INTERVIEW OF NANDITA-DIRECTOR

The name Nandita Mehra, might not ring a bell, but her shows have caused ripples in tellydom. Her journey from an assistant director to a director in her own right, has been an ardous one, but the lady is not complaning! She has been part of shows like Tere Mere Sapne, Mehndi Tere Naam Ki, Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand, Astitva, Tum Bin Jaoon Kahan, Tumhari Disha and now has made heads turn with her classic independent directorial venture, Rabba Ishq Na Hove. Ananya Sengupta, spoke to the director about life and her passion for work.

"I always wanted to do fiction"
I started in 1994 from Zee, as an in-house assistant director. I was there for about 40 months and by then i had worked in all its departments. I basically worked on film based shows, but always wanted to do fiction shows. Unfortunately, Zee didn't do fiction in-house, so I quit in 1998, and joined Ashok Pandit as an assistant director. I did the show, Tere Mere Sapne, till it went off air.

"Aroonaji trusted her baby with me!"
I was assisting Aroonaji in Mehendi Tere Naam Ki, and suddenly afer an year she offered me the director's job. I was so nervous! Hats off to Aroonaji for trusting me with her baby...if I would have been in her place, I would not have done it! I share a great rapport with her and we sit on the creative meetings together with our three writers and whtever you see on screen is a result of these brainstorming sessions. You know with some people, you just click and you have a comfortable working relatiopnship and that's great for work. But I also know that we are together because we are good. Aroonaji would never have worked with me if I was bad, and vise versa...even Sangita (Ghosh) is here because she is good, not because of anything else. Aroonaji would never compromise on that.

"I tend to take Sangita for granted..."
Sangita has been myt leading lady for quite some time. The disadvantage for her is that I take her for granted. But having Sangita on the sets is an advantage in itself. She is punctual, hassle free, committed and above everything else, she is an asset for me because she knows exactly what I want! I know her potential and thus can make her give her best. (I suggest that the three of them, Aroona Irani, Sagita Ghosh and herself, make an awesome threesome, and she breaks into giggles and manages o agree with me!)

"I shoot my scenes aesthetically"
Sangita was just a few days into the shoot, and we had to shoot this scene where Nikhil (Vivan in Rabba..) imagines that he is making love to Sangita (Veera). She was new to the crew and to her lead. I spoke to her and tried to make her comfortable, I spoke to Nikhil and asked him to take care. We shot the scene aesthetically and I make it a point that the scenes should not look vulagar. These are scenes that are necessary according to the plot! I should be able to see the show with my mom...that is my primary consideration.

"I wanted to make Rabba...look good"
Rabba...was always planned that way. The complete set up is grand. It has been shot in a sleek and smart way. I wanted it to look good. You know, if a show does well, the director becomes sought after...otherwise not, but here, the whole unit is responsible for the show's success. The producer gave me a free hand, I am comfortable with the people I am working with and these things add up to make the product good.


"If I get back home early, my mother thinks that there is something wrong"
My struggle to get work was a normal one. I did not have any trouble beacuse of my gender. My parents, specially my mom was sceptical about it, but now she has got used to it. Now, if I come home early, or don't do nights, she gets worried and asks me if everything is fine or not! But those were tough times!

"If I go to sleep, it's difficult to wake me up!"
I love to party! I have loads of friends, they keep complaining that I don't spend enough time with them, but I know that I manage! When I am not working I love to sleep, and when I sleep, it's difficult to wake me!