Leena Yadav on working with the actor on a father-son story and developing four-fi ve international projects, among them the biopic of the first woman to join the LTTE
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 17, 2018)

Who came up with the intriguing title of Rajma Chawal?
Rishi Kapoor did. It plays a crucial part in the father-son relationship. He suggested the title during the narration. And I admit we ate a lot of rice and beans, along with other local delicacies found in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, during the shoot which Aseem (Bajaj, her producer-DoP husband) would get for us. Rishi would wave them away, saying he’d get fat, then stop Aseem, saying, “Wait, let me take a bite.” We feasted and laughed our way through the film.

The communication gap between father and son that forms the crux of the story reportedly struck an instant chord with Rishi?
Not just him but every man on the sets. Every son craves for his dad’s approval which is often hard to express in words. Even though we are three daughters in my family, this relationship has long fascinated me as I wondered if the dynamics might have been changed with a male sibling around. It’s the basis of five-six half-baked scripts lying around.

This story is Vivek Anchalia’s and I was instantly drawn to it as whenever we’re at a restaurant, I find every member of a family on the phone with no time for personal interaction. Aseem and I make sure the cell phone is never between us. We don’t even have a TV at home. Besides conversation, the only other thing we do is read. Even when we are working together, we have different lives and there’s so much to share.

Would you say your last film Parched, which won awards and accolades worldwide, has changed you as a filmmaker?
It has. I was hungry to make a film the way I wanted and when I was not able to do so, I told Aseem I was giving up. He wouldn’t let me quit and told me he’d produce Parched even though it was a difficult film to raise finance for. It was run down by everyone till Ajay (Devgn) came on board as producer. That gave us credibility, he also gave us the money to start the film. Without him Parched wouldn’t have been possible and working with a foreign DoP (Russell Carpenter) and editor (Kevin Tent) made me realise artistes have no boundaries. I learnt from them and their takeaway was that music is not just a distraction but can help tell a story. Shabd’s rejection had stunned me, Parched liberated me as a filmmaker and Rajma Chawal has grown out of that space.

After Parched you could have got your pick of actors, why settle for a newcomer, Aniruddh Tanwar?
I never write with actors in mind but take actors who fit the part. The role is bigger than all else.

Is Rishi Kapoor is a difficult actor to direct?
He’s the most unfiltered actor I have ever met and rather than get offended, I appreciate this quality. This collaboration has been most enriching because he comes with years of experience and an innate curiosity that makes him ask, “Why do you need a scene like this?” or “Why are we spending so much time on this when it’ll be edited out?”

You’ve travelled the world with Parched. Do you see yourself becoming a global filmmaker now rather than remaining an Indian director?
Absolutely, I’m already doing 4-5 international projects. One is an Australian production set in Sri Lanka, a biopic of one of the first women who joined the LTTE movement. I’m also doing two hardcore American films. I’ve spoken to Ajay about an international film that I hope will feature him. I’m grateful I’m getting to interact with such amazing minds.

Actor to headline Leena Yadav’s upcoming project, a comedy-drama revolving around a father and son duo that kicks off in November
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 20, 2017)

After the Ajay Devgn-produced social drama Parched, which premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, Leena Yadav is now gearing up for a comedy-drama revolving around a 55-year-old father, to be played by Rishi Kapoor, and his young son, a role which will be enacted by a newcomer. The film is expected to roll in November-December in Delhi.

“Vivek Anchalia came up with the story idea and then Vivek, Manu Rishi Chadha and I started working on it together after I wrapped up Parched. It’s about the generation gap and how technology has changed the mode of communication. It will have several interesting characters each of whom has something to say,” informs Leena.

The filmmaker is gung-ho about getting the nod from Rishi, who found it easy to relate to the story and had many inputs of his own to share. “What an amazing variety of roles he is playing right now,” exults Leena, 46. The veteran actor also features in Umesh Shukla’s 102 Not Out in which he plays the 75-year-old son of 102-year-old Amitabh Bachchan. Leena is quick to clarify that that’s where’s the similarity between the two films ends. “There are many father-son stories but what we have to say is different from everything else. Even if two directors work with the same script, they will still make two different films.”

Quiz her on whether she toyed with the idea of casting Ranbir Kapoor as the son and Leena says, “Ranbir is a brilliant actor, but for this character I had a boy in mind already.” She refuses to divulge any more names, simply saying that she likes to do a lot of prep with her actors before the film goes on the floors and is gearing up for some readings and workshops.