YASH CHOPRA... has been a big in- fluence on me, ever since I can re- member. I got attracted to films when I saw Daag, Silsila, Waqt, Dhool Ka Phool. I loved Kabhi Kabhie for its lines, its music and songs. His cinema has been break- through in so many ways. He made a songless thriller in Ittefaq. He had a social message in Dhool Ka Phool. Silsila and Lamhe were both brave films. When he made Vijay, he suddenly realised half way through that his heart wasn't in it and he started Chandni. He has always taken risks with his films and Chandni was one of them. Remember, he released it in 1989, the worst phase of Hindi cin- ema when people were dancing on kitchen utensils. In Darr, he made the antagonist his protagonist. Dil To Pagal Hai (DTPH) brought a new aesthetic into Hindi cinema in the way it was styled, from the sets to the costumes. DTPH is plush and unreal, but it's com- pletely cinematic. Then there was his Salim-Javed phase with films like Deewar. It's easy to mess up a great screenplay. But he did justice to the script. He keeps telling Adi (Aditya Chopra) and me that we play it too safe. He's entering his 50th year as a filmmaker. RAJ KAPOOR... I think Awara is the perfect screenplay. It is engaging even today. Bobby is the ultimate love story, there were hundreds of spin-offs later. I used the line Mu- jhse dosti karoge, in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (KKHH). In fact, Kajol's innocence in KKHH is based on Manorama (Padmini Kolhapure's character) as she is in the first half of Prem Rog. I've been deeply influenced by Raj Kapoor – my top shots, the drama, confrontations – are all from him. The first part of Mera Naam Joker is spectacular. The film is mildly indulgent but you can't take away from the ge- nius of the man. He was a pas- sionate filmmaker. Always in love, with cinema, with life. MASOOM... I went through all kinds of emotions when I watched this film. I felt so involved in the lives of its characters. The little boy just broke my heart. His inno- cence, his childishness, it made you want to hug him. Shekhar Ka- pur brought a whole new tone to films with Masoom. ARTH... I loved it for its starkness, its ending. The way it addressed infidelity, it was superb. UMRAO JAAN... For the music and for Rekha. HUM AAPKE HAIN KAUN... I walked into the hall to see HAHK and walked out wanting to make films. My friends mocked me, but I loved it. For me, it was rocking from the first frame to the last. I've seen it 12 times. Sooraj Barjatya, the di- rector, is a truly good, clean per- son. And HAHK was all about goodness, positivity and hope. SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI... I love his films. He's deeply inspired by world cinema and by the greats of the golden period. Khamoshi, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam – you can see the influence of Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, Bimal Roy. His characters are like mine – real, but in an unreal atmosphere. His cinema is theatrical, operatic, it comes from his gut. I would call him a passionately arrogant film- maker. He doesn't claim to be real and simple. His world is grand. LAGAAN, DIL CHAHTA HAI, RANG DE BASANTI, TAARE ZAMEEN PAR... I must make a special mention of Aamir Khan. Taare Zameen Par blew my mind. I sat transfixed in my chair for ten minutes after the film got over. It's a piece of art. It's like the best cinema from any- where in the world. Lagaan is in the same league as Naya Daur or Ganga Jamuna. Rang De Basan- ti's screenplay floored me with its bravery. It was the weirdest idea – and a brilliant film came out of it. Dil Chahta Hai defined the new young cool. Suddenly the cool of KKHH seemed inadequate. FARAH KHAN... I call her today's Manmohan Desai. She is unaba- shedly entertaining. She has a ball making her films and doesn't give a shit what you think. But she clearly enjoys herself so much, you can't help but join the party. CHAK DE! INDIA... A sports film that wasn't only about sports. I think it's Shah Rukh's best performance to date. He is Kabir Khan. In the last scene when the girls win and he stumbles – it's a really great acting moment.
Vasudha
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