative side — because human beings are never one-dimensional. I have never come across someone who only has negative or positive traits,” says the actor, adding that even the avatars in his upcoming romcoms “will have certain kamiyan.”

While his co-actors have often marvelled at his commitment towards his craft, Siddiqui feels that he has learnt a lot from them as well. He reflects on the time when he worked with children who were non-actors in a film called Patang (2009). “We had got a real shoeshine boy to play one onscreen, then there was a child who reprised his profession of making kites for a living in the film. So, when the camera rolled, they did what they did naturally; there was no ‘performance’. The minute you become conscious of where the camera is placed, corruption aa jata hain,” he says, adding that the film offered a tremendous learning experience. But sometimes, too much knowledge can be a bad thing as well, he says, referring to his experience of working in The Photograph. Siddiqui recalls how Batra got him to perform each scene multiple times, till the most casual take could be captured. “In the first take, one tries to act, but by the 11th take, you are so tired that you forget to act and just says the line casually and that’s what Ritesh [Batra] wanted,” says the actor of his experience of working with The Lunchbox director after a gap of five years.

A common thread in Siddiqui’s filmography is his penchant for working with debutant directors — from Talaash (Reema Kagti) to Peepli Live (Anusha Rizvi) to Liar’s Dice (Geetu Mohandas) to Firaaq (Nandita Das), and even his forthcoming releases, Roam Rome Mein (Tannishtha Chatterjee) and Motichoor Chaknachoor (Debamitra Hasan). He backs his choice with the theory that “they always come with fresh insights which break away from the norm”. “Also, since it’s their first film, they will work hard on it and put all their energies to make it work. There’s an honesty in their approach which gets lost after they make a few films and find their comfort zone. Once a filmmaker finds his/her space, they only stick to making only certain kind of films.”

A regular at Cannes, Berlin and Sundance Film Festival, Siddiqui shares that the only consistent trend he has noticed in recent years is that Indian films screened there are unable to parlay their critical acclaim to commercial success India. “Except The Lunchbox and Gangs of Wasseypur, none of the festival films have had done well in India.” But this doesn’t seem to affect Siddiqui’s film choices. “I even do films which I know won’t do well,” he says, referring to Nandita Das’ Manto, his last biopic on the author and playwright which failed at the box office. “It was received well at Cannes and even won an Asia-Pacific award but no one watched it in theatres in India. But ever since the film has been picked up by a digital streaming platform, many have watched and appreciated it.”

Having achieved scattered success in films, Siddiqui feels one can’t really define it. But he’s certain that he doesn’t want to rest on his past laurels. “The day I tell myself that I am successful, it will be the end. I don’t want to live in an illusion. I like to be a part of the process and I am fascinated by it too. And that is what has always driven me since my theatre days,” he says. 

After Sacred Games, Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Photograph chosen by Amazon Prime as first original movie from India
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 22, 2018)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui's web debut was highly awaited for more than one reason — while Sacred Games had piqued the audience's curiosity for its source material, the series also marked India's first homegrown Netflix original.

Now, the actor appears to have the distinction of being part of Amazon Prime's first original movie from India. Trade insiders suggest that Ritesh Batra-directed Photograph, featuring Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra, has been picked up by the streaming giant.

A source reveals, "When the officials from the streaming platform saw the final cut, they were impressed. The film felt like the perfect project for the web space. The discussion is in its final leg. A call will be taken by December. The web giant is looking at an early March release."

In an earlier interview, Batra had described his offering as "an homage to Mumbai." When mid-day reached out to officials of the OTT platform, they stated, "We have nothing to announce at the moment."

The actor is trading grit and grime for light-hearted love stories in as many as four out of six films in the coming year
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 7, 2018)

The new year will see Nawazuddin Siddiqui changing lanes, from serious dramas to light-hearted romances. And the actor couldn’t be happier. He surprises you with the admission that back in the ’80s and early ’90s, when he was dabbling in theatre in Delhi, he featured in so many comedies that he had acquired the tag of a ‘comedian’ and when he set out for Mumbai and the movies in 1996, his friends and fellow actors told him to steer clear of the laughs.

After breaking into Bollywood with a small role in the Aamir Khan-starrer Sarfarosh in 1999, Nawaz went on to impress in films like Dekh Indian Circus, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Talaash, Manjhi, Raman Raghav 2.0, Badlapur, Raees, Mom and more recently, Manto. Most of his screen appearances, with a few exceptions like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Freaky Ali, have played up his intensity. But the actor himself is now keen to take a break from such roles whose hangover is difficult to shrug off. “Bahut ho gaya,” he exclaims. Now of the six films he has lining up for 2019, only one is a biopic and the other an action drama. The remaining four are fun-filled romcoms and sunshiny love stories.

Nawaz tells us what to expect from the line-up:


Motichoor Chaknachoor:
This one is an out-and-out family entertainer which incorporates a romantic track with Athiya (Shetty) and revolves around a wedding. Ma baap sochte hain that once they get their kids married, it’s the end of all their problems, little realising that they have just begun. In fact, some of them crop up during the wedding itself when relatives rooth jaate hain and will stomp out if you are not able to smoothen their ruffled feathers. This marry-go-round unfolds in a small town. It’s a life I’m familiar with having grown up in one. Even the motichoor laddoos in the title bring back memories of many celebrations because while other sweets are eaten through the year, these laddoos are specially made for festivals and shaadis.


Photograph:
Another love story, this one with Sanya Malhotra and me as a photographer. It has the distinctive simplicity of Ritesh’s (Batra, director) earlier film, The Lunchbox, and will surely touch hearts too. It unfolds in Mumbai where lovers are strapped for time and have no place to romance. So, while in a small town a boy and girl can happily spend a couple of years just looking at each other from their terraces with no sense of urgency, in the city you have to make time for love in the hurry-scurry of everyday life, between job and commute. You usually meet on the train or the bus, in a cramped restaurant or while being jostled in the crowd.


Roam Rome Mein:
This is my third straight film with a woman director (Tannishtha Chatterjee), the other two being Manto (Nandita Das) and Motichoor Chaknachoor (Debamitra Hasan). Ninety per cent of it was filmed in Rome and my co-star, Valentina Corti, is an extremely popular and professional actress, having done TV shows like Don Matteo, All The Music of the Heart and Titanic: Blood and Steel. But not for a minute did I feel that I was working in a country that was not my own and with an actress who was a foreigner. Actors across the world have the same concerns and passions as far as creativity goes. And love knows no boundaries, rather it binds hearts. For me personally, love is unconditional support... It gives you the freedom to do what you want. That’s why maa ka pyaar sabse sachcha hota hai.


Thackeray:
This is my most difficult project so far because it’s a Hindi-Marathi bilingual. Manto was a biopic too, but Thackeray is a bigger challenge because there is so much material available on Balasaheb, people have watched him live or on screen. I’ve been watching countless videos to imbibe his mannerisms, speech patterns and personality traits. It’s a lot of work and there’s a Part 2 as well. Currently the script for the sequel is being worked on.

Petta:
Since Petta is an action film with a surprise twist, I can’t reveal much about my role. But watch out for our young director, Karthik Subbaraj. Bahut mazaa aaya uske saath kaam karke. I’m a crazy fan of Rajini sir (Rajinikanth) and lived the dream of working with him with this Tamil film. I’ve often met superstars who constantly remind you about their star status. But he’s a legend and yet I have yet to meet someone who’s so simple and real. Rajini sir is always trying to reiterate the fact that he’s an aam aadmi like you and I.

Raat Akeli Hai:
I’ve worked with Radhika Apte in Manjhi: The Mountain Man and Badlapur. Recently, we also did a show together. I’m impressed with her growth as an actress and it’s wonderful to collaborate with her on Honey Trehan’s directorial debut. Honey and I have been wanting to do a film together for a long time, I wanted it to be a love story. And what better than one that borrows its title from the Jewel Thief chartbuster, “Raat Akeli Hai”. I was the only one in my village who was a die-hard Dev Anand fan. I’d copy the way he walked and spoke, his distinctive style. This subject is different, but I’m thrilled it has the Dev Anand connection in its title.

MID-DAY (September 20, 2018)

Solely being part of a blockbuster film does not qualify one as a Bollywood star anymore. Abhishek Bachchan will discuss the evolving idea of the Bollywood star at the Jagran Cinema Summit at Taj Santacruz on September 21. Junior Bachchan, who has grappled with the ever-changing concept of stardom over the years, and has been a part of different films, will share his insights into the making of an icon.

The Jagran Cinema Summit, an initiative by Dainik Jagran, is a day-long series of events focussing on the future of cinema through conversations, panel discussions and presentations. The afternoon will kick-off with a session that will see director Rohit Shetty in conversation with Jagran film festival director Mayank Shekhar on 'How to become the audience's BFF (Best Friend Forever)?'

This will be followed by a presentation on 'How effects make cinema special' by Rajeev Kumar, founder, Drishyam VFX, and Danny Wilson, VFX supervisor, Drishyam VFX. They will throw light on how visual effects have become an integral part of filmmaking and how VFX has been a game changer for many movies around the world.

There is also a panel discussion on 'Would Cinemas Survive?' with filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane (partner, Phantom Films), Ritesh Batra (director of The Lunchbox), Vijay Singh (CEO, Star Fox India), actor-director Nandita Das, producer Dinesh Vijan, Devang Sampat (director, strategic initiatives, Cinepolis), Tanveer Bookwala (digital producer, founder, Ding), and actor-amateur historian Vivaan Shah.

On the cards is also a presentation on 'Way Forward For Cinematic Virtual Reality' by Chaitanya Chinchlikar (Whistling Woods VR Lab). Updates regarding the summit can be found on www.facebook.com/jagrancinemasummit/ and twitter.com/CinemaSummit. The summit will conclude with a conversation on 'Is it time to go OTT on OTT?' with producer Ekta Kapoor and Mayank Shekhar. With a plethora of high-profile actors, filmmakers, marketers and distributors sharing their insights on the imminent future of cinema, the summit will pave the way for opportunities across all areas in the Indian film industry.

Summit highlights
. One-on-one conversations with Rohit Shetty (on how to be the audience's BFF), Abhishek Bachchan (on evolution of Bollywood stardom), Ekta Kapoor ('Is it time to go OTT on OTT'), hosted by Mayank Shekhar

. Detailed hour-long presentations on VFX in films, and Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR)

. Plenary Panel Discussion with industry heads on the future of cinema

. For registrations, log on to: https://jagrancinemasummit.com/

Dhaval Roy (DNA; April 30, 2018)

After playing gold medalist Babita Phogat (wrestler Geeta Phogat’s sister) in Dangal (2016), Sanya Malhotra will essay the role of a younger sibling once again. This time, it’s for Vishal Bhardwaj’s Chhuriyaan. “Chhutki for life,” Sanya laughs adding, “But, this character is completely different from Babita’s. She’s extroverted and out there, unlike me in real life.” Other than this project, the 20-something actress also has Ritesh Batra’s (of The Lunchbox fame) Photograph and Amit Sharma’s (Tevar) Badhaai Ho. Sanya, who made her big-screen debut two years ago, talks about her upcoming films, why she didn’t mind waiting to see herself on screen again, dealing with failure, and her Plan B.

You have a film with Vishal quite early in your career...
I still can’t believe I’m working with ‘the’ Vishal Bhardwaj. I’m a big fan of his work — from movies to music. I feel grateful and excited. During the script reading session, I zone out sometimes, wondering if I’m sitting in the same room as him. He knows how important it is to prep for a character and has been helping me with that for the past few weeks.

Tell us about your other movie, Badhaai Ho.
The script is hilarious and it’s shot in Delhi, which is home. So, that made it even more fun and there was a lot of food (laughs). I think Ayushmann Khurrana is an amazing actor. I wanted to work with him. I’m glad I got that chance with my second film.

Comedy is known as the most difficult genre. Do you agree?
It was difficult because I’m an introvert. I needed a lot of prep. But, Amit (Sharma) helped me become the character. Ayushmann (Khurrana) is a funny guy and he’d keep cracking jokes. His brother, Aparshakti, is an outgoing guy and we’ve worked together. So, I was prepared for their antics.

What space is Photograph in?
I love the world that Ritesh (Batra) has created in his film, and I’m working with great actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Jim Sarbh. The script and character are still with me. We finished dubbing a few days ago and I can’t wait for people to see it. Ritesh is a brilliant director. He’s a poet. The Lunchbox is one of my favourite movies. I hope Photograph stays with people, too.

As a newbie, does working with big directors make you nervous?
It doesn’t. Actually, I don’t want to have that feeling, and enjoy everything I do. If at all, I get anxious before the shoot for the character. But, the directors make you feel comfortable. For Chhuriyaan and Photograph, the preparation is internal and more psychological unlike Dangal, which was physical.

It’s almost two years since you debuted. Didn’t the wait to see yourself on screen bother you?
I don’t mind waiting. It’s important to have patience and be happy even if you’re not working or don’t have money. I have projects with the most amazing directors and actors. So, the wait has been fine.

After a launch like Dangal, are you being more careful about the kind of films you sign?
While filming Dangal, I remember having a conversation with Nitesh Tiwari sir about how some actors are particular about the screen time. He said it’s important for an artiste to not care about how long the role is but what they can give to the script. That advice stayed with me. Since then, I’ve made sure that if I like the script, can imagine myself as the character and live the screenplay, I’ll do the film. That will be the only criteria.

Have you thought of failure and how you will deal with it?
I’ve failed many times. I’ve given so many auditions and failed in 30-40 per cent of them. When I moved to Mumbai, I was so introverted that I didn’t know how to approach people for work. I did ads for a year before Dangal. But I’ve learnt from my failures and I’m not scared anymore. I think it keeps you grounded.

Do you have a Plan B?
Dancing is in my scheme of things already. I’m going to take a sabbatical soon to learn tap dancing. If acting doesn’t work, I will become a dancer.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui reveals how he plans to play the Shiv Sena supremo, why Manto’s journey was fascinating and the reason he withdrew his memoir
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 20, 2018)

What’s the takeaway from Nandita Das’s Manto biopic?
What was fascinating about Saadat Hasan Manto’s journey was his relentless fight for truth to the very end. This need to explode taboos and expose social hypocrisies is what made the film more than just another biopic. The three-four months that I was in character mujhe khud se sharm aane lagi thi. In our ajeeb aur gareeb world everyone tries to show himself to be pure but in the mirror Manto held up, our foibles are all too clear. He was disarmingly honest and stood up for what is right, that’s what made his stories so genuine. My performance had to reflect these qualities, so through the duration of the shoot, I tried to be who I am, without artifice.

And after the film was over?
(Sighs) It’s hard to live life like Manto, sometimes people can be so judgemental, whether in real life or on the social media, we are all living a lie. I tried to get Manto out of my system, jaldi se jaldi, nahin to nehle pe dehla ho jaata.

Your memoir, An Ordinary Life, was truthful, perhaps a little too truthful.
I was in the Manto zone during the time, so I said some things I regretted later. But I have to point out here that it was a 288-page book and only around five pages spoke about relationships.

Unfortunately, the media focused on only these five pages during the promotions. That gave a wrong impression of the content. I quickly realised my career was going well, I didn’t need to court unnecessary controversy, so I withdrew the book from the stands with a sincere apology.

From Manto you move to another challenge, maybe a bigger one—Bal Thackeray.
It’s a challenge any actor would be ready for given his personality. The performance will require a lot of detailing because while there are no videos of Manto floating around making it easy to convince people that this was how he was, in the case of Balasaheb, there is a lot of material available, also, people have seen him in person. I plan to seek out Naseer saab (Naseeruddin Shah), my teacher, to guide me.

I don’t plan to mimic him in the biopic because that any mimicry artiste can do. I have to ‘live’ him on screen. Both the producer-writer (Sanjay Raut) and the director (Abhijit Panse) know him well. I wish I had met him even once as that would have helped me now. Maybe if I go to his house, It’ll get me a feel of the man. I have to get into his mind, understand what made this brilliant cartoonist give up his life for the Marathi manoos who were going through a lot of frustration and depression then. I’m looking for that turning point in his thoughts that defined his life later.

Isn’t it ironical that two years ago, you had to pull out of a Ramleela performace in your village Budhana following protests from the Shiv Sena and now you will be playing the party’s founder-president on screen?
I don’t know who those people were who raised objections then, which party they came from. I took the step of withdrawing, to maintain peace, thinking agle saal kar lenge given that the Ramleela happens every year.

Do you see yourself ever getting into active politics?
Politics? No, no, politics se to main dur dur tak bhaagta hoon. The day I stop getting roles, I will go to the Himalayas.

There’s a long way to go for that. You recently reunited with The Lunchbox director, Ritesh Batra, for Photograph. Has Ritesh evolved in these five years?
What’s distinctive about Ritesh is that he will do a scene 10 times to make it seem natural, as casual as it would appear in real life. He doesn’t want anyone to ‘act’ in his film. It’s wonderful to work with directors like him who are ready to experiment with their craft. Also, it was great to go back to the Gateway of India that I had visited many times in my struggling days. This time though there were lakhs of people who had come for a dekko.

Given how difficult it is to get the nod from you, what got Genius the go-ahead?
Genius is an out-and-out commercial film and director Anil Sharma has some huge hits behind him, including Gadar - Ek Prem Katha. What I like about him is that while my performance is as realistic as ever, the treatment is larger-than-life and that’s what marks the difference between mainstream and the parallel cinema. That’s the difference in gaze between Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire and a small-budget Hindi film about Dharavi. That’s what makes a film entertaining and engaging.

Vaibhav Prakash Pandey, a standard 12 student and a real genius, who bagged a $200000 scholarship to the American University Wheaton, has admitted to being influenced by you. That must be heartening.
I was thrilled when I read this. If I can inspire even one person—and this boy has won a scholarship to an American University—I consider it my biggest achievement. Bigger than any award.

Reportedly you are playing Sultana Daku in a British production which is an adaptation of Sujit Saraf’s book on the life of the UP dacoit from the pre-Independence era. It will be directed by Heeraz Marfatia who has assisted Shekhar Kapur and Roland Joffee.
We’ve spoken about it but there is no real progress on this yet.

What about the romcom with Vishal Bhardwaj and the Phobia sequel?
Dates didn’t work out with Vishal as now my focus is Thackeray. The Phobia sequel I want to do, as it’s a great script. We still have to figure dates.

You had six releases last year. That’s a lot of work but do you really need to do supporting roles in films like Raees, Mom and Munna Michael today when you are getting lead roles?
It’s only in India that we make the distinction between commercial and art cinema or content-driven films. Abroad it’s only ‘good’ and ‘bad’ films. Even more disheartening is that instead of appreciating an actor’s performance and give them the respect they deserve, we are quick to put them into categories like ‘heroes’, ‘character actors’, ‘villains’ and ‘comedians’. After a couple of months abroad, you will realise that the Bollywood hero is a stereotype— he is only there to romance the girl, sing a few songs, fight the bad men and disappear into the sunset. For me a film is a good film if it engages the audience, I don’t want just eight people to see and applaud it. I’d rather experiment on the digital platform where you have the luxury of time to go into the intricacies of character and craft.

We saw you as a rapper in a recent release. Will we see you come out with a music video one day soon?
A music video would mean dancing and while any commercial film I do today usually has me performing a song-and-dance number, it still scares the hell out of me. The body may have rhythm but I have a mental block as far as naach-gaana goes so choreographers tell me. I’m convinced I can’t dance and that’s embedded in my mind. I guess that’s one hurdle I will have to overcome soon.

The director’s next is on Julian Barnes’ Man Booker winner
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 16, 2017)


How did you come across The Sense Of An Ending?
I’m a fan of Julian Barnes and read the book in 2011. I looked into it after The Lunchbox and learnt that someone was adapting it for BBC. A year later, it came to me as an offer to direct and I jumped at it.

What were the challenges of adapting characters not conceptualised by you?
When I first met him in London, Julian Barnes told me, “Go ahead and betray me.” This isn’t a book you pick up and say that it should be made into a movie. It has the character of Tony Webster talking in first person to readers and movies are not told like that but through relationships. We have to find, flesh out and create relationships to tell a story. The biggest challenge was in the process of adapting it, how far away do you go from the book and how close do you stay. You need to figure out whether you want to be first or second cousins since you can’t be siblings.

There is a flatness to cinema but when you pick up a piece of literature and your brain engages with it directly, it brings a lot more depth to the work. This is because the brain has infinite dimensions. Cinema is a powerful medium but, in many ways, not as powerful as literature.

How did you ensure you didn’t betray Julian Barnes’ readers?
In the movie, all the actors bring their lives to it. It’s great to have actors like Jim Broadbent and Charlotte Rampling because in every scene, they are working on it like a pebble in clear water — honest, simple and unaffected. And later, when you get to the editing table, you just have to arrange these pebbles to ensure it delivers emotionally. For the readers, it’s never going to be the book onscreen.

Would you rather call it a tribute?
You can say that if you like but don’t say I said it. (Laughs) Or you can compare it to an apple. A successful adaptation complements a book. Cinema is a collaborative medium. Charlotte Rampling comes to the screen with all the tragedies and triumphs of her life. Is it a tribute? Well, hopefully, it’s not an insult.

What were the production challenges of filming in the UK?
Since the story is set both in present day and in the ’60s, it has to feel true to both periods. Given our restrictive budget, we had to shoot within London. Fortunately, the British take good care of their history and there are some well-preserved schools and bridges. We shot the past on weekends and the present on weekdays. And as I’m not British or old enough, I took cues from Jim and Alan Rickman (who passed away shortly after the film was shot) — like in the ‘60s, you could buy half a cigarette and these were smoked by schoolboys, I’ve used that in the movie. The challenge was immersing myself in the period and to ensure it was a truly British movie.

The British are believed to be really reserved, did that factor into your storytelling?
That is a cliché but then all clichés are true. The ‘British reserve’ is a real thing. These conflicts wouldn’t exist if they were more candid.

How does one crack the festival scene? Does lobbying count?
I don’t think it counts much because every festival evaluates films differently. It’s a market where films are bought and sold. Festival directors are powerful people who are there for their taste in films. From the looks of it, it seems those in Berlin like political stuff, Cannes appreciates ‘different’ films and Rotterdam, the edgy stuff. But A-list festivals are important to get to international buyers. At the end of the day, you’re trying to find a wider audience.

Do you have a fascination for older characters?
I’ve never thought about it. Even in Our Souls At Night (Batra’s next) I thought the conflict between Robert Redford and Jane Fonda’s characters would be enhanced because they don’t have enough time. But then, as it turns out, well they do, like in The Lunchbox. Life teaches you things but after you’ve invested a certain amount of time, you realise that ordinary life is difficult. And I’m not talking about extraordinary circumstances like planes getting hijacked.

Lunchbox director Ritesh Batra on making it to Variety’s list of the 'top 10 directors in the world to watch out for'
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; December 23, 2016)

"I am gifted to be able to do what I love, which is, make films,” says an exhilarated Ritesh Batra, who has been listed on Variety’s list of world’s top 10 directors to watch out for for his English language-debut film, The Sense of an Ending. The list places him alongside the likes of Julia Ducournau (Raw) and Barry Jenkins (Moonlight).

"It feels great when you are honoured and appreciated for your work. I was thrilled when my name was announced; people around me were excited too. They are honouring everyone at the Palm Springs Film Festival in California where my film will also premiere (on January 3). But at the same time, I don’t want to be consumed by any of this, and continue doing my work," he adds.

Talking about collaborating with legendary litterateur Julian Barnes, on whose novel his film is based, Batra says, “The first thing that he told me was, ‘Go ahead and betray me.’ It was a blessing to work with him. He trusted us completely and came on the sets twice. He saw the film and sent me a letter saying he loved it.”

Despite being an adaptation, Batra promises elements of freshness in his film. “We didn’t want to make a movie that was exactly like the book. I have seen adaptations not working because they have been too faithful to the book. It was a painful yet a magical experience,” he says about the Jim Broadbent and Charlotte Rampling-starrer.

The Lunchbox director’s debut film is creating ripples in the West before its official release
Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 18, 2016)

Ritesh Batra’s film The Sense Of An Ending based on Julian Barnes’ novel has been selected by Variety magazine among the 10 films and directors to watch out for in 2016. Clubbing Batra for this singular honour with some of the best works of the year — no Indian director has been thus honoured in recent times — Variety places Batra and his film alongside Julia Ducourno’s shocking horror film Raw and theatre’s veteran director William Oldroyd’s screen adaptation of Lady Macbeth.

The Sense Of An Ending will open the 28th Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 2, 2017. Ritesh is understandably pleased, but habitually calm about the honour. “One doesn’t know what the outcome will be when one sets off to make a film. The Sense Of An Ending was completed in June. Shooting with actors like Jim Broadbent and Charlotte Rampling was very enriching.”

Batra got to work with the legendary litterateur Julian Barnes. Says Ritesh, “Barnes was on the project helping us all through. It is an interesting challenge to adapt the novel. We couldn’t just take the book and put it on screen.

We had to search for the centre of the novel and place it in the film. And since I was involved with the writing, I didn’t feel the brunt of the cultural shift from Mumbai in The Lunchbox to England in The Sense Of An Ending.”

Batra says the film moves quite a way away from the novel. “If you’ve read the novel it’s actually quite short. There were lots of unspoken feelings and emotions between the lines which we had to dig out. We had to amplify the emotions. It was an amazing experience to work on the development of the script with Julian Barnes.”