INTERVIEWS OF THE STARS

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Posted: 19 years ago

Interview : Pankaj Udhas's soul lies in music

With his honey coated smooth voice, ghazal and geet singer Pankaj Udhas has been reigning the music industry and ruling the hearts of music lovers since more than two decades. This legendary ghazal singer has completed his career span of 25 years. He deserves the credit for making ghazals popular at a time when it was losing its foothold over the masses. He has released around 40 albums with countless number of compilations. He has given some amazing ghazals, which will remain in the hearts of music lovers for time immemorial.

Excerpts from an interview:

You've already spent more than two decades in the music industry. What do you have to say about your career here?

I'm very happy with the way my career has progressed in the industry. I am filled with satisfaction and accomplishment when I look back to those years. Also disbelief and admiration comes along with it. Really I cannot believe that all those success that I received was real. It's a journey full of memories for me. With tough times and happy ones, I'm satisfied with what I've achieved today.

You also must have faced lots of competition along the way. Did you ever feel threatened by contemporary singers?

New and young singers need to come to the fore to succeed the old ones and carry on the tradition. Here we've no dearth of talent. As for myself, I've never felt threatened by young singers. I feel we, as mentors, should stand by them and guide them. Today's singers are very repetitive and also sound alike. There should be more innovation.

Remix culture is the new trend. What is your take on it?

Yes remix is very much prevalent in Indian music scene today. But not only our country it is done all over the world. There is nothing wrong with remixes, but the terrible visuals, needless beats and bad vocals are the saddest part of the trend. People shouldn't get carried away by the visuals, because it's the song that we should cherish not the repulsive visuals. Again why there is an attempt to make every song a dancing number.

What are your other interests apart from singing?

I do believe in charity work but again don't like publicity and hype about it. It's your action that should speak more than words. As a citizen of the country I see to it that my society benefits from me.

You had your moments in Bollywood. Other than singer did you ever aspire to be an actor?

I had done a song for the film 'Naam' called 'Chitthi Aayi Hai'. It was my first hit and the first time I appeared in the film and that too as myself. The song was a big hit and that followed many offers from the industry to act. But I stayed away from acting. I again featured in the film 'Saajan' in the 90s for the song 'Jeeye To Jeeye Kaise Bin Aapke.' Once again I received many offers but I was more inclined towards music. Music is my passion and didn't want to merge it with something else. There was temptation, I agree but I didn't wanted to loose focus. I don't think that I would make a very good actor. I didn't want to walk that extra mile to prove myself as an actor as I was already a successful singer.

Interview : Rollercoaster ride for Rohit Shetty

On the eve of the release of Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Limited & K Sera Sera's 'Golmaal-Fun Unlimited', director Rohit Shetty is on an entertaining mode. The film has Ajay Devgan, Tushaar Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Arshad Warsi, Rimi Sen, Paresh Rawal and Sushmita Mukherjee in Pivotal role. We talk to this young director, who is just one film old, on his latest laugh riot.

Excerpts from a chat:

What was the reason for the long gap after Zameen, your debut film which released in 2005?

Actually after Zameen, I was planning to make something else. I was even working on it when Neeraj Vora gave me a germ of an idea, which I liked and decided to develop it. The result is Golmaal. I thoroughly enjoyed making this film. It was a different experience altogether.

Was it easy to make a comedy after an action film considering you have been the aid of Veeru Devgan since his Phool Aur Kante days?

It is a challenge for a director to make different kinds of films. I joined the industry at the age of 15 and have been an assistant to Veeruji in films like Haqeeqat, Suhaag, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, Raju Chacha and Hindustan Ki Kasam, to name a few. I have grown up on action films. Before Veeruji, I would accompany my father, the late fighter Shetty on the sets and watch him being bashed up by heroes. But I knew that my career would be in films. I would have hated a 9-to-5 job.

Did you ever think of becoming an action director as your father was a stuntman and you yourself were associated with a fight master?

No, directing films has always been my goal.

Coming back to your film, is it a take-off on the Amol Palekar-Utpal Dutt classic?

Of course not! Only the title is similar. This film is about four guys who are always up to pranks. After they are evacuated from the college hostel, they land up in a blind couple (Paresh Rawal and Sushmita Mukherjee)'s house and live there without their knowledge. Ajay poses as their grandson. The turn of events is quite hilarious and will be enjoyed by the audiences. Golmaal is an out-and-out Neeraj Vora story for which I have selected the actors who suit the characters perfectly. Tusshar plays a mute guy, but is the most cunning of the lot. Sharman is a student who is taken for a ride by the others. Arshad looks naughty. And for once, there is no love angle in the film. Ajay Devgan is the only big star in the film.

Ajay seems to be your lucky mascot. He starred in Zameen as well?

Ajay is like my brother and I call him Raju, his pet name. He has been a great help to me.

Have you taken on any more directorial assignments following Golmaal?

Yes, I have Shri Ashtavinayak's next, an action-comedy which is yet to be titled. I shall be making another action-comedy for Shemaroo followed by Balaji's action venture. There is also a fun film for producer Ramesh Sippy.

You have made a name for yourself as a young director. What would be your advice to aspiring makers?

I would only say: Follow your dreams and you will succeed in your goal. Veeruji always said: 'If you are honest with your work, work will be honest with you'. I am trying to follow his guideline and hope to succeed.

What are your expectations from Golmaal considering your directorial debut Zameen did not do well at the box-office?

I want the producer to get his returns. As for me, I have already signed four films. So my future is secure. (Laughs)

And what would be your message to your viewers?

Who am I to give any message to anyone? For that there are channels like Aastha and I can only say: 'Just come to the theatre to have fun and go home happily'.

Interview : Rimi Sen having a picnic time

Actress Rimi Sen has found a flair for comedy. Most of the time she is spotted in a comedy film either made by Priyadarshan, Neeraj Vohra or Rohit Shetty. Rather call her as a lucky mascot as the comedy films featuring her generally reach the winning mark. This time she is paired opposite four heroes Ajay, Arshad, Tusshar and Sharman in the laugh riot 'Golmaal'. In this film promising to be fun unlimited, let's check out how much fun did Rimi had doing it.

Excerpts from a chat:

You are the only girl opposite four boys in Golmaal. They must have bullied you?

In fact, I was treated really well by all of them. Ajay, Arshad, Tusshar and Sharman are very sweet guys and are very comfortable to work with. Actually, I felt like a boy with them. Of course, they would play many pranks on me. But since I had nobody else for company, I would tag along with them wherever they went. Even they never made me feel unwanted. So I had great fun with them when doing this film. Shot in Goa and Bangkok, it was a picnic for all of us.

What is your role in a film, which has four guys who are always up to pranks? And who is paired opposite you?

I play Nirali, a sweet girl. Though the four guys are playing college students in the film, there is no romantic angle so unfortunately I have no lover in the film. But I have no regrets as director Rohit Shetty has presented me very well.

How was Rohit to work with considering this is only his second film?

Rohit is a very easygoing, cool-headed guy. He is very patient and is full of respect for all. He is good in every field of filmmaking and knows exactly what he wants, and I think he can even make a kala kaluta person look handsome on screen. But when he loses his temper, all hell would break loose. I am generally a very fast talker that sometimes people don't understand what I am saying. Rohit taught me to talk slowly for my dialogue-delivery.

Are you happy doing multi-starrers or is doing solo-heroine films more fun?

I was lucky to be the only heroine in Hungama, Deewane Huye Paagal and now Golmaal. But I enjoy working with many people around as I can chew their brains with my non-stop chatter. Many times people run away when they see me coming on the sets. But I enjoy crowds.

Your last release was Phir Hera Pheri. You must be proud to have been a part of that film as well.

Director Neeraj Vora is a decent guy. Akshay Kumar was very sweet.

You have done about five films in your two years in the Hindi film industry. Are you happy with the way your career is progressing?

I have no complaints. When I came to Mumbai from Kolkata to become an actress, I had no clue how to go about it. So I did advertisements and video films to start with. Then I got to play Amitabh Bachchan's daughter in Baghban. But it was the Coke ad with Aamir Khan that changed my life. I guess I was a little dumb in Hungama. But since it was my debut film, I did not know what to do because of which many predicted that I would be a one-film wonder. But after that I have done some good films. I have definitely grown. As for being lucky, I never thought I would get films from big banners so soon in my career. But whenever I have had a negative approach towards life, things have turned in my favour.

You do mostly comedies. Does that mean you enjoy tickling people's funny bone?

I did. Actually comedies are safe propositions. But now I want to do some serious work as I am getting a little tired of doing comedies. I don't want anyone to have the misconception that I cannot do anything besides comedy. I want variety now. That is why I have not been taking every offer that has been coming to me. I am being very choosy these days. I hope someone is reading this.

So what will be your priority when you sign a film next?

I will go for good directors, producers and then the role, in that order. Also I want my heroes to be young. It is fun then.

Now what are you looking forward to on the professional front?

I have Johny Gadar which is my first attempt towards non-comedy films. Mine is a very mature character opposite Neil Mukesh, the grandson of the late singer Mukesh.

Interview : Alka's spectacular journey!

She's been around for 28 years, and is competing with singers who were not even born when she began recording for giants like Kalyanji-Anandji and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Obviously no singer has seen this kind of popularity, sustenance and growth - in stature and singing ability - since the Mangeshkars. Alka Yagnik is today's unquestioned diva, queen bee and Numero Uno, and as observers point out, she is Lata Mangeshkar's natural successor. To mention only the absolute creme-de-la-creme, it's been a singularly spectacular journey.

Excerpts from an interview:

Music lovers are missing the frequency of your songs. Why don't we hear you more often?

Frankly, I have begun to restrict my work for at least 4-5 years now, but it seemed as if I was still singing a lot because the best songs came to me and so there was a huge quantum of hits. With Anu Malik, Jatin-Lalit and Nadeem-Shravan holding center-stage along with others like Himesh Reshammiya and Rajesh Roshan things were more melody-oriented. Even A.R.Rahman gave me lovely songs in Swades and in many other films. Today, musical trends have changed towards something away from homespun music and melody, but the songs that need me still come to me. I am happy that trends are automatically helping me get more choosy!

Your singing apart, are you happy with the way music is going?

A lot of people are dissatisfied - and I do not mean those of my generation or older listeners. Today's youngsters and even children find the kind of music being churned out today sub-standard and boring. They are tiring of it fast. So, as it has happened several times in the past, melody will stage a comeback and quality will return as well. Maybe some of the changes will remain, as they always have. But such music has no lasting power, so there will be a reversal. As for the music directors, I think that most of those around have the potential and capability in them to deliver strong melody. But they are not coming out with them because that side is not being tapped at all. In a way, the really committed filmmakers are also not happy. Today there is this belief that Indian classical music should be completely avoided for mass-appeal!

Is there any positive side to all this?

Yes, as I said,it is helping me sing even less, and to discipline my personal and family life! I am extremely happy that in such a scenario the best melodies are coming to me, which does not mean only the serious, heavyweight kind. I have had some lovely 'today' songs in Shaadi Se Pehle, Banaras and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and have got the cream of work like Umrao Jaan, Jai Santoshi Maa and others coming up. I am also getting time out to do concerts, which I was largely avoiding earlier, and I am also judging a singing talent contest for children on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

We missed you in Fanaa.

There were certain personal reasons why I did not sing for the film, and Jatin and Lalit and Aditya Chopra were very understanding about it.

So what charges you now?

Every song that comes to me charges me. I am open to singing the normal kind of songs, even frivolous ones, for music directors and banners where I have a comfort zone. But I would also like to now sing what will take me ahead. The songs that Anu Malik has given me in Umrao Jaan and Jai Santoshi Maa are genres that I have not done before, and it is really nice to know that he thought of me for them.

You have always been stressing that you have massive hopes from Umrao Jaan.

Yes. The film came to me when I was feeling bored and stagnated. Also, for me as a singer, this is the perfect time, because I think that my tonal quality is at its peak, and I have the emotional maturity as a person too. This made singing the ghazals comfortable and I could do justice to them far better than if I had got it 10 years earlier or maybe better than even a decade later.

Finally, what do you think about being termed the natural successor to Lata Mangeshkar?

It obviously feels great because it means that I have finally reached somewhere. But I can never ever think that I have reached anywhere close to Lata-ji. Apart from my family's unstinting support, my mother's strictness about my training, my gurus V.C.Jog, the Dagar Brothers, the Birla Academy, Kalyanji-Anandji and for learning on the job Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Lata-ji has played a major part in my success just by being the singer she is. And, forget the myths like the Mangeshkar monopoly, she has always encouraged me personally and in print. So has Asha (Bhosle)-ji.

And with your singing less, there will not be accusations of a Yagnik monopoly, right?

The media has claimed that I have become insecure with the arrival of younger singers. So I can imagine how they must have fabricated the Mangeshkar monopoly too. Yes, it's another matter that they were ripping apart my singing earlier, which could have been because they thought they could please Lata-ji and Asha-ji that way!

Interview : Pankaj Udhas's soul lies in music

Excerpts from an interview:

You've already spent more than two decades in the music industry. What do you have to say about your career here?

You also must have faced lots of competition along the way. Did you ever feel threatened by contemporary singers?

Remix culture is the new trend. What is your take on it?

What are your other interests apart from singing?

You had your moments in Bollywood. Other than singer did you ever aspire to be an actor?

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Saif Ali Khan

"Everything is all right between Rosa and me."

After enthralling the audience in Kal Ho Na Ho and Salaam Namaste, Saif Ali Khan is back with a bang this time playing a hardcore negative character in Vishal Bharadwaj's Omkara based on Shakespeare's Othello. The actor was also in news for personal reasons. Whispers had it that all was not well between him and girlfriend Rosa. Over then to Saif.

Parag Maniar

What was your reaction to Vishal Bharadwaj Omkara when he first narrated the story to you?

My mom and me were discussing Shakespeare and she said I should do a movie based on Shakespeare's play. And it so happened that she said that you either do Hamlet or Othello and the next day Kumarji and Vishal called and asked if I would like to work in Vishal's interpretation of Othello and I said, 'Yes, of course'. He did not offer Othello's role but that of Iago. I was not so keen on Iago, but he read out the first scene and it was like a western movie. It was so well written. I just agreed on basis of that first scene Most attractive thing about the script was it was a very close adaptation of the original in movement and character. The character setting is in a kind of western UP, where the political mafia is already a master piece. And in many ways the Indian society is still structured like the England of that time. And classic by definition means something that is relevant all time. Most international films are films true to their own culture and language. Here as well we are touching the same chord.

What was the most challenging aspect of doing Omkara?

The dialogues! It was a challenge because of the dialect. It was also a challenge portray the character. It's a very crude kind of character. It was not something that would come naturally to me. The character is extremely removed from my own personality. The way he walks, talks etc is totally against my own behaviour.

Could you elaborate more on your character in the film?

Well, I play Eshwar Tyagi, nicknamed Langda Tyagi due to the limp. The limp shows my evil side. He is disappointed because Omkara played by Ajay Devgan does not promote him. He just destroys people around him. He just manipulates their lives to his advantage. He uses them and their proximity to him to destroy them. A strong theme in this film is insecurity and jealousy which is very much a part of our society.

It seems you were reluctant to change your looks for the film…

That's true! I did not want to do away with my long locks. I did it albeit reluctantly (laughs). Then some scars of mine were made prominent, some other scars added, teeth were turned to yellow, beard grown, chapped lips, I wear an earing, have a limp, the entire dressing style is different. Everything in my role is an act... not at all close to my real personality. Some films I have played a person closer to my nature. So Langda—he is most lethal, evil, dangerous and satanic to an extent, nasty villain of Shakespere ever. Some people believe that he is the devil himself. Some people who have played Iago have gone to psychiatrist and wonder why he does behave in such a manner. He is a psychopath. He has no moral guilt attached to any of his actions. Langda Tyagi is a psychopath in the true sum of the word. Arch Villain

Who is more tragic—Omkara or Langda?

Om of course! He's jealous and insecure, believes in lies about one whom he loves. The depth of a tragedy is basic on lethal flaw is in his case its jealousy. He just ends up killing his wife due to the jealousy. In India still people are capable of killing a wife

Recently there were rumours that all was not well between you and Rosa?

Well, everything is all right between Rosa and me. I have no issues if she interested in taking up work in the glamour industry. In fact, we have just bought ourselves a new pad in Bandra and soon plan to move in there.

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INTERVIEWS OF THE STARS

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