Posted:
"After the release, I will take the Sunday off and decide on Monday, what I want to do next" - Rakyesh Mehra
| He is probably one of the most hatke directors of his generation. The last time he had a release, it was Aks, way back in 2001. Unfortunately the audience and critics alike weren't very kind to his last offering. After a gap of four years, he is back with Rang De Basanti. The expectations are running high what with it being a 25 crore project and Aamir Khan being a part of it. So let's see, what's in store for us this time. This is your next release after Aks. You've been out of the limelight for so long. What were you up to? Well, I was concentrating on my script. I was working on three scripts simultaneously. Rang De Basanti was one of them. Once the script was bound and sealed, it was decided that it would go on floors. As it happened, Rang De Basanti was the first one. What is Rang De Basanti about? It is a subject for the youth, a very contemporary Indian story. It is youthful, vibrant and colorful. It also has a strong message at the end of the story. In a nutshell, the genre is drama. The title is very unusual. How did you decide on this title? I didn't decide on the title, but the story decided on the title. It draws its inspiration from the youth of the past. This is the story of three youth of today. Thus the title!
Before this film, I didn't know Aamir personally. I was a great fan of his work. I still am and now after shooting Rang De Basanti, I think I am his greatest fan. I had SMSed him, telling him I have a script and he was not in town. Once he was back, I narrated the script to him and he accepted, right after the narration. It is said that Aamir Khan is one of the most interfering actors on set. What do you have to say to that? As a director, I have enjoyed working with Aamir Khan. I hope he has enjoyed working with me as an actor. Seeing the entire process of the making, I am quite proud of the results. It has been a very positive and a healthy relationship for both of us. Words like interference are very clichd. There is much more than that which goes into a movie. Definitely, his approach to film making is very sincere and proactive. He is a great believer in the script and I share certain traits and sentiments with him. I believe in the script and the screenplay. That is the Bible that we follow. Our task is to put that on celluloid, as sincerely as we can and also in the most entertaining fashion.
Rang De Basanti is truly an ensemble piece. Of course, there is Aamir, one of the best actors among his contemporaries and also one of the best actors this country has ever seen. Along with him, we have Atul Kulkarni, who is a very accomplished actor. Then we have stalwarts like Waheeda Rehman, Om Puri, Kirron Kher and Anupam Kher who have defined acting styles in their own manner. I saw a very fine performer in Madhavan. Over and above that, I have been very lucky to be able to work with extremely young and fresh blood like Kunal Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Siddharth and Soha. They have brought in so much freshness and a contemporary feel to the film. It has been a pleasure working with them and I have learnt a lot from the youngsters. What can you tell us about the music of the film? For me the music of Rang De Basanti, philosophically is like the soul of the film. Rahman has been a very influencing factor in the way the movie has shaped up. Not only in terms of the music, but I have discussing the film with him since three years. I've been wanting to work with him since the past five years. I discussed various subjects with him, but then he heard Rang De Basanti. The fact that Rahman saw something special in my story made me think. He has interpreted the music of the film in a certain way and has juxtaposed the story with the sound. He is essentially the soul of Rang De Basanti and Prasoon Joshi has given it a voice. Prasoon is extremely talented and a true poet. His poetry touches you deep down. Commercially, I believe the album is selling like hot cakes! It is doing well without the help of major promos. Our marketing plan is yet to roll out. In fact, today is the first day that I am giving interviews for the film. The music holds on its own and it has given us an impetus to release the film. Tell us about some memorable incidents that you had during the shooting of the film. The movie went on floors on February 25th. And a month before that we had done extensive rehearsals. We had readings wherein all actors and technicians were present. We did our homework and then went on floors. The first day, we shot at the Golden Temple and then we shot for 100 days at a stretch. When the unit is together for so long, there is a lit of bonding that happens. We all became very close. And there are so many things to talk about. Once we're through with the release, we will all have time to recall the fun that we had.
What is the USP of this film? |
Tum Se Tum Tak
Cricket
