INTERVIEW WITH IMTIAZ ALI - I

Who : Imtiaz Ali
About : Director of Jab We Met, Socha Na Tha
Website: www.imdb.com/name/nm1665004/

You can check out the interview HERE : Interview with Imtiaz Ali
Interview Date: Dec 8, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)

Here I'm going to recollect how the interview with Imtiaz Ali happened and describe the entire experience of the interview.

-------- To Be Updated --------

INTERVIEW WITH IMTIAZ ALI - II

Who : Imtiaz Ali
About : Director of Jab We Met, Socha Na Tha
Website: www.imdb.com/name/nm1665004/

How it happened : Interview with Imtiaz Ali
Interview Date: Dec 8, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)
Pics : None

Nikhil Taneja(NT): You had been working on Rockstar after Socha Na Tha. So how did Jab We Met Happen?
Imtiaz Ali(IA): See there were some hassles in Rockstar, things were not coming together. Actually after Socha Na Tha, I started working on a few films but for one or the other reasons, they were not coming together. Rockstar was one of them. We were planning to shoot it sometime back but there some technical problems so we decided to put that on a backburner and that’s when Jab We Met happened.

NT: Before the movie started, rumours were doing the rounds that Bobby Deol and Ayesha Takia were the leads in the movie and the movie was called Geet? Was that true and if yes, what made you change to Kareena and Shahid?
IA: It is true. Actually nothing was really decided or confirmed but they were part of the movie but again, the same thing, because of various issues, we couldn’t settle down on a time schedule and the dates weren’t matching so we decided to not work on this right now and we put that on a backburner and that’s when we started working on Rockstar and when that didn’t work out either, we started working on Jab We Met. The situations were different in all three cases and when I started working on Jab We Met, everything just fell into place.

NT: It’s been said that you took only 2 days to write the story of JWM.
IA: Yes, it’s true. The first draft took just two days but then after that, you polish it many times before the movie and during the movie, improvise and stuff.

NT: How would you describe the JWM journey and experience
IA: I think since the movie was about a journey, it was a travel movie and so it was the same journey that the whole unit had undergone. It is a blessing that the movie has become a success and it’s such a big high for all of us considering that its pre production took 22 days and it always seemed to me like Jab We Met was almost like an individual which was in a hurry. It wanted everything to happen in a rapid fashion so we just went along and we actually felt like a circus caravan traveling from place to place.

The experience that the characters in the film have is also approximately like the experience we had because we were also traveling to those places and meeting new people, many of whom we used in the movie as actors as well. And we were seeing new places on the way on which we shot. So the experience or journey is what happened to all of us while in the shooting of the movie, which I guess lent some kind of a juice, something which made the movie interesting. Because we were also out there, where the movie was supposed to be, just like Geet and Aditya. So, that’s what I feel about the journey.

NT: How did you manage to keep the movie so real?
IA: See, I guess that movies are a reflection of the world that I see around me, which is very real. I don’t know anything else. I am not a cinema student, I don’t get inspired by other films. So I guess the way I see people and the way I see situations is the way I have represented them in the movie. And I was not trying to make it real or unreal or anything of that sort. This is how the understand the world and that’s how I have shown it.

NT: Did you expect the movie to be such a big success? It even replaced Saawariya in many theatres on its second week.
IA: While making this film, I didn’t have much time to think. It was all done in such a big hurry. We started with 22 days of pre production, and we shot the film in three months all over the place, so I didn’t have time to actually think about what the outcome of the film in the market is going to be. I did not have any expectations, or I did not know if it’s going to topple other movies in cinema halls. I had the feeling though that the subject matter is such that it would appeal to people actually, so yeah, I had no expectations which were bettered.

NT: So what are the best compliments you have got after the movie released?
IA: There have been many actually, but one guy actually told me very recently, I was on a holiday for a month and when I come back, someone told me that a couple which was going to divorce had gone to see Jab We Met and they came together after watching the movie! And they said that it’s because of the movie that they relived the time when they had together when they first met and that saved their marriage.

Actually, it’s a very humbling kind of a statement. Because when you make a movie you don’t think to do anything more than entertain anybody, but when someone’s marriage is affected in a way as big as this, it’s actually quite gratifying and humbling. It was a movie that everyone could relate to, which made people identify with it.

NT: You have mentioned how missing the trains is actually inspired from your own experiences. Tell us a little more about it.
IA: I am from a small town called Jamshedpur, which is connected by train to most places. So I have traveled to college in Delhi first, then to Bombay, it’s always been on train. So from my early childhood, I have been traveling on trains a lot and I love doing that, I think that’s a creative Indian experience you can get, which is very rare.

I think what’s always fascinated me about train travel is that you get to spend some time with people who you do not know, at very very close quarters. You know, somebody’s aunty is actually sleeping three feet away from you. You would never be able to get into her bedroom otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to see this woman asleep. But you can do that in a train. But it has always been very fascinating to me to see how people live that very short lifetime on a train. And also the possibility of meeting interesting people is always there on a train journey. In a flight it’s too short. In the train the best thing is that you don’t have anything to do, so you have to interact, you have to pass your time, so you don a personality.

And also, the other thing is that when you are traveling on a train and you are looking out, you kind of get quite fascinated by the fact that there is so much vastness around you but you always come and go in that very narrow track that the train is traveling on. So your experience is very limited in comparison to the experience or the range of experience that exists around you. Because you are always going on that one track and in some way is also symbolic of life. So the option of having to go off the track has always been very attractive to me. Of course, no body leaves the track of his life unless they are thrown of or they may have to, which is what happens in the film. It gives an opportunity to the film and it’s characters to travel outside the places they were planning to.

NT: That’s quite a lot of deep philosophy going into such a simple movie!
IA: That usually happens. I mean, I do not want to both anyone in a movie theatre about philosophy at all. But obviously, behind every simple aspect of life, there is a deep philosophy rooted to it.

NT: So how did the character of Geet come about?
IA: I have met a lot of girls who are very extroverted and who do not hesitate to talk with anybody about anything at all, who mix around a lot, and they get irritating sometimes. So it’s always very fascinating to meet somebody like this, you know. And most of these girls have been Punjabis. I have lived in Delhi for many years and have met quite a lot of girls who are like this in Delhi. And they somehow happen to be Sikhnis or Punjabis, mostly. I am sure everybody would be fascinated by people like this. And also, in some sort of a way, there is an unassuming quality about a girl who is otherwise good looking but does not waste he time trying to tell herself that she is good looking. She mixes with everybody and has a lot of positive energy about herself and about life. This is the kind of girl who would be an ideal companion in a train journey would influence someone to become like her.

NT: Did you get the idea of casting Kareena and Shahid also because they were together or only because they fit the bill?
IA: Shahid was not my first choice initially because I did not know him. But when I met him I realized that he would actually be the best person to play this role because I was looking at somebody young who could come across someone who had seen life. I had never met Shahid before so I thought he would be some immature, you know, young thing, but when I did meet him, he surprised me because he has a lot of experience of life and he has got a very mature head on his shoulders. So the moment I met him I realized that he was the right guy to play this part.

You are talking about a guy who has seen life enough to be disillusioned with it. He has lost his feeling of youth, so to speak. Since his teens, his mother has been involved with somebody else which has affected him very badly. And he is not a very old man, he is not a 40 year old man, he is a young man, he is a 25 year old man. But he has seen more life than a 25 year old man. So Shahid became the ideal choice for me when I met him.

As for Kareena, she was my first choice, because I knew that the girl who would act in this movie will not wear much make up. And she should look very attractive in the very casual, almost discrepant clothes that she is going to be wearing. Also, she should be able to look attractive while talking too much; she should not look irritating when talking. And the greatest thing was that Kareena has played this part before. She has not played a simple person on a train, who is just a part of a middle class family, and is also a Punjabi, talks too much and does not have a bad attitude problem. So I knew she would be attractive in this role.

NT: Why did you go in for an audience poll for the movie’s name? Was Jab We Met your first preference as well or would you have liked it to be called Punjab Mail or Ishq via Bhatinda?
IA: Initially, I would have liked the movie to be called Punjab Mail and not Jab We Met. But I was not very clear about which title to go with actually which is why we had the poll. I was thinking that unfortunately we had a few films called Calutta Mail and Bhopal Express and there’s Train to Pakistan too, which are all heavy films you know. I would have gone with Panjab Mail, but I thought the audience might think it’s a serious or heavy film or something.

NT: The music of the film is a film is a super success. What was your brief to Pritam?
IA: See, there was no time, there was no time at all to make this film. I have always believed that Pritam’s music has got a big heart. And I have known him since before I was a director and he was a music director. And I always used to say that it’s very sad that he hasn’t got the opportunity to make music from the heart. He’s always been approached for item numbers and stuff. But I believe he is perhaps one of the most talented musicians in the country and he’s never got the opportunity of showing a very strong side of his, which is the very romantic Bengali side. So in JWM, his songs were very Indian but at the same time, from the heart. So that was the general brief. Also the brief was that it should be unique. I had given him a very detailed brief of each of the songs and each of the situations in the movie.

He composed the movie in the process of his marriage actually. He was thinking that since he was getting married, he won’t be able to make the songs in time. But he realized that in the process of marriage there are lots of times when he has to do absolutely nothing and just sit. And while he was sitting and mantra shantra was happening around him, he was actually thinking up the songs of Jab We Met in his mind and recording it whenever he got the chance. And he was in touch with me over the phone even on the day he was getting married. So his marriage became a blessing for me.

NT: So Jab We Met is going to be a part of his life forever..
IA: (laughs) Yeah, it has the blessing of his marriage.

NT: What was your favourite bit about the music?
IA: My favourite song is Tum Se Hi and I like the way it was made. There was a lot of stress on both me and Pritam during the making of the movie and we were not getting the song. We tried a number of things for the song but it just wasn’t working out. And around 3 o clock one day, we finally cracked it and that’s how Tum Se Hi came into being. I really liked the music and the lyrics of the song. So the song is very special to me in the film.

NT: Saroj Khan did the choreography for Yeh Ishq. How was the experience of working with her on the song?
IA: Well my idea for the song was that it would be in a mountain space which would picturise people from all over Himachal Pradesh in it. So Saroj Khan was the best choice for it because she is the one person who could have given it that look and could have made so many different Himachali dancers dance to it. So what we had done was got people from various local folk dance troupes from various parts of Himachal, and there was a huge Tibetan group also. So all these people were brought to one place and screened. There were around 60 people and Saroj Khan screened them for 4 days and on the 5^th day she started shooting for the film. And it was a huge experience and a wonderful experience for me. I don’t think any other choreographer apart from her could have managed the feel of the song so well and all credit to her. I am really grateful to her.

NT: Where did you get the idea of using Walking on Sunshine as Kareena’s introduction in the promos?
IA: That came from the guy who made the promos. We have not thanked him enough for the kind of promos that he made for the movie. So he is the one who told me that the moment I narrated the story to him, Walking on Sunshine was always the song going on his mind. So he used it for Kareena’s entry in the promos. And it became such a huge hit.

NT: Is it true that you were planning to put it in the OST but couldn’t trace Katrina and the Waves to resolve copyright issues?
IA: Yeah that’s true. It wasn’t our property so we just used it in the promos so we could use it for a very short period of time. Some people told me that Walking on Sunshine has been heard on the radio too recently. So now people associate both Jab We Met with Walking on Sunshine and Walking on Sunshine with Jab We Met.

NT: Your favourite Jab We Met moment in the movie
IA: In the movie, it is the scene where Kareena calls and abuses her boyfriend.

NT: What are your favourite memories of working with Shahid and Kareena?
IA: With Kareena, When we had landed up in Rajasthan to shoot, it was very hot. And the place where we were shooting was far away from any five star hotel. And everybody was saying that we would stay in Jaipur and travel all the way to where we want to shoot but she said that no, if Imtiaz has decided the location and it’s three hours from any civilized place, I don’t mind, I am going to stay in the make up van but I’ll still shoot where he wants to shoot.

With Shahid, what I remember was that one location where we were shooting was Rohtang Pass. The weather had turned bad and people were like running helter skelter and we had to abandon shoot. And actually I remember Shahid and I were on the street trying to put everybody in vehicles and move. Because we knew that if anybody was on the street with the weather actually something might happen and somebody was going to die. And two people had already been declared dead in the area. And I remember the fiasco and frenzy with which Shahid and I were trying to get people back into their cars before us so everybody is safe and so nobody gets left behind. That’s what I remember about Shahid

NT: What was the best thing and worst thing about directing JWM?
IA: What was the best thing and worst thing about directing JWM?
Well, the bets and the worst thing, both, were that everything happened in a hurry. I never had any options, the first thought that would come in my mind was exactly what I had to do and carry on with. That was the worst thing because there was no time and that was also the best thing because it kind of encouraged me to be just instinctive.

NT: Anything about the movie that you think could have been better now that you look back to it?
IA: You know, there are details I am sure that every director when he sees his film would after sometime like to change a lot of things but all of that is not a subject of worry. You can always keep polishing but the decisions you take while you are working are the real decisions.

NT: Overall, though, you must be satisfied with Jab We Met?
IA: Satisfaction is something that no one really achieves, honestly, but I was okay with things when I was filming it, so I am okay with it.

NT: Finally, where do you go from here?
IA: I don’t know! Lots of ideas and stories are floating around in my mind but I am not sure which I want to make a movie on. I need to pick one idea and start working on that for my next movie, but I am not sure which one it would be.

© Nikhil Taneja (nikhiltaneja@gmail.com)

INTERVIEW WITH VISWANATHAN ANAND - I

Who : Viswanathan Anand
About : World Chess champion, 2007
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viswanathan_Anand

You can check out the interview HERE : Interview with Viswanathan Anand
Interview Date: October, 2007
Place: IIT Delhi Campus, New Delhi

Here I'm going to recollect how the interview with Viswanathan Anand happened and describe the entire experience of the interview.

-------- To Be Updated --------

INTERVIEW WITH VISWANATHAN ANAND - II

Who : Viswanathan Anand
About : World Chess champion, 2007
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viswanathan_Anand

How it happened : Interview with Viswanathan Anand
Interview Date: October, 2007
Place: IIT Delhi Campus, New Delhi
Pics: None

His humility and his unassuming demeanor, for a man of his stature, end up surprising you. His subtle, though terrific, sense of humour is even more unexpected. And when you are with him, you can’t help but feel you are with a great, great man. Not to mention, perhaps, one of the greatest sportspersons our country has ever produced. Viswanathan Anand, who recently became the undisputed World Chess Champion was recently in Delhi and he took out some type exclusively for us, to talk about chess, victory, Gary Kasparov and much, much more. Nikhil Taneja has the exclusive interview.

Nikhil Taneja (NT): After your victory, you had wondered as to how your reception would turn out to be when you came to India. Are you contended with the adulation so far or do you still feel the Indian media is prejudiced towards cricket?
Viswanathan Anand (VA) : Well, let me put it this way. My words were probably slightly misconstrued. The reporter asked me about what kind of reception I am expecting and I simply said We’ll see what happens. It wasn’t really a sort of challenge to the Indian people (laughs) or something like that. And the reception has been fantastic, both today(at the NIIT Mind Championship Press Conference) and at the airport a couple of days ago but I think it’s time to move on. The last two days have been fantastic and I have no complaints at all.

NT: You had said once that after you became a Grandmaster, you lost the next few games simply because you didn’t know what to aim for next. Now that you are World No. 1, how are you going to view the games you play now?
VA: I think this time it wont be a problem. The Grandmaster title is somewhat different in the sense that your goals are there and it doesn’t matter what the rest of the field does. So the moment you are aiming for a GM title, you go to a tournament and see what a GM norm is and that’s the only thing you are aiming for. You don’t care if somebody goes 2 points above or somebody finishes behind you. Whereas, I hope at least, winning the World Championship wont change my way of thinking that much at least. Also because, now I am thinking that I want to finish first in the next tournament as well, not that I want to score so many points, irrelevant of what the rest of the field does. But of course, complacency is always a danger but I think I am experienced enough to stop it once in a while and recognize it when it’s happening.

NT: What would you say is the difference between your previous world title and the current one?
VA: I don’t really distinguish between the two personally, but of course, I can’t ignore the fact that the status of the World Championship in the Chess World has changed. In 2000, there were two parallel cycles. Thankfully, since last year, that is no longer the case. So, while I personally know what I did in Delhi and what I did here, I think the Mexico event, the Undisputed World Title, is an added element.

If you’ve missed something for 5 years, then you really want it back. And having missed it also in 2005, in between at least, I had the excuse that there were no events. But in 2005, it started very promisingly and then I kind of fizzled out. So this time I was determined not to let that happen.

NT: What would you say ranks higher, beating Gary Kasparov or winning the world championship?
VA: With the faces he made in that video, I’d say, pretty close!(laughs) But no, honestly, beating Kasporav. (chuckles) Because he always made some great expressions!(laughs again)

NT: Would you like to defend your title against Gary Kasparov if he comes out of politics?
VA: If he’s interested, I am definitely open to it. And you know, if he changes his mind about chess, he’s got a match waiting. I think it would be very interesting if he returned and for me, it would be a nice challenge. I can promise him it will be less physically dangerous to him than his current occupation (laughs).

NT: At this stage of your career, what do you think are the mistakes you are yet to overcome?
VA: First of all, I still make a lot of mistakes. On a good day, you will get away with it. Perhaps, you have hit upon something your opponent can’t exploit and so on. But it’s only at tournaments you see this. At home, it’s very difficult to get into the tournament tension and analyse. But at Mexico, I made a note of some of the mistakes that happened and I’ll definitely be working on it. But this is a continuous process. Even in the most successful tournaments and it’s usually while you are playing a game, and it might even be a really good game, you’ll know that I brought something wrong, I did this wrong and I did that wrong and you have to mentally note it down. After the game finishes, you usually make a list. If I get a week or two where I can concentrate on it, I’ll definitely work on it.

NT: You had mentioned that when you were younger, a lot of senior players like Karpov and Kasparov used to find it very difficult to cope up with defeat to you. Now that you are one of the senior players in the game, with what frame of mind do you play a game with a younger player?
VA: I think Karpov and Kasparov knew this probably instinctively but John None once told me that when you are playing these young prodigies, it is very important that you beat them the first few times. Because they remember all their lives (laughs). I sort of know what he means. Because there are still some guys I’ve lost to, that I have remembered for many many years (chuckles). But what he was also saying is that as they get stronger, if they don’t remember that you beat them once or twice, they start to beat you very easily. So once I play someone young, I make a big effort in the first few games (chuckles). I think Kasparov and Karpov did this instinctively. Though they themselves are separated by each other by 12 years. Kasparov and me are separated only by 5. In fact, I would say, Karpov made the same effort with Kasparov!

NT: So what do you thing is your wife’s biggest role in your victories?
VA: It’s difficult to reduce your wife’s role to one thing but I think she basically just about cover’s everything else that’s not related to chess preparation. And she’s almost started including that as well (chuck). But generally, during a tournament, she blocks everything else off. So she cuts off anybody in the outside world, and you get into this situation when you are just able to concentrate on the game and think about nothing else and that’s a very nice situation to be in. Because when you are 100% in something and there are no distractions, and these could be 100s of little things, like she’ll plan the ticket itinerary herself, take care of all the arrangements so that I don’t have to think about 100 little details.

And second thing is I think she has gotten good at figuring out my mood during tournaments. So she also knows when to say something, when not to say something, when saying something is useless anyway, all those sorts of things. Like couple of times I lose the games and she tries to give me advice and I say, well, I am in no mood for advice, advice is useless, I knew it before the game that if I knew how to do it, I would have done it. And she says, you are going to get angry even if I keep quiet, so I might as well say it! But then we can laugh about it afterwards. But I think by now she is also used to some of these defeats (laughs). Thankfully, they are happening less.

I remember one time, she told me don’t rush anything. Because when you are tense, you tense sometime you make a movie immediately because you can’t wait to find out what the opponent has. And it’s difficult and she had seen me do it a couple of times. And she told me this knowing it’s a crucial game. It was of no use! (laughs) Every time there was a critical moment, I’d think for a while and then I couldn’t take it anymore and I’d make a move. After move 40, I remembered what she told me. It was too late actually! So it didn’t really help in that game but this was a problem I managed to avoid for the rest of the tournament. So that helped a lot!

NT: Russia has always produced a great amount of world class chess players. What is it about the Russian system that propels all chess players to such a level?
VA: I think as important as the Russian system is, I mean, they have an organized system of coaches, the very fact that if you are born in a Russian city, the chances are that there will be a Grandmaster in your city whom you can go for advice. It’s sort of this proximity to strong chess players that breeds more chess players. But I think in India, we need to start developing conditions for that. Clearly, we are way behind the Russians but essentially, the same sort of critical mass is coming here as well.

NT: Who would you say was your most difficult opponent in terms of intimidating tactics?
VA: Umm.. Generally, the computer, because it just sits there and it’s so calm and it doesn’t do anything and it annoys! With most players, at least you can read their minds and it’s a two way thing. With the computer you don’t have that option.

NT: What’s the difference between a computer opponent and a human opponent?
VA: Well, first of all, a human is dynamic. If you do something, he can adjust his strategy accordingly and so on. And we are both trying to trick each other. Okay, the no. of things a human can do is generally greater, but a computer calculates pretty brutally and you get no feedback from it. It’s an alien opponent; you can’t gauge anything from it. So it’s a totally different experience playing the two.

NT: How have computers changed the face of chess as it was?
VA: I think, not only in chess, but in general in the world, computers are changing the face of the world. And the second thing is that computers make you enormously productive. I mean, I am able to work on chess in a way that I couldn’t work on before. Instead of finding one new idea a day and spending all day on it checking all its variations, I am able to find 15 ideas a day and check them faster. And I think you have to learn to work with these tools.

NT: What do you think is the future of chess in India?
VA: I think it’s very bright. If you see the numbers we have in 2007 NIIT Mind Champions, we are already looking at 150,000 and hopefully we can build up. And we have crossed 5000 schools. The future is very bright.

In fact, that’s one of the things we are trying to do it. Incidentally, since chess is very good for academics, it helps you in problem solving and trains your mind in many ways. I think the NIIT Mind Champions Academy is the perfect way to do this.

NT: What do you think should be done to promote chess in India?
VA: I think things like we are doing in NIIT Mind Championship should be done by more organizations. You know, this year we are going to reach potentially a million and a half students. Now, once you have done something like that, your growth in the future is also assured. So, I would attach a lot of importance to such an initiative.

NT: Don’t you think it’s high time the government takes some steps to promote chess?
VA: Definitely. But I think the government has to do that for every sport it thinks is promising, it has to allocate some resources for that. But I hope they will see the results we have in chess and allocate resources accordingly.

NT: So who are the best players we have right now?
VA: At the men side, there are 5 players who are going to play in the world cup. I think that’s a very important milestone. On the women’s side, you have Humpy, who is doing miracles and she is progressing very well. I’d say, overall I am quite content with the way Indian chess is going. After Turkey, she is breaking 2600 now. And she is coming along very well. And the thing I like about her is that she keeps working hard. She doesn’t get contended. I mean, already 2600 seperates her from a lot of other women. But she is still working very hard. Harika is also doing well.

NT: What advice would you like to give to the young chess players?
VA: I would say, just take it easy. Play chess for fun and enjoy yourself. Do the things you like in chess and the rest will take care of itself.

NT: At the end of your career, what would you like your record to read as?
VA: I don’t know. I think this is for other people to judge. Things will always come along. The first thing I can think of is simply to retain my title as long as I can. That would be one thing. But the main thing is I hope I continue enjoying it. It’s not only the world championship. I enjoy a lot of the rapid events I play. There are many events I look forward to , as long as I can keep that, I’ll keep going.

© Nikhil Taneja (nikhiltaneja@gmail.com)

INTERVIEW WITH NANDANA SEN - I

Who : Nandana Sen
About : Indian Actress, Daughter of Amartya Sen
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandana_Sen

You can check out the interview HERE : Interview with Nandana Sen
Interview Date: November 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over email)
Pics: None

Here I'm going to recollect how the interview with Nandana Sen happened and describe the entire experience of the interview.

-------- To Be Updated --------

INTERVIEW WITH NANDANAS SEN - II

Who : Nandana Sen
About : Indian Actress, Daughter of Amartya Sen
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandana_Sen


How it happened : Interview with Nandana Sen
Interview Date: November 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over email)
Pics: None

With typically Bengali good looks and a talent to match, Nandana Sen is no “stranger” to the Hindi Film Industry. After creating waves in International cinema with a number of critically acclaimed films, she moved to mainstream Bollywood with Tango Charlie. Nandana, who also happens to be the daughter of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, talks exclusively about her latest commercial venture, the thriller Strangers.

Nikhil Taneja (NT): Tell us something about your upcoming release, "Strangers".
Nandana Sen(NS):"Strangers' is a beautiful but strange movie. The story is about two strangers who meet together, about two people falling in love in a strange land. It has lot of complexity, it has suspense, it's a thriller but not a complete thriller, and it's a combination of different genre above all it's a deeply emotional film.

NT: What character you

are playing in "Strangers"?
NS: I am playing a character called Priety who is from London, she is looking for love. She is very successful, passionate and a royal girl, who falls deeply in love. There are certain ups and downs in her relationship. The character is very much real. Actually you can't categorize her; she has elements of different personality traits. She is consistent, somewhere she is really tough to handle sometimes she is beautiful. In short Priety is confident, carefree, successful and sarcastic character; she is not a typical doll like character. There is enough warmth in the character.

NT: It’s been said that the movie “Strangers” is inspired by the classic Hollywood movie, “Strangers on a Train”?
NS: Whenever I choose a film I always look at how original the script is. Though everyone would feel it is 'Strangers on a train', far from it, it is different in the real sense of the word. Though in a way, It's a tribute to "Strangers in the Train", as the story takes off in the train, STRANGERS is different as cha

lk is to cheese in the overall concept. It's an extraordinary script.

NT: You have acted alongside Jimmy Shergill and Kay Kay Menon for the first time in this movie. How was the experience?
NS: It was a wonderful experience working with them. Jimmy is a great guy, sharing screen with him was great and was very easy to work with him. He has a given a wonderful performance in the film. Kay Kay is a wonderful, disciplined actor and a very nice guy. Kay Kay is extremely talented. I adore Jimmy because he is really sweet; he is very friendly and generous. One thing I have noticed about Jimmy that is he is a great singer, he sings beautifully.

NT: And how was it working with debutant director Anand L Rai ?
NS: Anand L Rai is a fantastic director and a great guy and has given me the chance to do improvisation in my character. He is very talented, sensitive, emotional and a nice man. He has a generous vision of world and human nature. One hand he is great director and the other hand he has a great vision of cinema. He has done many television serials so he is very comfortable with actors. Before the film Anand was a stranger to me now that I have done the film he has become a family to me.

NT: Tell us something about the music of “Strangers”
NS: Music of the film is melodious. Sometimes music can be obstacle if it is not used in the right manner but the music of our films play a critical part. Music of "Strangers" evokes emotions .

NT: Could you tell us about your other upcoming projects, besides “Strangers”?
NS: Besides "Strangers" I have "Forest" and right now I am doing "Colours Of Passion"----- it's a film based on the love story of painter Raja Ravi Sharma. I am playing the character of Shantabai. It's a historical character where I may be looked upon as Shakuntala, Sita, Laxmi and

Draupadi. I have done many research on the film, read books on his paintings "Forest" is an international film, it's a love triangle where I am playing a character called "Radha" who is a very tough girl. It was great playing that role. It's a story of one night stand in the forest.

NT: So what strategy do you follow in your career that makes you choose a particular film?

NS: I don't have a specific strategy about my career that I have to do 'this' film or 'that' film. I just go by what seems interesting. I enjoy every bit of the film I do.

My only strategy is not to get typecast. For me it is important to do a different type of a movie every time. This will help me to learn more things as an actor. I don't think about the film I always go by my gut feelings.

NT: Apart from acting, we’ve heard you keep yourself quite busy with lots of hobbies?
NS: I love to read and write poems. I write a lot. I also love to listen to Rabindra sangeet that is Tagore's songs. I also love listening to old Hindi film songs and jazz music. I love collecting old Hindi film cds. I do yoga three times in a week. I love dancing so I have learnt Ballet, Manipuri dance and modern dancing.

NT: Finally how would you define "Strangers" in one line?
NS: If I would have to describe the film in one line, I would say "Strangers" beautifully walks in between the good and the bad lines.

Courtesy: Raindrop Media

© Nikhil Taneja (nikhiltaneja@gmail.com)

Y

INTERVIEW WITH MONTY (SAAWARIYA MUSIC DIRECTOR) - I

Who : Monty
About : Music Composer of Saawariya
Website: None

You can check out the interview HERE : Interview with Monty
Interview Date: November, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)

Here I'm going to recollect how the interview with Monty happened and describe the entire experience of the interview.

-------- To Be Updated --------

INTERVIEW WITH MONTY (SAAWARIYA MUSIC DIRECTOR) - II

Who : Monty
About : Music Composer of Saawariya
Website: None

How it happened : Interview with Monty
Interview Date: November, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)
Pics: None

INTERVIEW WITH OMUNG KUMAR - I

Who : Omung Kumar
About : TV Anchor and Art Director of films like Black, Saawariya, Ishq Vishq, etc.
Website: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1293225/

You can check out the interview HERE : Interview with Omung Kumar
Interview Date: November, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)

Here I'm going to recollect how the interview with Omung Kumar happened and describe the entire experience of the interview.

-------- To Be Updated --------

INTERVIEW WITH OMUNG KUMAR - II

Who : Omung Kumar
About : TV Anchor and Art Director of films like Black, Saawariya, Ishq Vishq, etc.
Website: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1293225/

How it happened : Interview with Omung Kumar
Interview Date: November, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)
Pics: None

INTERVIEW WITH RANBIR KAPOOR - I

Who : Ranbir Kapoor
About : Hottest new actor on the block, Son of Rishi and Neetu Kapoor
Website: http://www.ranbirkapoor.net/(Fan site)

You can check out the interview HERE : Interview with Ranbir Kapoor
Interview Date: October, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)

Here I'm going to recollect how the interview with Ranbir Kapoor happened and describe the entire experience of the interview.

-------- To Be Updated --------

INTERVIEW WITH RANBIR KAPOOR - II

Who : Ranbir Kapoor
About : Hottest new actor on the block, Son of Rishi and Neetu Kapoor
Website: http://www.ranbirkapoor.net/(Fan site)

You can check out the interview HERE : Interview with Ranbir Kapoor
Interview Date: October, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)
Pics: None

Nikhil Taneja (NT) : First things first. Tell us in your own words about Saawariya the movie and about your role of Ranvir Raj in it.
Ranbir Kapoor(RK): Well, Saawariya primarily is a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. It’s a really simple, beautiful love story. And I play the character of Ranvir Raj who is a dreamer. He is a loner and a dreamer.

NT: What did you go through the very first time you had to face the camera and Mr. Bhansali said Action!
RK: Well, the thing is, Mr. Bhansali involved me at a very early process in Saawariya. We there from the pre production stages, we were a part of the scripting and the music and the set design. And I think that really helps us get into the film and get into our characters. We spoke a lot about our characters and by the time we were about to shoot, I think we were really well prepared.

And also yeah, you do feel nervous for the initial 10 seconds before he says action. And you know after that, after you pass your first shot, then it becomes easy at the top, a bit more glamorous I guess!

NT: You perhaps couldn’t have been launched by a better director. Even though you had assisted Mr. Bhansali during black, how was he to work under as a director?
RK: Well, it was always a dream to work with him. I have learnt so much from him when I was assisting him for Black. I learnt all about the film industry, I learnt about cinema, about acting, everything from him. So just working under him was a dream and I credit everything I know today about acting to him. I am proud to say that I am a graduate of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali school of cinema.

NT: The movie also stars two of the biggest stars in Bollywood, Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan. Coming from a film family, you would have known them before but how exactly was the experience of sharing the same scene with them?
RK: Well I didn’t have the privilege to share any screen space with Salman sir, but he’s been really supportive of me. He treats me like a younger brother, advises me and guides me a lot. But I did have the privilege of working of working with Miss Rani Mukherjee and well, what can I say? She is such a fantastic actress, everybody knows that. And just working with her and just observing her on the set and going and doing a scene with her, when we both are in the same scene, it is so exhilarating. You especially have to keep up with her and that just makes your performance much better.

NT: What are your favourite memories of working with Rani and Sanjay Leela Bhansali?
RK: With Rani, I was part of the song called Chabeela which is on the soundtrack. Rani sings that song to me and all you have to do is look at her while she was doing the song. And it was so amazing. Because it was actually like she was the character of Gulab. It was actually like Gulab came to life, you know. She dances in front of me and her expressions in that song, I’ll always cherish that.

About Sanjay Sir, I remember, in our first schedule, I had this huge monologue. I had this two page monologue and I had to do it in one shot. I was really nervous and Mr. Bhansali spoke me through it. And then I just went and did the shot and the shot was okayed in two takes and you know, the whole set clapped. And during lunch break, he came to my room and said that, today I feel that an actor has arrived and I would want to have lunch with you in your room. I think that was a very nice moment for me.

NT: The music of the movie is beautiful and has a very serene and earthy feeling to it. What did you think the first time you heard the songs of Saawariya? Lyrics?
RK: Well I am too much in love with every aspect of Saawariya’s music. I was a part of the music from the music sittings to the composed compositions to actually recording the music. I have been part of the entire process. So everything was really special, all the songs are really special. All of them are my favourites.

The lyrics are really simple and beautiful. They are nothing that the people won’t understand. They are simple lyrics and that’s what works best, simple poetry which people can understand. They are very hummable songs. They are not songs which you cannot sing, so that’s really important.

NT: Which is the first song you shot? How did it feel accustomizing with the Bollywood song and dance routine?
RK: The first song song I shot was Mashallah. I was really nervous I remember I had messaged my dad. I messaged him saying I am really nervous, I need to go shoot the song and all. And he messaged me back saying you don’t have anything to be nervous about. You are a Kapoor and you have to just sing loudly and have fun and don’t have to act like you are singing but have to actually sing the song. Do it passionately. So I think it boosted my confidence and it went smooth after that.

NT: One of the highlights of the movie are the sets. Were you awed the first time you came to the sets?
RK: No, not at all. I was dying, you know. It was a lifelong dream for me to be a part of cinema and be an actor. The first day I was on the sets I was just waiting for him to call Action and it was a really exciting time for me.

NT: You had assisted Mr. Bhansali on Black and the sets that time were quite dark and suddenly you come to the Saawariya sets, you see a completely different thing. So what went through your mind when you first saw the sets?
RK: Black was supposed to be that way. That was the look of the film. That was the palette that was used for the making of that film and it suited the story. This was a completely new story and a completely new outlook to a film. And like I said, I was a part of the process of designing the sets so I was aware of it and I knew like it’s going to turn out to be stunning when you see it on the screen. And then, when the movie releases, you will realize yourself what magic has been created just by the sets. And the credit really goes to Mr. Omung Kumar, who is a fantastic production designer.

NT: Which is your favourite song of the movie?
RK: Well, I would say, Pari.

NT: What would you say is your favourite Saawariya moment?
RK: I would say the climax which was really challenging and was really hard. I am really proud of myself when I sit back and see the climax of the film. During the shooting of the movie, I cannot pinpoint one moment which was special to me, the entire process was very special. Working under Mr. Bhansali, working with Zohra Sehgal who worked with my great grand father Mr. Prithvi Raj Kapoor; she was his first leading lady. To work with her, everything has been really special. Every moment.

NT: Any memorable or funny incidents from the shooting that you'd like to recall for our readers?
RK: Well, I think I am a big klutz so there were a lot of funny moments. I don’t get embarrassed easily but there are a lot of times I keep falling down and things keep falling on me, so there were a lot of funny moments like that.

NT: What were your parents reactions when you first broke the news to your parents that Mr. Bhansali has signed you on? Did they know that you were hoping for it?
RK: Mr. Bhansali had actually called and told my parents and they were very happy for me because my father had always wanted me to work with Mr. Bhansali and so did my mom. I mean you don’t get bigger than this. So I think they were really proud and were really happy because I couldn’t have been a part of a better film and couldn’t have been under a better director.

NT: What advice did they give you individually?
RK: Like I said you know, they have always, subsconsciously told me all my life a few things about cinema and filmmaking. They haven’t really sat me down and said that okay now that you are becoming an actor these are the things you should do and these are the things you should not do. They’ve always been telling me small small things which have really stayed with me. So nothing in general that you know, these are the pointers you have to follow.

Both of them said that you really have to work hard and to not lose hope even if things don’t work out and then you should have the strength to work even harder, be passionate about it and be hard working. I think they wanted me to learn from their mistakes too.

NT: Growing up and seeing your sister sticking to a completely different path than Bollywood, were you ever in two minds about what you wanted to do in life or were you always sure you wanted to be an actor?
RK: No, I was always sure that wanted to be a part of films. I didn’t know what aspect of films I wanted to be a part of, whether it was acting or direction or production, but I always knew that I wanted to be a part of films.

NT: You assisted your father on Aa Ab Chalen. Was that the turning point of your life - the moment you decided that this is it, I want to be an actor and nothing else? Or was it something else?
RK: Actually, I had worked before on Prem Granth, a film that was directed by my Chacha, Mr. Rajiv Kapoor. I gave the clap on that and I guess, from there onwards, I became really passionate about filmmaking and being a part of the set, watching actors, creating life in cinema, that itself really attracted me to the process of filmmaking.

NT: You assisted Mr. Bhansali in Black hoping that he'd cast you one day. You were anyway getting a lot of offers. What was your plan B?
RK: Well I didn’t have a plan B. Because I didn’t think that it wouldn’t happen. I went there with a positive outlook to it, and I was really optimistic and I couldn’t think otherwise. I knew if this was my destiny and this was written for me, I knew I’d achieve it.

NT: You knew Sonam since quite a long time. Did that make it easier working opposite her or difficult?
RK: Absolutely easier. Because we are such good friends and we understand each other so well and that’s really important between two actors, the trust and understanding. There were no attitudes between us, there were no ego hassles, we were constantly supporting each other, encouraging each other, trying to make each other’s performance better, so I think it was really healthy and a really wonderful experience I shared with her.

NT: But didn’t it ever feel awkward even when you had to mouth romantic lines to her?
RK: Not at all, not at all. Sonam is such a beautiful girl, she is so beautiful that it made saying those romantic lines so much easier. In fact, I am so proud of her that she has come so far and she’s such a talented actress, she is so pretty, she is hard working, she is so passionate about her work. I am so proud of her.

NT: Though people say that star kids have it easy, isnt it particularly difficult for you considering your family's legacy and the expectations that are attached to you?
RK: Well there is a good side and the bad side. The good side is that you get your first break, there is a curiosity about you, people go and see you, they recognize you and they know you. The bad side is that there is so much expectations, there is so much pressure, there is comparison. People are going to criticize everything about you, they’d probably get into personal criticism about you. I mean there are good sides and bad sides to everything but I completely understand that it comes with the territory and I am prepared for it. And I signed up for it and I have no qualms about it all.

NT: So, how did your first autograph feel?
RK: Well it felt great. Like I said, there are a few things in life that you always dream of, your first autograph, your first trailer, your first banner, and everything was really special. My first autograph was in Poona when I had gone there on some work and that’s where I signed it. It felt really special.

NT: Finally, tell us why you think Saawariya as a movie and not as your launch, is a must see for the audience?
RK: Well I wouldn’t want to say that it’s a different film. I wouldn’t want to profess anything. It’s a beautiful, simple love story. Give it a watch. It’s a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, you cannot get bigger than that!

© Nikhil Taneja (nikhiltaneja@gmail.com)

Y

INTERVIEW WITH SONAM KAPOOR - I

Who : Sonam Kapoor
About : Hottest new actress on the block, Daughter of Anil Kapoor
Website: http://www.sonam-kapoor.net/ (Fan Site)

You can check out the interview HERE : Interview with Sonam Kapoor
Interview Date: October, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)

Here I'm going to recollect how the interview with Sonam Kapoor happened and describe the entire experience of the interview.

-------- To Be Updated --------

INTERVIEW WITH SONAM KAPOOR - II

Who : Sonam Kapoor
About : Hottest new actress on the block, Daughter of Anil Kapoor
Website: http://www.sonam-kapoor.net/ (Fan Site)

How it happened : Interview with Sonam Kapoor
Interview Date: October, 2007
Place: N/A (Interview taken over phone)
Pics: None

Nikhil Taneja (NT): First things first. Tell us in your own words about Saawariya the movie and about your role in it.
Sonam Kapoor (SK): Umm.. Saawariya is a love story. A very simple, beautiful, heart warming love story. It’s about love that goes beyond all boundaries and it’s about two souls who, alone in the world, want love to fulfill their lives and to make them whole.

I play Sakina in the film and she’s a very simple girl and she believes in eternal love

NT: What did you go through the very first time you had to face the camera and Mr. Bhansali said Action!
SK: The thing is, that the first time I faced the camera, it was Ranbir’s shot and I was walking in the background. That was my first shot. And when I heard action, even though I was in the background and I had my whole make up on and you can’t actually see me, I just felt this thrill and I felt a sense of belonging, you know, like I had come to my place. And when I faced the camera, everything just washed away, you know. All The nervousness, all the excitement. I just became Sakina and from that moment onwards I knew I had to be an actor.

NT: You perhaps couldn’t have been launched by a better director. Even though you had assisted Mr. Bhansali during black, how was he to work under as a director?
SK: You know, as an Assistant Director, he was my teacher. And he is still my teacher. So it’s just a subject change. So it’s the same thing. There is no difference now, except that he is teaching me another subject. Now I was wearing pretty clothes and I was wearing make up and I was in front of the camera and before I was behind the camera and I wasn’t wearing pretty clothes or make up, that’s it!

NT: The movie also stars two of the biggest stars in Bollywood, Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan. Coming from a film family, you would have known them before but how exactly was the experience of sharing the same scene with them?
SK: They are both my favourites, can you believe it? Rani is like my favourite actor. After Sridevi and Madhuri, she is my favourite. Sridevi is my all time favourite because she can do comedy, drama, dance, everything at the same time. And this was much before she became my chachi. Now I don’t look at her as an actor, now she is family. I’ve seen all her films, Sadma, Chalbaaz, etc before she became family. She’s always been my favourite. But now I don’t look at her like an actor anymore. Now she’s like my father. My father is never an actor for me, he’s my father. In the same way, now Sridevi is my chachi, she’s my surrogate mom. She takes care of me a lot and gives me too much advice!

Rani Mukherjee is on her way to become a legend. Isn’t that an obvious thing? I mean, who is a better actor than her right now? Tell me. Give me one actor who is a better actor right now? Whether it’s an actor or an actress, Nobody is a better actor right now, according to me. Nobody can do her variety of roles and even though I have known her like, really really well, it was like an unreal experience working with her because she is the most amazing actor ever, she is so spontaneous!

And Salman, Oh my God! He’s a rockstar. He’s the hottest thing to walk this earth! He’s so hot! And I was totally in awe of him and everybody’s got a wrong impression of him. He is such a hardworking person and he knows exactly what he is doing. He is not at all careless. He is completely on mark, on time, his continuity is perfect. He is the most professional actor I’ve ever met! He’s not Salman Khan for no reason!

NT: What did you get to learn from them? What advice did they give you?
SK: Basically, Salman told me that if you don’t have fun while acting, there is no point acting so just relax, chill out and don’t take yourself so seriously. Acting is the easiest thing and the hardest thing in the world, you just have to decide which one is it for you at that moment, is it hard or is it easy. It’s like everything else in life.

Rani just taught me to be spontaneous, professional, honest and to always listen to elders and be respectful.

NT: What are your favourite memories of working with Rani, Salman and Sanjay Leela Bhansali?
SK: With Mr.Bhansali, every minute has been an amazing experience. And he has given me a lot. I think you cannot have a better teacher. Every moment has been amazing. Whether it’s like going for music sessions with him or costume trials, he’s looked after me so well. I’m like his own daughter.

With Rani, I had one scene with her but I worked as an Assistant Director (AD) on Black. Basically we had this climax scene going on and we had a continuinty jerk, which was an AD’s fault. And she took it on herself because she knew the AD would get into trouble and she knew, being the star on the film, she won’t get into trouble. So she just took it on herself and said it was her fault and she should have realized it. That just showed me what a big person she is. That was amazing.

And with Salman, it’s like he treats everybody as an equal. Nobody is above or below him, everybody is the same. And I love that about him.

NT: The music of the movie is beautiful and has a very serene and earthy feeling to it. What did you think the first time you heard the songs of Saawariya? Lyrics?
SK:You know, I have heard the songs of Saawariya since Monty used to come and play it on his keyboard in Mr. Bhansali’s house when he was singing it, the scratch record. So I’ve grown with the music and the music is a part of my soul right now and it is beautiful. I think Saawariya is going to be an album which is going to last like for the next 100 years, the songs are that beautiful

I really love the lyrics. I really liked Thode Badmash, written by Nusrat Badr. I think it’s one of the most simple and beautiful songs. I like Pari, written by Sameer Bhai. I think the songs are very simple and at the same time, they have a lot of layers.

NT: Which is the first song you shot? How did it feel accustomizing with the Bollywood song and dance routine?
SK: See, we shot Mashallah first. I was a little nervous first, when shooting the song because Mr. Bhansali is known for his songs, but at the same time, I got into it quite easily because I really love dancing and I love music. I’ve been a big nautanki since I was small!

It wasn’t easy though, nothing is easy but it was just that Mr. Bhansali guided me. He made it easy for me. Otherwise, if it was any other director, I’d be falling flat on my face. It’s just because of Mr. Bhansali that I’ve been able to do it!

NT: Which is your favourite song of the movie?
SK: I don’t know, I don’t have a favourite song. I love all of them! But if you ask me to choose, I love Tere Naina and Yun Shabnami.

NT: One of the highlights of the movie are the sets. Were you awed the first time you came to the sets?
SK: The first time Sir brought me to the sets and I went around it, I just felt at home. I was awed and I was like, Oh My God, I am a part of this beautiful, unreal, surreal world and I thanked God. I went home and I prayed and I thanked God! Because I love being a part of beauty. Who doesn’t want to be a part of beauty?

NT: What would you say is your favourite Saawariya moment.
SK: Umm.. Ranbir and I have been best friends since a really really long time. He’s one of my best friends. And he had to do this one scene where he lifted me up and I slide down. And I think that was a culmination of what Saawariya means where he swings me around and I slide down and in every Saawariya trailer there is this moment in the snow, have you seen it?

NT: Yeah I have
SK: Yeah well, at that point, everybody was at their brilliant best. That was Mr. Bhansali’s moment. That was Ravi Chandran’s brilliant work. You could see Omung’s beautiful sets. And the chemistry between Ranbir and I was completely apparent at that moment. And that’s what makes Saawariya. It’s a relationship between two people. And the culmination between Ravi Chandran, Omung Kumar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s brilliance is shown in that moment. It’s Mr. Bhansali’s moment and he has brought out the chemistry between Ranbir and I in that. I think that is the it moment in Saawariya.

NT: Any memorable or funny incidents from the shooting that you'd like to recall for our readers?
SK: Okay, yeah, Ranbir, like, fell off a boat (laughs). He is the most klutzy person in the world. He is constantly falling all over the place. (Still laughing). I think that’s very funny! He’s too funny.

As for me, the thing is, I had drapes all over me and I had the heaviest clothes, right? And there were scenes in which there was rain and there is this huge dress I was wearing which was already like 40m long and when the rain comes, it becomes heavier! So from being 5 kgs, it became 10 kgs. And I had to take a chakkar and I did a chakkar and I reached the other side of the set! (laughs again)

NT: Your mother was always on the sets with you. Did that make things awkward at any point of time or did it make them easier for you?
SK: Oh it was easier, any day.

NT: What were your parents reactions when you first broke the news to your parents that Mr. Bhansali has signed you on? Did they know that you were hoping for it?
SK: I didn’t break the news to them. Mr. Bhansali broke the news to them. I didn’t have the guts to do that! I am a Punjabi girl from a Punjabi family. We don’t become actresses you know! We father was okay with it but my was a little iffy about it. My father treats me like a son. He’s like, I’ve had the best time in the industry, how can I deny my daughter that? And my mom was like, study! But it’s okay now. My dad was chilled about it. They were amazing actually, they were very supportive about it. They just want me to be happy.

NT: Were they expecting it?
SK: No, they were not. They were like, completely shocked.

NT: Ranbir has confessed that he went to assist Mr. Bhansali on Black with the intention of being launched by him. What was on your mind?
SK: I didn’t have any such intention (giggles). I was like 90 kilos okay! 86 kilos actually.(hyper) And I used to wear chashmas and kurtas and walk around. If I had wanted to be an actress, I’d have lost some weight and gone to Mr. Bhansali and told him please cast me! I wouldn’t have gone like that, trust me! (laughs)

The thing is, the first day I went to him, he said, you should be an actress. I want you to act in my film. And I was like, Sir, I can’t act. I had gone there to learn filmmaking and writing from him. But while I was assisting him, I realized that I was more interested in what was happening in front of the camera than behind the camera.

NT: What advice did they give you individually?
SK: My mom wanted me to become a writer. My dad was just like be honest, work hard and be a good daughter, and that’s it.

NT: What do you write?
SK: I write for myself. I write stories or I write in my diary.

NT: So you are good at it?
SK: I am okay. I don’t think I am that good. I really don’t think I am really good. I am not a very good writer. I am all over the place all the time. I don’t have the confidence to publish my work so I don’t think I’ll ever do that! I think you can either be a writer or you can’t and I just don’t have the confidence to be one.

NT: You knew Ranbir since quite a long time. Did that make it easier working opposite her or difficult?
SK: Easier, definitely easier. I thanked God and I thanked my stars it was Ranbir and not anybody else who was my first co star and nobody else who was my first co star because I can make a complete fool of myself and I’d know he’d still be myself (giggles uncontrollably ).

NT: Though people say that star kids have it easy, isnt it particularly difficult for you considering the perfectionist your father is and the expectations that are attached to you?
SK: See, I’ll be honest with you. If I wasn’t Anil Kapoor’s daughter, I wouldn’t be assisting Sanjay Leela Bhansali and I wouldn’t have got a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film because he wouldn’t have noticed me otherwise. So yeah, the entry is always easier. I get all the attention from the reporters, media and the publicity people because I happen to be Anil Kapoor’s daughter. So there are pros and cons to being a star kid. And there are pros and cons to not being a star kid. And if you realize right now, nobody in the industry who is on top comes from the film industry. Whether it’s Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Rani Mukherjee’s father was a small actor but she is the best right now. Anybody, who is on the top right now, has not been from a film family. And I think it’s a completely wrong notion that nepotism has a hold on the film industry. I think it’s like any other industry in the world. Whether you are Anil Ambani or Mukesh Ambani, you happen to be Dhirubai Ambani’s son, it’s still about the industry. Whether you are a politician’s son, whether you are an industry person’s son or daughter or whether you are a film industry person’s son or daughter, it’s like any other industry. It’s all about your destiny and your luck.

NT: So how did your first autograph feel?
SK: Well, I was awkward about it but I was very happy. I don’t really remember who took it. It happened outside the sets of Saawariya. I was shooting with Salman and I think they had actually come to take Salman’s autograph, this whole group of people, and they just happened to see me. They didn’t know who I was and they were like, Oh! She’s shooting with Salman! Let’s take her autograph, maybe she’ll become an actress one day.

NT: How did it feel the first time you saw yourself on screen?
SK: Whenever I see myself on video or TV and stuff like that, it’s literally unreal and I can’t see myself. I cannot watch myself on screen ! I just close my eyes during my scenes!

NT: Finally, tell us why you think Saawariya as a movie and not as your launch, is a must see for the audience?
SK: Because if you want to fall in love and if you believe in love, then Saawariya is the film for you.

© Nikhil Taneja (nikhiltaneja@gmail.com)

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