AJAY DEVGAN For Ajay Devgan, 1997 has not been rewarding so far. Itihaas, his only release this year, made no history. Will Ishq bring him back in the reckoning...
This year hasn’t been a great one for you. You had one release, Itihaas, which didn’t do well. And now, you have Ishq which has sent expectations soaring. How do you feel about the film? Ishq has shaped extremely well, the way we had visualised it. The response of the trade has been tremendous. It’s overwhelming. My company, Devgan Enterprises is releasing it in the Mumbai territory.
The film has taken nearly three years to make. Isn’t that making it look dated? Surprisingly not. Agreed that Ishq took more time than expected, but it is a contemporary film. It’s today’s film. There was no lull in the shooting. We have been working on it regularly. We did reshoot portions of the film to make it look as fresh as possible.
How was it working with Indra Kumar? It’s been great. Indu and I share a very cordial professional relationship. His style of working is different from what I am used to. His approach with his actors is also different. Generally I like underplaying but Indu likes more drama. He wants you to be more dramatic. I understood his style and expectations and blindly followed his style. Because the director is the captain of the ship. He knows what he wants. I am extremely delighted with the end result.
There were rumours that you had problems coming to terms with Aamir’s ways. And you also felt that Aamir, who had worked with Indu before was getting a better deal and had often cancelled shooting. The rumour is totally baseless. Of course, there were arguments on the sets occasionally with the director. But that’s the done thing. A director and his actors should be convinced with what they are doing. There’s nothing wrong in debating a doubtful point. Aamir and I were comfortable with each other. I had heard a lot about Aamir’s over-cautions approach. Atleast I’ve never seen him poking his nose in anybody else’s matter. We had a nice time on the sets to work and how he wasted time in arguing over minor details. But I found the charge baseless. I never saw him interfere in the directors’ job. We get along very well on the sets.
Apparently, Ishq has comedy track running through it. And you are not known to relish comedy so much. It was a different experience. But I thoroughly enjoyed doing Ishq. I hope the audience enjoys watching it.
You seem to have stopped signing new films. Any specific reason? I have changed my style of working. I have decided against taking on too many films. I want to do just two films at a time. I have been wanting to achieve this for the past couple of years. But because of the number of films I had on hand, I didn’t succeed. Things are under control now. Right now I am concentrating on two films: Tinnu Anand’s Major Saab and Anees Bazmee’s Pyar To Hona Hi Tha. Major Saab is completed barring some patchwork. Pyar To Hona Hi Tha will be through by December end.
Is that why you delayed Govind Nihalani’s Takshak? It was launched long ago and was to be completed in six months. But you started shooting for it only from last week. I agree, that film took long to start, but it’s going to be a quickie. Though we had launched the film Govind wanted time to work on the script. When he was ready I had a problem. I had shortened my hair for my role in Major Saab. January ’98 onwards I’ll be working only on Takshak and our own film, Hindustan Ki Kasam. We will be wrapping up both in three or four months.
What about Mahesh Bhatt’s Shapit? It was to be launched this and completed by March next year. We were not scheduled to start Shapit this month. As I told you, my plan is to take on and complete two films at a time in six months. That’s how I want my career to go. Shapit will go on the floor in March next year and will be completed by July end. Which means I’ll have three films ready by next July end. Hindustan Ki Kasam, Pyar To Hona Hi Tha and Shapit. That way I’ll be able to sustain my interest in all my films. If a film drags, you might lose interest in it.
But, tell me honestly, will such planning work in our industry? Film-making is teamwork. Just your planning may not necessarily help the film. I agree with you. Most of the time planning doesn’t work in our system of working. But we have to keep trying. I have been at it for the past couple of years. But things kept going wrong for precisely the reason you mentioned. But there were times when the efforts paid off. It had worked in the case of Haqeeqat and Diljale. Haqeeqat was launched in January and was released by the end of the same year. We completed Diljale in six months. Today, with fewer films on hand, I am able to concentrate better on my work, and I am really enjoying it.
Why didn’t you think of planning your career better a little earlier? Two years ago I wasn’t what I am today. People learn, don’t they? And change. A major reason could be that two years ago I wasn’t as confident of myself as I am today. My debut film, Phool Aur Kaante, was a big hit, and I got busy enjoying my stardom rather than planning my career. After all I was very young then, and signed films a bit recklessly. Experience teaches you to be more sensible and discreet.
You seem to be leaning towards more serious films — like Govind’s Takshak and Mahesh Bhatt’s Shapit. Why this sudden desire to become serious? If you remember, Mahesh Bhatt’s Najayaz was a serious film. I had never got the kind of accolades I got for that film — both for the character I played and my performance. I had never done a role of substance before that. It set me thinking. And I decided I would do an occasional film like that for self-satisfaction amidst all the masala films. It balances your work and adds variety. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the masala films. I do. But you need a break once in a way.
What went wrong with Itihaas? It was just an average film. When I saw the first trial, I knew I shouldn’t expect anything great from it. It was just an ordinary film. It didn’t shape out the way we had visualised it. So we couldn’t expect the audience to respond to it.
Before Itihaas, Raj Kanwar had made three consecutive hits, but this one didn’t work. But you can’t blame him for it. It’s not possible for a person to make a brilliant film everytime. Luckily it wasn’t a disaster in Mumbai, where my distribution company had released it. We managed to cover the investment.
From acting you have diversified into production and distribution. How do you manage all three? Won’t it affect your main preoccupation — acting? It won’t. That is precisely why I have cut down on my acting assignments. It not only helps me do better work, but also gives me time to look into the business side of films without straining myself. Devgan Enterprises is run by professionals. So there is no hassle.
Masala movies are a speciality of his. Family dramas packed with high-voltage emotions, fun-n-frolic with scintillating songs and dialogues which emphasise traditional Indian values — these are the vital ingredients of an Indra Kumar film. Topped with the seasoning of a spicy Miss Dixit, he has dished out a hat-trick of hits Dil, Beta and Raja in quick succession. Scrapping and re-shooting, Indra Kumar has evolved his own recipe for successful commercial films and has emerged as one of the most bankable directors of our times.
The second of Aroona Irani’s five brothers, Indra Kumar recalls with gratitude how “Aroonaji took over the reins of the Irani household” and made sure that her younger brothers lacked nothing. With his dashing good looks, young Indra Kumar initially sought to make a career on screen and was in fact, a good comedian in Gujarati films. But his innate sense of business, eventually led him to film production. Starting with Gujarati films, he moved to Hindi films with the Vijayeta Pandit-Anil Kapoor starrer Mohabbat, followed by Kasam. One was a super hit, the other a super flop.
Indra Kumar then teamed up with East Africa-based businessman Ashok Thakeria. They launched their banner - Maruti International. From his previous experience, Indra Kumar had learnt that he was better off directing films himself. Although he briefly assisted Rakesh Kumar during the making of Yaarana, it was his on-line experience that paid off eventually. His debut film Dil was a big hit. Market savvy Indra Kumar celebrated the return of romance to cinema, post Maine Pyar Kiya and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak with Dil. The resounding success of the film threw action films out of gear. Beta and Raja consolidated his position further giving the director an aura of invincibility.
With three hits behind him, the Midas man now gears up with Ishq which he hopes will again work the magic. Naturally the market is crackling with excitement. Directing the first film for an outside banner, Baba Films, that too sans his lady-luck Madhuri, Indra Kumar is in the midst of a flurry of pre-release activity, when we track him down to the Sunny Recording Studio, Juhu. He’s busy with the final mixing of Ishq. “Louder,” he instructs Suresh Kathuria, chief recordist, as Ajay advances menacingly towards Aamir, Kajol and Juhi look on tearfully. Decibles surpass thundering limits, high enough to bring a contented smile to Indra’s lips. The mixing is okayed. At this serenely quiet moment we switch on our dictaphone....
How did Gordhan Tanwani of Baba Films manage to rope you in for a film, considering you have never accepted outside projects before this? Tanwani was very keen that I should do his film. He met me several times and over these meetings I realised that the man meant business. He was hellbent on making a good film. I knew instinctively that he would make a good producer. My judgement proved right. He never interfered, it was almost as if I were working on a home-production.
From family drama to comedy, are you deliberately moving into a new groove with Ishq? Ishq is not an out-and-out comedy. The first half is all fun and games but then towards the climax, the film becomes a typical Indra Kumar melodrama. It is a youthful film, but it also touches the seriousness of Indian values. It is not just light-hearted time-pass film. Today when people come out to watch a film, it becomes a family outing and they expect a three-hour picnic. I attempt to make successful entertainers which despite their light touch plumb the depth. I seek the golden mean through my films.
In a multi-starrer, a clash of egos is inevitable, we have heard that you had trouble at one point of time when Ajay and Aamir were at dagger's drawn over the footage and weightage of their respective roles. There was no tussle between my heroes. On the contrary both of them have been exceptionally professional and co-operative. They followed my instructions at verbatim and I think I have justified their faith in me by giving them roles of equal importance.
You have tried to give Juhi a youthful look so she and Kajol seem in the same age-group by dressing her up in skimpy, slinky outfits. I really didn’t have to do much. Juhi knocked off the extra kilos and shaped herself for the role. I think she has carried off the youthful look rather well.
Has the film benefitted from the Ajay-Kajol off-screen romance ? Ajay and Kajol were true pros, their real life romance neither helped nor hampered my work. It hasn’t affected the film in any way. For that matter, Juhi and Aamir had a showdown during this film, but they also didn’t let their personal differences interfere with their professional life.
How do you rate the performances of your lead players? I give Kajol full marks because though at times she wasn’t quite convinced about the high pitched performance I wanted from her, she obliged me. There is a scene where she has to put her head on somebody’s feet. Now, being a liberated woman, she was literally squirming while giving that shot. I could see how uneasy she was, but I stuck to my guns and she gave a brilliant shot.
Juhi is cooperation personified. She has mirrored my expressions onscreen, no questions asked.
Aamir has done a wonderful job too. Though this is not a performance-oriented film, he has excelled himself in the comic and melodramatic scenes.
Ajay has an intense role without much action. As I said , I have given him a new look and I am sure it will be much appreciated.
Ishq has taken you three years to complete, how do your stars put up with your leisurely style of filmmaking which involves a lot of slashing and re-shooting of scenes? What’s wrong with trying to improve your work? Since my films are in the making for over two years, I grow with the film and half-way through if I feel a change will help, I re-shoot some portions of it. But I haven’t done much reshooting where Ishq is concerned. I guess I must be improving.
The stars do get irritated when I keep demanding re-takes. I can see them fretting, but at that moment I don’t react. I am totally focussed on my work. I guess, finally even they realise that I make them jump the hoop only in the interest of the film. I don’t do it for my pleasure.
Ishq was initially scheduled for a Diwali release. Why did you delay the release by a month? It was wrong on our part to announce that we would be releasing our film along with Yashji’s Dil To Pagal Hai . We realised our mistake well in time and withdrew in our own interests. That was a very sensible decision. Coming alongside Dil To Pagal Hai would have been a direct confrontation which would have been uncalled for.
So we decided to come four weeks after the release of Dil To Pagal Hai. It doesn’t matter if we have missed the festive season. A a good film runs any time.
After three previous hits, aren’t the expectations frighteningly high now?
Expectations are high and my fear is higher. I just hope the film does well. So many people’s futures and so much money is at stake. On my part I have done my best to make a hit film. But I can’t supercede God’s will, all I can do now is to pray. To gauge the audience reaction, I will watch the film on the first day with them, as always.
What is happening with your other outside assignment, ABCL’s Aamir -Amitabh Bachchan starrer Rishta?
I don’t know if ABCL is keen on making the film at all. I am in the dark about their intentions. Let me get over with this film first, then think of other things.
Isn’t it risky working on one assignment at a time. What if it is a disaster?
I don’t commit myself to more than one project at a time because I work with utmost sincerity on whatever I am doing. Time and again, people have tried to make me feel insecure. But I believe that your today will decide your tomorrow. If you fail to cash in on today and keep thinking of tommorow, nothing much will be gained.
Will you be directing the next venture for your home-banner, Maruti International?
Of course. My partner Ashok Thakeria will not think of taking an outside director. He insists I should direct our films. He has waited for two years for me. We are working on a project right now. It is still in the discussion stage and we still have to work out the details.
Which have been the high and low points in your career so far?
The highest point was the success of Beta. It boosted my confidence and self-esteem. Fortunately, I didn't have to struggle in the industry. The roughest patch was after the debacle of Kasam. But even then I was confident that Ashok and I would come out winners.
Ajay Devgan Forum
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13.02.2008 15:34
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