SRK ALR Dwarf FILM Updates Thread ( shooting starts today ) - Page 25

Shah Rukh and Aanand L Rai

He's a filmmaker known for weaving romance in his rustic tales. Showcasing conflicting emotions and complex relationships against the backdrop of small-towns, his directorials Tanu Weds Manu, Raanjhanaa and Tanu Weds Manu: Returns have won huge popularity. His offbeat productions Nil Battey Sannata, Happy Bhag Jayegi, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Mukkabaaz, Manmarziyaan and Tumbbad have also taken cinema forward. But nothing could be bigger than Zero, where he has superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma actualising his vision. While some high-end VFX promise a great viewing experience, Aanand L Rai, known for his grip over emotions and drama is all set to tale a riveting tale. A chat with the director, who has his heart in the right place...

Shah Rukh Khan and you make for a never-before combination. What can we expect?

You can expect a great story. The audience is only interested in the story. Khan saab and I are focussing on the story. We have enjoyed this journey, each other's company. It was a tough film to put across but our passion has seen it through. We don't take ourselves so seriously but we take our work seriously. That's we're extremely emotional about this journey.
I'm excited about the fact that I've taken him back to his earlier days where he started off as Sunil, Raju, went to become Rahul and Raj... I'm just completing the cycle and restarting with Raju. It's like what we say Shuru se shuru karte hain, zero se shuru karte hain'.

Any inhibitions before working with a superstar like SRK?

It hasn't happened to me suddenly. I have worked my way up and have earned Shah Rukh Khan. He wasn't gifted to me. I was looking forward to working with him and waiting for an opportunity and a story where I could go to him and say, I have something very exciting for you.' Zero gave me that opportunity.

They say Shah Rukh Khan can spoil filmmakers. He makes everything so easy and so grand.

Yes, he can spoil people with the kind of love he showers on you. It happened with me too. Luckily, I also had a lot of love to give him. So, we could spoil each other.

What has SRK added to your vision?

He's completely a director's actor. At the same time with his experience, he enhances the vision. He respects your storytelling. He's so intelligent that he understands what the storyteller is thinking. As an actor, he will never say no to you. He believes the actor's job is to deliver. And if he feels Aanand knows small towns well, then he'll extract everything from me and use it for his character.

What more did you discover about him?

You know a person through his films. But in the last couple of years, I've understood that he's a witty, humorous family man. His success is not just because he has given hits. It's because of the approach he has towards life. The kind of secure person he is. There's so much to learn from him - how to deal with people, how to understand a situation... He's a well-read man. At times, I believe his intelligence can become a hurdle for him as he can understand way beyond the situation. He can foresee a lot of things. You sit with him for some time and you go back with knowledge.

How easy or difficult was it to work with such a big personality?

He's the most obedient actor I've worked with. He's obedient to a level that he scares me. Because you've got to be sure about what you're asking. Because he is going to deliver. He will never question you. If you have slightest of confusion, you must first correct it before asking him for anything because then he's unstoppable. That's a great quality. He's always ready to deliver.

You also have two talented actresses Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma in your film...

They've been professional, supportive and fantastic. Be it Shah Rukh, Katrina or Anushka is despite all their positioning, they come on the set like any other normal actor. That makes life so beautiful for all of us. I don't have to think twice before talking to them, which is what I've always wished. As a director, I'm allowed to fall in love with all of them so that I can extract the best out of them. Both Anushka and Katrina are fantastic human beings and extremely honest people. 


Zero must have been a challenge given the unique technology we see...

I had a star who was with me in the entire journey. As an actor, he was completely engrossed in the film. I always tell him, You're an actor with the heart of a filmmaker.' He loves to be there in the entire process. He's waiting to hear what you're asking of him. He's so passionate about his work, which is brilliant.

Speaking about the technology, I should be the last person to use any VFX in my film. I'm a simple man, I've lived my life on real locations, in small towns. I've made realistic films. But then again, I I'm the right person to do a film like this. Because I don't value VFX as a technique. I value VFX as an emotion. My motivation is my story. I was dying to tell this story. To make the story look real, I needed VFX. I only think about my story and my characters. Everything else falls in place. I'm not attached to VFX as a technique, I'm attached to people.

Was the VFX bit a tough process for you?

My last film released in 2015. In the last three and a half years, I've made one film, Zero. But given the canvas of the work I feel I've completed four films. But I've enjoyed bringing those emotions on screen.

You're known to be such a foodie and SRK it seems hardly eats. How did this combination work?

We've been contagious' to each other. I used to sleep early, he used to sleep late. I used to wake up early, he woke up late. I was a foodie, he wasn't. But now, I can be awake till late in the night sitting and chatting with him. And you'll find him try out a lot of variety in food. We have actually affected each other.

There's a dearth of good writers in the industry. How do you surmount that as a filmmaker?

I feel we need to spend some more time on scripting. We shouldn't be in a hurry to put the film on the floor. It's important to make good films, not a lot of films. We have good writers, we just need to start respecting them. But now they're getting their due. Things are changing.

Cinema is now enjoying newer platforms. How do you look at these avenues?

It's the future and digital is here to grow. But again, we need to study it in a better way. Things have started on a great note. I'm excited for the audiences as they're going to get more stories. As filmmakers, we need to understand what stories should appear on the big screen because it must have cinematic value.