Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 13, 2020)

Ten years after making his Bollywood debut as a director with Allah Ke Banday (2010), filmmaker Faruk Kabir is all set to present his next movie, Khuda Haafiz, which releases on an OTT platform this Friday. The film, based on a real-life incident, has Vidyut Jammwal playing a common man on a mission to rescue his wife (Shivaleeka Oberoi), who has gone missing in another country. In a conversation with Bombay Times, the director talks about the long gap between his two directorial ventures, how a Times of India news report inspired him to make this film and working with Vidyut. Excerpts:

What was it about this particular news report that inspired you to make a film on it?
I remember reading this news on page one of The Times Of India. I was immediately drawn to it because of the emotional aspect of the story. I cut the article and kept it with me. That story stayed with me for a long time, so I decided to pursue it further. It’s an inspiring tale of a common man, who sets off to a foreign land to rescue his wife. Neither does he understand the language, nor does he have a support system or money. I liked the basic premise of this article — how far can you go for love? I think it is a relatable topic and that drew me towards it.

This film is based on a real-life couple. Were they a part of the filmmaking process?
I have only met the man, on whom Vidyut’s character is loosely based. I haven’t met his wife. He wanted complete anonymity, so I can’t reveal who he is. It took me two months to build enough trust for him to agree to meet me. He comes from a very simple space, and this journey has been life-changing for him.

Vidyut is synonymous with the action genre, how did you zero in on him to play your common man?
It was during my meeting with the producers of the film that Vidyut’s name came up. I just wanted to cast someone who would surrender to the vision of Khuda Haafiz. After a couple of meetings with Vidyut, I was convinced that he was apt for the role. In fact, I could see similarities between Sameer and Vidyut. I feel it was brave of him to take up this character, because it meant he would have to go against the grain of everything he has worked so hard to build —this larger-than-life action hero image. Here, I was asking him to get beaten, battered and bruised. Vidyut has shown so much maturity, not once did he ask me to make any changes so that he could showcase his action prowess.

After Allah Ke Banday in 2010,why did it take you such a long time to direct your next film?
It’s not like I didn’t work for these ten years (laughs!). I was busy making ad films. I did one beautiful commercial with Madhuri Dixit Nene and another with Virat Kohli, among many other interesting ones. I also directed some amazing web shows. I want the movie-making process to be organic. I want to direct films, for the stories that I am writing. This is one space where you can truly express yourself as a storyteller. It’s not that I don’t wish to direct films that are written by others, but I need to feel connected to these scripts, and that hasn’t happened so far.

As told to Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 2, 2018)

I grew up in the City of Dreams, schooled at Bombay Scottish and after graduating in Economics from Jai Hind College, did my masters in management studies from the Mumbai Education Trust (MET). I then got started with the four Ps. For those who are wondering about the Ps, let me explain... To understand what a product or service can offer the consumer and plan for a successful product offering, we have what is known in marketing terms as the four Ps — Price, Product, Promotion, Place.

I wanted to be a strategic planner and an implementation buyer so I interned with an ad agency, Euro RSCG, working under V Ramani. After that, I joined Enterprise Nexus Communications Pvt Ltd as a media planner. My boss Hiren Pandit gave me the opportunity to become what I am today.

Media planners analyse data and thinking creatively come up with innovative strategies to help the client reach specific markets and target audience. Depending on the package, the idea is to come up with the most effective media plan. This can take a couple of months and involves hours of backbreaking research, sometimes ending in heartbreaks. If one number changes, you have to go back to the table.

My first account was The Times Of India group. It was exhausting but at the same time exciting to work with one of India’s biggest publishing houses with credentials to match. Meanwhile, when a model didn’t show up for a shoot, I was pushed into taking his place. I ended up showcasing a pair of jeans and became a part-time model.

In 1999, I took part in Maureen Wadia’s Gladrags Manhunt Contest while planning a move to a bigger agency. To my surprise, I was shortlisted for the international Manhunt contest in Manila, Phillipines. I was the first runner-up and magically, the world opened up for me. But when I look back, I realise that had I been an inch shorter, I might never have made it as an international model. At 6 feet 1 inch, I just made the grade and was signed by Carrie Models. I worked in Singapore, Hong Kong, London and New York. Then, I returned home, continuing to make merry.

My first ad campaign was for a soap brand. I was the Cinthol Man. Sabal Shekawat gave me my first break and I recall running through the jungles of Mauritius, 20 top models, including Madhu Sapre and Diandra Soares, chasing after me. It was a memorable shoot!

Along with modelling assignments, I also started featuring in music videos, going on to collaborate with popular singers like Hans Raj Hans and Pankaj Udhas. I’ve never forgotten Pankaj’s “Chupke Chupke” whose music video Anubhav Sinha had directed. It was a sweet, innocent song which went on to become all the rage then and is still remembered today. Then, Bollywood beckoned...

I got two film offers from two Bhatts. Vikram Bhatt offered me the role of a baddie in Aetbaar while Mahesh Bhatt approached me to play the antagonist in Jism, an erotic-thriller his daughter Pooja was producing for which he wanted a new face and not a star. The agency didn’t want to lose me but my closest friends insisted I give films a go. My family has always supported me in everything I’ve done and encouraged by their confidence I took the plunge into showbiz.

It was a challenge because as a model you are just a face and a body, endorsing a brand, but as an actor you play a character who can be your polar opposite. It needs a mind and takes you places.

In 2003, I appeared on screen in my first feature film, Jism, as an alcoholic lawyer who gets caught up in an extramarital affair which destroys him. Fifteen years later, I am not just acting in but also making my own movies, from Vicky Donor and Madras Cafe to Rocky Handsome, Force 2 and the recently released Parmanu. The era of the supermodel which had yielded the likes of Milind Soman, Arjun Rampal and Dino Morea ended with me. And I ended up in the movies but the media planner in me still touches different aspects of my life. I plan my life and investments and position my films in a way that they reach the audience in the best possible way, calling into play all that I have learnt about GRPs, TRPs and OTS. I even strategise on my football team’s (he has 90 per cent stakes in NorthEast United Football Club which plays in Indian Football League) jersey, brand positioning and ticket sales. Once you enter the market, you are there to stay. But that’s not enough for me, I want to ensure I am always at the top of my game.


A still from Pankaj Udhas’s ‘Chupke Chupke’; John in his early days (top)

Harshada Rege (DNA; September 16, 2014)


Soon after, a steady flow of support from friends and colleagues followed. The hashtag #IStandWithDeepikaPadukone began trending.

First stand
Among the first to react were filmmakers and designers who tweeted thus:

Ritesh Sidhwani: Shocked! What it takes to get attention. Our media needs to be more responsible and sensitive.

Homi Adajania: We just slam ourselves back into the dark ages! Reputed channels inciting regressive shit. What are they thinking?! Sad!

Designers Gauri and Nainika: Sexist and utterly sad that instead of covering true talent, the media resorts to such low means to attract readership.

Masaba Gupta: Three cheers to breasts and cleavage. We don’t see pics of men who wear unflattering pants, the penis is holy or what?

Girls stand together
In an unprecedented move, actresses industrywide took a united stand for DP, without mincing words
Some tweeted...

Priyanka Chopra: Well done @deepikapadukone ! Taken a stand for all of us.

Huma Qureshi: More power to @deepikapadukone, that’s how you shut them up.

Ileana D’Cruz: Absolutely disgusting that this is what they choose to write about! Good on you for speaking up against this bullshit!

Esha Gupta: @deepikapadukone well said, proud of you. Thank you for doing this. Women power.

Aditi Rao Hydari: Thank you for this! About time! RESPECT

Sophie Choudry: Media attacks a celeb’s personal & professional life all the time but this is a new low! Thank you for speaking out! Shame!

Others sent in personal reactions...

Dia Mirza: Deepika has stirred up a hornest’s nest. A section of the media has for years treated women in the entertainment industry disgracefully. Some papers use their entertainment pages to objectify women. The irony of it is that these same publications get paid hefty amount of money from us for sponsored stories. It was about time someone reacted.

Gauahar Khan: It makes my blood boil. I am glad Deepika gave back as good as she got. Just because we are public figures doesn’t mean we should allow any kind of behaviour.

Malaika Arora: Way to go, girl. She said it exactly the way it should be. Put the yellow journalists in their place.

Nimrat Kaur: The fearlessness and intolerance for such pepper-spray worthy reportage is what all of us should display. Deepika has dared to show us what role models are made of.

Reema Kagti: It’s good that Deepika stood up for herself. A section of the media has hit an all-time low. The way the Shweta Prasad case was handled last week made that quite apparent.

What some men tweeted

Karan Johar: Appalled, shocked and disgusted at the level of disrespect shown. Deepika or any women in the world cannot and should not stand for this!!

Shoojit Sircar: Eve-teasing of different kind.

Gaurav Kapur: So the TOI has done something crude and classless again! I’m not surprised. I stopped subscribing to it years ago. Listen TOI, you want to be a junky tabloid then go ahead. I mean, you already are. Just don’t pretend to be a national ‘news’paper’.

Arjun Kapoor however, tweeted in a superficial manner, saying: We have hit a new low today...forget complimenting a woman have the ability to respect a woman first.

What DP’s men said
While Deepika’s ex-boyfriend Sidhartha Mallya voiced his opinion through two strongly worded tweets, current beau Ranveer Singh sent out a message late in the night.

Sid said: ‘Proud of @deepikapadukone for standing up and speaking her mind. Too many others in this country would have sat on the fence and kept quiet.’ He again tweeted when TOIENtertain called the link a ‘compliment. His tweet said: And the @TimesofIndia response may just have to go down as one of the most idiotic, shambollic and stupid responses of all time. Bravo.’

Ranveer though barely mentioned the issue and seemed to be rather superficial, saying: @deepikapadukone way to let ‘em know! #LikeABoss @TOIEntertain TUM se yeh ummeed nahi thi #SMH #owned.

The Media, Too
Among the many journalist tweets that poured in, this was one that put it quite well
Barkha Dutt: Good for you @deepikapadukone — nothing embarrasses misogynists more than some plainspeak!

And then it got worse
Noticing that Deepika had decided to take a stand about the link that they had tweeted, @TOIEntertain sent out a message, perhaps in a bid to make peace. It only ended up aggravating the situation further. The tweet read: It’s a compliment! You look so great we want to make sure everyone knew! The twitterati condemned the ‘pacifying’ stand rather strongly.

The following tweets sum up the outrage that followed...
Nimrat Kaur: with this ‘compliment’, I shudder to think who this ‘everyone’ is you’re reaching out to?

Farah Khan: Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim. @deepikapadukone doing just that!! (N THATS how u pay a compliment )

Boman Irani: Complimenting a lady is a grace reserved for gentlemen! I stand on a tall tall chair and applaud you @deepikapadukone

(With inputs from Subhash K Jha)