Lights, camera, vision! Review by Subhash

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Lights, camera, vision!

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Back to Section Stories Posted On Thursday, July 12, 2007


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Subhash K Jha

A still from Omkara

To watch talent blossom and erupt in front of you is a miraculous experience, akin to watching the birth of a baby. Each time I look at Vishal Bhardwaj, I feel a sense of profound pride swell within my heart. Vishal and I go back to the time when he was struggling to establish a foothold in the industry. What I remember about him was his dignity and pride. He wouldn't bend, change, let alone compromise with his music. And he wouldn't suck up to anybody. There are so many biggies in the industry from whom Vishal distanced himself, just because he felt he had a long way to go. (As long as he had Gulzarsaab on his side he didn't need egocentric support systems.)

When Vishal decided to direct a film, he very honestly confessed it was mainly to create a musical opportunity for himself. I remember after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Vishal had taken a self-written script on the theme of reincarnation to Sanjay Bhansali. It didn't work out. I don't think Vishal ever forgot that incident. Each time we speak, he jokingly reminds me of it.

Who would know Makdee would merge into Maqbool? After Omkara, Vishal is one of the most celebrated directors in India.

For me, he's still that unassuming simple guy from Meerut who shared with me an insane passion for Lataji's voice, and who sent me the script for his purported first film, an Indo-Pak love story entitled Barf , with Sushmita Sen cast as an airforce pilot and Manoj Bajpai as a Pakistani refugee she hides in her house.

I still have the test pictures Vishal had clicked at his home with Sushmita wearing a Princess Diana wig. And I still have that script where Vishal has mischievously interpolated a cheesy foul-mouthed policeman named Subhash K Jha. I threatened to sue Vishal for defamation. He laughed hard.

Today neither he nor I have the time to share a laugh. And I suspect he thinks I've other filmmaker friends who I'm closer to.

Rakeysh Mehra is another Lata bhakt whom I bonded with long before he became the creator of Rang De Basanti. After Aks failed, Rakeysh was very disappointed as he couldn't figure out what went wrong. It took him three years to get over his disappointment. He was supposed to start a film called Samjhauta Express with Abhishek. That didn't happen.

Then Rakeysh rang up one day, highly excited. "I've just recorded a song with Lataji for my new film. When she came to the studio my hands and feet went cold," he said.

Yeah yeah, I know that feeling. I also knew the soon-to-be historic Rang De Basanti soundtrack before its release. Taking me into confidence, Rakeysh had burnt a CD of the music long before its official release and sent it to me.

It's one of the most precious gifts I've received along with the scripts of Black, Barf and Kaante that were sent by their creators for my eyes only. They are priceless. I'll auction them in my old age.

And Anubhav Sinha! Isn't this the guy who made that small-time film called Tum Bin? Very frankly, I thought Anubhav would fade away after a few false starts. Who could know that this quiet creator would one day reinvent himself as the Dus dude. I know for a fact that people from his own cast and crew sniggered at Anubhav during Dus.

Today when I see Shamita shimmering to the virally contagious sound of 'Mindblowing Mahiya' I begin to believe in destiny. How else does one explain the rise of Anubhav from Tum Bin and Tathastu to Dus and Cash ; and the inverse creative downslide of Dharmesh Darshan from Lootere and Dhadkan to Bewafaa and Aap Ki Khatir?

Interestingly, Anubhav's spectacular rise to form coincided with Abhishek Bachchan's miraculous makeover. I think 'Dus Bahane' did the trick for him. I hope Abhishek acknowledges Anubhav as an amateur architect of his makeover.

Whether the superstar likes it or not, he or she owes the superstardom to the vision of a particular filmmaker. Where would John be without Aditya Chopra, and Kangana without Anurag Basu?

And really, what would Aishwarya Rai be without Sanjay Leela Bhansali? I know she hates me for narrowing down her breathtaking stardom to just one specific creator. But the fact is, Sanjay was able to tap the whole aura of arresting elegance around Aishwarya with a maestro's penetrating vision.

In order to be a celluloid great, you need the vision of a creator to support your dreams. And for a creator to be a visionary, you need an adventurous spirit.

If this wasn't true, Ashutosh Gowariker couldn't have gone from Pehla Nasha and Baazi to Lagaan and Swades.

And Madhur Bhandarkar would still be struggling with Trishakti .