| The Says Anurag Kashyap, who won't make popular films just because No Smoking has been rejected by audiences | | | phook de: John Abraham and Bipasha Basu in No Smoking | Anurag Kashyap, director of the recently released No Smoking, breaks his silence. In a no-holds-barred interview, Anurag talks about harsh critics, his film being a complete washout at the box-office and also defends his work. Who did you make No Smoking for?
I made the film to reach out to as many people as I could. I think a lot of people got it barring the mainstream reviews. Baradwaj Rangan (who got the National Award this year for the Best Critic) and various other reviewers and a a hell lot of other people liked the film. But yes, the percentage of these people is not much, maybe about .5%. But for me, this .5% is also a lot. I think I reached out to many people. Are you a bad loser?
Yes, this is one place where people are right, two-three reviews did affect me. So that way you can call me a bad loser. I had no issues with any of the reviews. When I said Taran Adarsh wouldn't get the film in his seven lives, I said that because he is not a critic, he is a trade pundit. What about box-office success?
I'm a filmmaker who doesn't want to make one film, I want to keep making films. I don't want to break box-office records but yes, I am ambitious. I do want my films to make good money, or at least, recover the cost for my producers' sake. The producer has put in money in me and at the same time, reposed faith in me too. I'd want Kumar Mangat and Eros to recover their money. What about NS being inspired by the short story, Quitters Inc and the film Cat's Eye?
When I started to write about this film, I didn't know there was a story called Quitters Inc. Ramu only told me half the story of Quitters Inc, but when I read it, it turned out to be so different and complete in its own way. Earlier the film was about a man who smokes and a corporation helps him quit. Eventually, it became something else, it became my personal film, it is like my fight against the system. Wasn't SRK the first choice for the film?
Yes, he had the script for six to eight months. He said, 'do something that people will understand'. He said, 'first make a film where you reach out and then you should make this'. The thing is, I still wouldn't have done that. I am happy I made No Smoking right now. So now can one expect commercial movies from you?
No, I will always make my kind of films, which I will try to reach out to as many people I can. Even if you look at No Smoking, the first half is commercial enough in a way that no film in Hindi cinema has been. If I had to continue on those lines it would have been a commercial movie. I didn't make this film for myself. I wanted to reach out, probably I didn't know how to. My next film, Hanuman Returns is my most commercial movie ever, I have made it for my daughter cause she always says that she can't watch my films and this one is for her with a tag bearing 'Just For You'! Your take on Saawariya and Om Shanti Om?
I would pick Om Shanti Om any day, just for the '70s theme I see in the songs. I know I will never be able to make a film like Main Hoon Naa, but watching it was guilty pleasure, barring the climax action sequences. Farah Khan has a sense of humour. For that fun element, I would go and see Om Shanti Om. But I will also see Saawariya, simply because it is a musical by Bhansali. But when it comes to songs, I think the best-shot song in recent times is Aankhon ki gustakiyaan… from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. I will see Saawariya too but I will see Om Shanti Om first. What is your problem with Karan Johar and his show?
Karan Johar brings in his own friends, and that makes him look good. In one episode with Richard Gere, we are talking about a man who is way up in the power list of Bollywood and a man who is not even in the top 100 on the power list of Hollywood. And when two of them are coming together on the show Bollywood looks very bad. It looks like Bollywood knows nothing. Karan Johar didn't know what the hell to ask this man. Richard Gere literally made Bollywood and people from it look like fools. And on the other hand, Karan calls in Rakhi Sawant and Himesh Reshammiya, and secretly laughs at them. What he is trying to communicate is that by bringing you on the sofa, he is showcasing his power. It's a secret complex of a child who never had that sense of power when he was back in boarding school. Karan thinks you need a psychiatrist.
When Karan says that I need a psychiatrist, maybe I do but I think he needs one too. His whole life is about hanging on to people to find his own recognition; he hungers for fame, which is a fact. At the same time, I loved his Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. I had no problems with the film. Only that Bhiku Mhatre didn't win Best Supporting Actor but Salman did for this film. KWK is about sho-sha. Karan asks how I can criticise legends like Yash Chopra. I have never criticised Yash Chopra, I have always criticised Yash Raj Films and the kind of cinema they represent today, not earlier. You see he has to attach Yash Chopra's name because his own name will not have the validity when you talk about cinema. That's because he doesn't have much to talk about cinema, he has lots to talk in terms of box-office success, he is a superhit, and he is the biggest blockbuster in the country. Yash Johar was probably the finest production man in the industry, but with three successful films, Karan doesn't become Yash Johar or even a Yash Chopra. He has lost weight but in his mind, he is still that fat kid who needs all the attention he can get. In my mind, I am the kid who was abused. http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/november/166416.htm WOW..this is such a shocking and honest article...his comments about Karan Johar are bang on! He is the director of No smoking..it is hilarious to read this! Plz comment😛 |
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