Showing posts with label Shreyas Jain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shreyas Jain. Show all posts
I cracked the idea of Bareilly Ki Barfi on a vacation-Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
7:52 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 16, 2017)
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's films
are like her simple and real. She made an impact with her directorial
debut, Nil Battey Sannata, which won critical acclaim. Her creative
genius has found an ideal partner in husband Nitesh Tiwari, who too,
delivered a solid punch at the box office with his directorial venture,
Dangal. And now, the two have joined hands for the second time on
Bareilly Ki Barfi - she as the director and he, as the writer. With the
film, produced by Junglee Pictures and BR Studios hitting the screens
this Friday, BT caught up with Ashwiny and had an interesting
conversation about her journey as a filmmaker, her equation with her
husband and why Bareilly Ki Barfi will leave you with a sweet
aftertaste. Excerpts...
Bareilly Ki Barfi revolves around an ordinary family in Uttar Pradesh. Your directorial debut Nil Battey Sannata also offered a glimpse of reality. What attracts you to slice-of-life stories?
They are simple, relatable stories. Nil Battey Sannata spoke of a certain class of people and their social dichotomies; it found takers across the board because emotions are universal. Bareilly Ki Barfi is all about love and a bunch of real, happy people. Love doesn't mean being mushy and running around trees. We've attempted a story where apart from romance, we have delved into beautiful equations between a girl and her parents. And like real people, even the characters in this film have their quirks, eccentricities and flaws. Such characters attract me because they add fun to the story without making it look laboured.
Your husband (Nitesh Tiwari) has his roots in Uttar Pradesh. How did you familiarize yourself with its landscape and culture, which are integral to the film's narrative? Did Nitesh's presence as the writer help you in that regard?
I always do extensive research on my films. So, before I started shooting, I spent a lot of time in Lucknow and Bareilly. I met many local boys and girls, observed them and even photographed them to understand their way of dressing, mannerisms and body language. During one of my trips, I actually found two boys who looked like Rajkummar (Rao) and Ayushmann (Khurrana)'s characters in the film. That apart, Nitesh and his co-writer Shreyas Jain are North Indians. While Shreyas is a well-travelled guy from Madhya Pradesh, Nitesh has spent a considerable amount of time in UP and MP. So, yes, their presence made a lot of difference to the way the characters were fleshed out. At the same time, a lot of work happens after a film is written. The set, the look of the characters a and their chemistry have to be bang on to bring out the essence of the script.
As a working mother, with two kids at home, did you find it tough to stay away, especially since Bareilly Ki Barfi's schedules were longer than those of your first film, Nil Battey Sannata?
It doesn't matter how long I've had to stay away from home. My sentiments will never change. I'm always assured that Nitesh is around, but maa toh maa hoti hai. Having said that, women should work, become independent, and follow their passions. In the bargain, children also become independent and more respectful of their mother and her time. They understand that their mother is also ambitious and learn to value her presence in their lives. I have also realized that children accommodate a lot. They adjust with what you give them, which is also right - they should mould their lives and needs around their parents the way their parents do for them.
Both Nitesh and you are creative people. Do you ever end up having creative differences?
I don't think there will be creative differences between us, there will only be healthy discussions. While Nitesh is a strong writer, I'm good at art. I can probably do a screenplay well, but his strength lies in drafting the entire film on paper. So, we have each other's back, and we work on our plus points. Having a writer at home, I feel a sense of ease while talking about an idea because we both know that we will not judge each other. A bouncing board at home is a privilege. Nil Battey Sannata happened over a cup of morning chai. Similarly, Bareilly Ki Barfi is an idea we cracked on a vacation. It's a connection that happens instantly. We can work with outsiders, but there will always be a time lapse there.
So, you do take Nitesh's presence for granted?
Of course, I do. I don't feel guilty about it. He is my bouncing board and will always be, no matter who we work with. When I get ideas, I message him and I don't care where he is, and likewise for him. He gets confused with colours and artwork and he asks me to chip in, which I do. We don't have anyone else to go to. We may get bugged temporarily, but it's the comfort that draws us to just fall back on each other's shoulders.
Bareilly Ki Barfi is just two days away from release. Considering the fact that this is just your second film, are you feeling anxious?
I can't deny that there's pressure, but I will feel so even after I have made my tenth film. It doesn't matter how many films you make - you are only as good as your last film. I feel a sense of responsibility for the money people will spend to watch my film; I don't want to let them down. That's the reason I treat every film as my debut. I don't let the fear of failure rule my mind when I am working because it distracts me. However, after I've made a film, I'm anxious about audience's reaction.
Bareilly Ki Barfi revolves around an ordinary family in Uttar Pradesh. Your directorial debut Nil Battey Sannata also offered a glimpse of reality. What attracts you to slice-of-life stories?
They are simple, relatable stories. Nil Battey Sannata spoke of a certain class of people and their social dichotomies; it found takers across the board because emotions are universal. Bareilly Ki Barfi is all about love and a bunch of real, happy people. Love doesn't mean being mushy and running around trees. We've attempted a story where apart from romance, we have delved into beautiful equations between a girl and her parents. And like real people, even the characters in this film have their quirks, eccentricities and flaws. Such characters attract me because they add fun to the story without making it look laboured.
Your husband (Nitesh Tiwari) has his roots in Uttar Pradesh. How did you familiarize yourself with its landscape and culture, which are integral to the film's narrative? Did Nitesh's presence as the writer help you in that regard?
I always do extensive research on my films. So, before I started shooting, I spent a lot of time in Lucknow and Bareilly. I met many local boys and girls, observed them and even photographed them to understand their way of dressing, mannerisms and body language. During one of my trips, I actually found two boys who looked like Rajkummar (Rao) and Ayushmann (Khurrana)'s characters in the film. That apart, Nitesh and his co-writer Shreyas Jain are North Indians. While Shreyas is a well-travelled guy from Madhya Pradesh, Nitesh has spent a considerable amount of time in UP and MP. So, yes, their presence made a lot of difference to the way the characters were fleshed out. At the same time, a lot of work happens after a film is written. The set, the look of the characters a and their chemistry have to be bang on to bring out the essence of the script.
As a working mother, with two kids at home, did you find it tough to stay away, especially since Bareilly Ki Barfi's schedules were longer than those of your first film, Nil Battey Sannata?
It doesn't matter how long I've had to stay away from home. My sentiments will never change. I'm always assured that Nitesh is around, but maa toh maa hoti hai. Having said that, women should work, become independent, and follow their passions. In the bargain, children also become independent and more respectful of their mother and her time. They understand that their mother is also ambitious and learn to value her presence in their lives. I have also realized that children accommodate a lot. They adjust with what you give them, which is also right - they should mould their lives and needs around their parents the way their parents do for them.
Both Nitesh and you are creative people. Do you ever end up having creative differences?
I don't think there will be creative differences between us, there will only be healthy discussions. While Nitesh is a strong writer, I'm good at art. I can probably do a screenplay well, but his strength lies in drafting the entire film on paper. So, we have each other's back, and we work on our plus points. Having a writer at home, I feel a sense of ease while talking about an idea because we both know that we will not judge each other. A bouncing board at home is a privilege. Nil Battey Sannata happened over a cup of morning chai. Similarly, Bareilly Ki Barfi is an idea we cracked on a vacation. It's a connection that happens instantly. We can work with outsiders, but there will always be a time lapse there.
So, you do take Nitesh's presence for granted?
Of course, I do. I don't feel guilty about it. He is my bouncing board and will always be, no matter who we work with. When I get ideas, I message him and I don't care where he is, and likewise for him. He gets confused with colours and artwork and he asks me to chip in, which I do. We don't have anyone else to go to. We may get bugged temporarily, but it's the comfort that draws us to just fall back on each other's shoulders.
Bareilly Ki Barfi is just two days away from release. Considering the fact that this is just your second film, are you feeling anxious?
I can't deny that there's pressure, but I will feel so even after I have made my tenth film. It doesn't matter how many films you make - you are only as good as your last film. I feel a sense of responsibility for the money people will spend to watch my film; I don't want to let them down. That's the reason I treat every film as my debut. I don't let the fear of failure rule my mind when I am working because it distracts me. However, after I've made a film, I'm anxious about audience's reaction.
Nitesh Tiwari and I work for a good night’s sleep-Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
12:38 PM
Filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari on working in tandem with her director-husband on her next, the comedy-drama Bareilly Ki Barfi, and not taking their collective success seriously
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 25, 2017)
Nil Battey Sannata director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari had finished shooting her debut film and was flying back to Mumbai from Delhi when the self-diagnosed Tsundoku — the Japanese word for a person who buys books even though they may never read them — purchased five books at the airport. "I couldn't sleep on the flight and started on a French book, The Ingredients Of Love. One line stuck in my head. Returning home, I told Nitesh that there was something really nice about that sentence and even though he thought I was crazy to want to jump from one film to another so quickly, we began to spin a story around it," Ashwiny reminisces.
For the next 12 months, her husband, Nitesh Tiwari, the director of the wrestling-drama Dangal, went on to write for her a script with Shreyas Jain, which she loved. After giving her the title, Nil Battey Sannata for the earlier film, he once again delivered a cracker, Bareilly Ki Barfi, and Ashwiny knew instantly that she wanted to shoot this romcom in the small town of Uttar Pradesh.
Produced by Junglee Pictures, the slice-of-life comedy-drama has Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Sanon as leads. While the versatile Rajkummar balances the mild-mannered salesman at a sari shop-turned-streetsmart lover boy and Ayushmann is a perfect fit as the Romeo, Kriti could appear a tad westernised to play Bitti, a starry-eyed, small-town girl? Ashwiny doesn't agree. "As storytellers, we need to break the dichotomy of perceptions towards actors. All through his career, Pankaj Tripathi has only been seen as a gangster, politician or cop. I broke the mould in Nil Battey Sannata by putting him in the shoes of a school principal and it worked. He returns in Bareilly as a quirky father. Ditto, Kriti. Just because she is tall and beautiful in western wear, we have typecast her in modern-day commercial roles. That's not right."
She goes on to reveal that contrary to perceptions, Kriti is one of the simplest people in real life. "Her father's a chartered accountant and her mother is a physics professor. She comes from a modest upbringing and brings that on the table," she adds.
Ashwiny drew extensively from her personal journey as an ad filmmaker for the film. A Mumbai girl, her work took her to Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, among other places. When she moved to writing for TV, she understood that the saas-bahu audience set the box-office registers ringing too. "I am a small-town woman at heart. I've shared food with neighbours and grown up with open doors. It still exists in real India. Unfortunately, in the chaos of the city, we've lost out on personal interactions," she sighs.
The challenge, she admits, was to ensure that the dialogue wasn't over-the-top or vulgar while translating it from the script to the big screen. "There's a line at the end of the trailer — 'Sandaas se leke Sushila tak sab dikh raha hai' — which has been well-received but could've fallen flat," she reasons.
Ashwiny laughs when referred to as one-half of Bollywood's leading director couple after she bagged the Filmfare Best Debut Director award on the same stage as Nitesh, who picked up the Best Director award for Dangal. "Nitesh and I have worked together for years and have seen it all through a beautiful corporate job. Filmmaking for us is just a by-product of advertising with a lot more glamour. We understand that some years will see acclaim and awards, which could be followed by a year of no films and no trophies. Nitesh and I just work for a good night's sleep," she smiles, adding that she comes from the arts while Nitesh is the quintessential writer. "We have lots of conversations and there are no judgements. We discuss extensively during prep, but once a film goes on floors we do not interfere. No opinions are ever imposed."
At the end of the day, she adds, Nitesh and she are just parents doing a full-time job to take care of their seven-year-old-twins and treat them to family vacations. "My daughter recently surprised me by writing 'director' in an essay on 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' I asked her what she thought a 'director' did and she said they are hardworking artistes, just like her mother. That's my life!" she signs off with a laugh.
Nitesh Tiwari scripts the love story, Bareilly Ki Barfi, for wife Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
7:45 AM
Trailer of the upcoming romantic comedy, Bareilly Ki Barfi, unveils today
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 19, 2017)
Nitesh Tiwari, director of Aamir Khan’s wrestling drama Dangal, is excited about his wife Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s upcoming directorial, Junglee Pictures and BR Studios’ Bareilly Ki Barfi, whose trailer unveils today. He has co-written the romcom with Shreyas Jain and the proud husband can’t stop beaming. “I was sceptical only during Nil Battey Sannata (Ashwiny’s debut film) as I had not attended even a single day’s shoot and had no idea what Ashwiny was doing. But after seeing the film, I have stopped questioning her,” he admits, adding that the sweet love story, set in the small town of Uttar Pradesh, is inspired by personal experiences.
He goes on to reveal that both Shreyas and he come from small towns in Madhya Pradesh and their script borrows from the lives that they have lived. “There are characters modelled on people we have grown up with. This is the first time we have written something lighthearted and quirky and I’m eager to see the audience’s response,” he says. The film features Ayushmann Khurrana, Kriti Sanon and Rajkummar Rao.
Nitesh has also scripted and directed the new ad campaign for the ninth season of Amitabh Bachchan’s Kaun Banega Crorepati. “This is my first independent project for KBC. In the past, I worked on the show as part of an agency. This season’s theme is that one shouldn’t judge someone’s potential according to their financial status and appearance because they could surprise you in the future. The campaign reflects both the objective of the game show as well as how we think as a society,” he says, pointing out that KBC campaigns have always been socially relevant but they wanted to do something different this time around. “The emphasis was on playing down societal biases, KBC as a show has always been a great leveller not differentiating on the basis of gender, looks or bank balance. Knowledge is the only thing that matters and my co-writer Nikhil Mehrotra and I have delivered the message with humour because that’s what cuts across all age groups and social classes.”
Nitesh’s next directorial is reportedly Siddharth Roy Kapur and Ronnie Screwvala’s adaptation of the novel How I Braved Anu Aunty and Co-founded a Million Dollar Company but he won’t be drawn into discussing this. “In Bollywood everything is on a slow burner till the time is right to serve the dish. As of now, the meal is still cooking. I usually keep multiple stories ready because you never know which subject works. This is one of the many subjects but a lot of things have to fall in place for a film to work,” he signs off.
Nitesh Tiwari, director of Aamir Khan’s wrestling drama Dangal, is excited about his wife Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s upcoming directorial, Junglee Pictures and BR Studios’ Bareilly Ki Barfi, whose trailer unveils today. He has co-written the romcom with Shreyas Jain and the proud husband can’t stop beaming. “I was sceptical only during Nil Battey Sannata (Ashwiny’s debut film) as I had not attended even a single day’s shoot and had no idea what Ashwiny was doing. But after seeing the film, I have stopped questioning her,” he admits, adding that the sweet love story, set in the small town of Uttar Pradesh, is inspired by personal experiences.
He goes on to reveal that both Shreyas and he come from small towns in Madhya Pradesh and their script borrows from the lives that they have lived. “There are characters modelled on people we have grown up with. This is the first time we have written something lighthearted and quirky and I’m eager to see the audience’s response,” he says. The film features Ayushmann Khurrana, Kriti Sanon and Rajkummar Rao.
Nitesh has also scripted and directed the new ad campaign for the ninth season of Amitabh Bachchan’s Kaun Banega Crorepati. “This is my first independent project for KBC. In the past, I worked on the show as part of an agency. This season’s theme is that one shouldn’t judge someone’s potential according to their financial status and appearance because they could surprise you in the future. The campaign reflects both the objective of the game show as well as how we think as a society,” he says, pointing out that KBC campaigns have always been socially relevant but they wanted to do something different this time around. “The emphasis was on playing down societal biases, KBC as a show has always been a great leveller not differentiating on the basis of gender, looks or bank balance. Knowledge is the only thing that matters and my co-writer Nikhil Mehrotra and I have delivered the message with humour because that’s what cuts across all age groups and social classes.”
Nitesh’s next directorial is reportedly Siddharth Roy Kapur and Ronnie Screwvala’s adaptation of the novel How I Braved Anu Aunty and Co-founded a Million Dollar Company but he won’t be drawn into discussing this. “In Bollywood everything is on a slow burner till the time is right to serve the dish. As of now, the meal is still cooking. I usually keep multiple stories ready because you never know which subject works. This is one of the many subjects but a lot of things have to fall in place for a film to work,” he signs off.
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