Farhan Akhtar talks of 'DON'
Interview by Subhash K. Jha
Excerpts from the interview:
Why are you re-making the 1970s blockbuster?
It's the one Amitabh Bachchan flick that has stayed with me since my childhood. I think of all the cool films he did in the 1970s, and 'Don' was the coolest. Of course 'Deewaar' and 'Sholay' are superior films. But 'Don' is cooler and funkier. I'd put Mr. Bachchan's character up there with 'Dostana' in terms of his sharp-witted and wry dialogues and attitude. It'd be a re-interpretation of one of my favourite films. It will be much lighter to do than Lakshya.
All these are films co-written by your father Javed Akhtar.
Yes. But among them, 'Don' stands out for me. It was a film that I thought of making after 'Dil Chahta Hai', but opted for the more original 'Lakshya'.
Why is this the right time to redo 'Don'?
It would be fun to do. Lakshya was tough. 'Don' would be a good change. It'll be an exploration of a completely new genre. It'll take me into an escapist zone. I'm sure smugglers and gangsters exist. But like 'Don'? No way! I don't think such baddies exist beyond 'Don'.
Would it be like a James Don?
Ha ha. My 'Don' will be gadget-friendly for sure, though I won't overdo the gizmos. I want to stick to the ideas and characterizations rather than relying on gimmicks. We've to keep in mind the technological advancements since 'Don' was released. For instance, mobile phones would play a big part in my 'Don'. Such things have to affect my story. It's my homage to one of my favourite films.
Chandra Barot's direction in 'Don' was very stylized.
I've heard stories from dad about how many financial compromises the director of 'Don' had to make. Given that director Chandra Barot and producer Nariman Irani, who also photographed the film, had so little resources, I think the film achieved a lot in terms of shot takings, etc. Today the film may look very '1970s' but I think it was very cool for its times and budget. I'll try to do something that's equally cool for our times. Unfortunately, when we think of action thrillers, they take us to 'Mission Impossible' and James Bond. I'm sure my 'Don' would be influenced by those films and 'The Bourne Identity' because I love them too.
And your new Bachchan?
Shah Rukh is playing the double role of Don and Vijay. He's of the absolutely correct age for the part. And he loved the movie. He's extremely excited about the film. Both of us are fans of the film. So it would be great fun to recreate the magic.
And Zeenat Aman's part?
That has gone to Priyanka Chopra. I don't think Shah Rukh-Priyanka are doing any other film together. Priyanka will play Roma. She remembered the script by heart. The only thing she didn't remember was her own character. But Pran's, Iftekhar's and Helen's roles are still not cast.
Would you be getting Mr. Bachchan to make a cameo appearance?
I don't think so. It would be too gimmicky. Besides, 'Don' isn't an archival classic like the old 'Devdas'. 'Don' is familiar to today's generation. Mr. Bachchan's presence in 'Don' doesn't need to be reinforced. I don't want to aggravate the comparisons by getting Mr. Bachchan into my 'Don'.
Will there be a 'Khai ke paan banaras wala' sequence?
It's one of the big USPs of 'Don'. To recreate it would be impossible. I'll therefore make Shah Rukh Khan do 'Khai ke paan banaras wala'. It's left too strong an impression on me to be tampered with. As a viewer, I'd feel cheated if I didn't see Shah Rukh doing 'Khai ke paan'. It's like re-doing 'Qurbani' without 'Aap jaisa koi'. 'Khai ke paan…' is the highlight of the film. Why remove it? The rest of the songs are being done by my favourites Shankar-Ehsan-Loy.
You had a bit of a problem getting the copyrights? Why not just remake it unofficially?
It's just that a certain procedure had to be followed in getting the remaking rights. We had to put in a public notice in the trade papers announcing our intentions to remake the film. Also, I know the late producer Nariman Irani's wife Salma Irani and there was no question of making the film without her consent. 'Don' is extremely precious to her family. And also, I wanted to make Don with the title and the characters being called by their original films. I want to re-make Don as I'd like to see it. Mera apna Don. We'll be shooting between February and June in 2006. It's better to do it at one go. Lakshya was a slow shoot. It will be hard to find a tougher film to do.
Does the original weigh on you?
Comparisons are bound to happen. That won't deter me from making 'Don' the way I want to. I don't want either my 'Don' or the other 'Don' to look foolish. I feel more people will come to watch my 'Don' just to compare it with the old one. For me it's exciting because everyone involved with my project is equally excited. Everyone on board is here for the love of 'Don'. I can't wait to get started. Right now, I leave for Venice to shoot for 'The Fakir' in which I'm playing the lead. I'm enjoying the experience. My director seems to like my acting. Either he's a good liar or a good friend. They want to premiere the film at the Venice Film Festival.
 | "We enjoy our home and our life together. We like giving space to each other, and that's what makes it work," says Farhan. Farhan Akhtar : Dil Chahta HaiDeepali Nandwani | |
| hey married almost six years ago, when Farhan Akhtar was still working with Adi Pocha's ad agency and Audhuna was toying with the idea of setting up 'Juice', her very famous hair styling saloon in South Mumbai. A three-year old baby, Sakhya, later, both say that they have come a long way since then. "We enjoy our home and our life together. We like giving space to each other, and that's what makes it work," says Farhan. Busy with their respective careers, as a filmmaker and hair stylist respectively, both consider the time they spend with each other, and their daughter, sacrosanct. But friends are always welcome, very obvious from the way they walk in and out of Farhan and Audhuna's lavish home in Bandra. Farhan Akhtar talks about being known as a sensitive director, a metrosexual man and about his wife, Audhuna. The Feeling of Togetherness: "We spend as much time as possible together. If we are at home, we cook a nice dinner, light the candles and spend the evening listening to some good music and playing with our daughter. Or we go out for drives, or maybe watch a good movie. Sometimes we get friends or family over, and spend time. We go on holidays together, though it has been a very long time since we have had a vacation." Away From Each Other: "We are generally away from each other on work. These days I am scripting another film, so I am busy with that, while Audhuna is quite taken up with Juice. During the making of 'Dil Chahata Hai' and Lakshya, we didn't see each other too much, but now it's got a little better. Sometimes we spend time separately, with our respective friends. We don't socialise too much, and when we do go out for parties, we are generally together." The Most Romantic Thing They Do: "Spend time talking! Or have a good meal. We are both fond of good food. I bounce my ideas off her a lot of time, and that helps. Generally, spending a quite evening, away from the noise of the outside world, reading, just chilling out. What could be better than that?" On being called a metrosexual man: "I really don't know how to react to the term metrosexual man. It sounds too coined, too stereotypical, and too much of an attempt to categorise things. To say that a metrosexual man is in touch with his emotions or his feminine side is to presume that men never had been in touch with their emotions. Or men never had responded to music and art and fashion and beauty. I really can't say if I consider myself a metrosexual man. Everyone has a perception of themselves, which may not necessarily be right. I may like to be known as a sensitive man, someone who loves nature, art, music, design. But that could be my perception, which may not be right or true. But if people believe that I am a sensitive person, then I guess my upbringing has got a lot to do with the way I have turned out to be. I have learnt not to hold preconceived notions about anything. The atmosphere in which I grew up gave me enough space and freedom to express myself. I have grown up surrounded by creative people, by writers and poets. I have grown up listening to poetry being recited by my father, Javed Akhtar and by other people, who were his friends. In such an atmosphere, it is easy to keep away from all kinds of preconceived notions of behaviour. And that holds true for not only men, but even women. |
On his role model: "If there is one person I consider my role model its Sachin Tendulkar. He believes in perfection, which is very important to me. Watching him bat is like watching a painter at work. He has raised batting to the level of an art form.
That's all for NOW until later.............
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