New Delhi: 'Piddly Si Baatein' and 'Ishq-e-Phillum' are up there as ringtones and caller-tunes of mobiles, on the chartbusters of radio and television, and also on the loudspeakers for local celebrations! And we have Lifebuoy and Benadryl singing with 'Shamitabh' already! Not unusual that these brands have been strategically roped in to enhance visibility and generate required buzz for the film, given that the director of 'Shamitabh' has been the brain behind popular punchlines like 'Daag Achche Hain' for 'Surf Excel', 'Jaago re' for 'Tata Tea', 'Walk When You Talk' for Idea Cellular, among many others.
After directing films like 'Cheeni Kum' and 'Paa', and producing English Vinglish, R. Balki is back with his third film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Dhanush and Akshara Haasan.
A few days before the release of 'Shamitabh', Balki seemed absolutely relaxed as he fielded questions in a playful mood on a pleasant winter afternoon in Mumbai.
Mr. Balki, you have a huge cast playing cameos and supporting roles in 'Shamitabh'. Why did you need such an ensemble cast since you already had Bachchan with Dhanush and Akshara?
They are not exactly my casts. Mahesh Bhat, RohitShetty, Karan Johar, AnuragBasu, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, Raj Kumar Hirani, Gauri Shinde, JavedAkhtar, Boney Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor play just 15 sec roles being themselves!My film is on the film industry where two extremely talented guys lock horns and get involved in an ego tussle, which can ruin all that they have achieved. I have a very simple cast in 'Shamitabh'. Just like if you are telling the story of a painter, you'll show his world of paintings, similarly when I exhibit a tale set in the film industry, I have to show components of the industry. Mahesh, Rohit, Karan and others are just such components who make it look realistic.
'Shamitabh' is the first Bollywood film to be shot in the Finnish Laplands and in Helsinki. Was this some kind of pre-planned partnership?
There is a particular technology which is part of story and that technology is available only there. Hence I chose those places. We certainly had some tax rebates and subsidies from the government there, but other than this, there was no further deal!
What attracts you most as a story teller? Is it the plot or the presentation?
Both. You must be backed by a great idea to start with. I mean the idea should sound absolutely fantastic, at least to you. Only this can give your script the conviction and confidence it deserves from you. Once you are committed to the script, you concentrate on developing and presenting it. This requires a creative vision and you want to challenge your capacities to unfold and interpret even a mundane story with extraordinary dimensions. I personally believe that the starting of a film is very important. The connection with the audience should be established in the first few minutes and then your job is to play along that connection for the rest of the time!
How powerful do you feel as a Director? Do the actors become director's puppets when they are with you?
Not at all (smiles).Everyone here is a hardcore professional and champions in their own ways. They know their job better than anyone else. If a Director could act, then he wouldn't have directed a film; he would have been an actor! I don't need to tell anyone how to do what they have to do. Would I tell a celebrity chef how to cook? I may only tell him what to cook. Similarly, I never tell my actors how to act. I may just narrate the demands of the script and help them to set up the mood of the moment. So you can call me an Actor's Director!
All your films have Amitabh Bachchan in the lead. Doesn't repeating Bachchan somewhere restrict your capacities to experiment as a film maker? Why so? Has Prakash Mehra been restricted? Has Manmohan Desai or Yash Chopra been restricted?
It's just about a privilege that I am a director who got to work repeatedly with Mr. Bachchan. I think of ideas that can't work without him and till date he has trusted my ideas. I can't use him in the genres he is known for. I don't have scripts for the angry young man or the romantic hero. But I certainly do have stories for Amitabh Bachchan!
Akshara, Dhanush, Amitabh Bachchan- who do you think has been most risk-taking actor on the sets?
Akshara is a newcomer, but she is extremely talented. You will be astonished with her skills when you watch the film. For Dhanush, standing next toMr. Bachchan in front of the camera is not an easy task and he has done a fabulous job. And Amitji is a phenomenon by himself! I think the biggest risk has been taken by the producers. The film has been produced by me, Sunil Lulla, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, RK Damani, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Sunil Manchanda and Dhanush! All of us have wholeheartedly believed in this project and all of us hence have shared the risks. (Smiles)
Amitabh Bachchan's voice has always been credited as one of the prime characteristics that were crucial in building his legendary image in Indian cinema. Film makers have used his voice earlier in poetries and songs, adding depth to the on-screen characters and situations. 'Shamitabh', for the first time, will use the actor's voice in a completely different capacity and treat it not just like an attribute, but like a full-fledged protagonist! The film is set to release on 6th February 2015. Here's wishing R. Balki and team 'Shamitabh' a dream run with audience across the world.
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