Interview with bollywood superstar Kareena Kapoor and director Madhur Bhandarkar on IBN 7
PC: Whom should I start questioning first?
MB: Ladies First
PC: Madhur, you seem to have the instincts of an investigative reporter
MB: If not an film-maker, I surely would have been a journalist. People have a perception that Madhur is an investigative journalists who tackles issues via films. I say I explore the issues, they say I expose it.
PC: You wanted Aishwarya Rai as a heroine, even she is a good heroine
MB: I and Kareena always wanted to work together. From many year we were meeting and talking on scripts
PC: You are speaking like a politician
MB: I am not speaking like a politician but you interview a lot of politicians hence you have more idea
PC: You first choice was Aishwarya Rai
MB: No, first we offered the movie to Kareena Kapoor , but dates were an issue.
PC: Hence it is wrong to say that your first choice was Aishwarya Rai
MB: First choice was Kareena Kapoor
PC: Your first choice was Kareena
MB: Yes, it was Kareena.
PC: Did he come to you
KK: That time, I was shooting for five films, Bodyguard, Ra One and other films.
PC: Were you getting something more in those films
KK: No, there was an issue with the dates
PC: The kind of publicity that you are doing for the movie Heroine, all that glitters is not gold. I saw you first movie Chandni Baar, you started with a heroine oriented film. There was a philosophy behind the film, in heroine, it is commercialization.
MB: No, Prabhuji, eleven years ago the budgets were different.
PC: I am talking about the theme
MB: Theme was surely different then, but as a filmmaker I have evolved since then. Even I want to have more audience. The budget of Chandni Baar was only 1.5 crore, which is the cost of Kareena’s clothes in this film, around 1.45 crore.
PC: I would not ask about the fees then
MB: Prabhuji, time has changed, Chandni Baar had released in 2001.
PC: But the theme does not change
MB: If you see Chandni Baar, Page three, Corporate, Traffic Signal, Jail. In any movie, I have not left the Madhur Bhandarkar’s touch of reality.
PC: Mahur Bhandakar has a certain scepticism, critical mind, which was seen in every film. In Chandni Bar you dealt with the women abuse issue.
MB: World are different, that was a bar world, Heroine is about film world.
PC: In fashion , you have shown the condition of the model after she trips from the ramp
MB: Prabhuji, that happens in every field, even in politics it happens. One politician is hovering, but when his downfall comes, you know how it is. What happens in film industry, it can happen in any field. Be it corporate world, film industry or politics. If there is a good patch, then there is a bad patch too.
PC: It is true, but Madhur Bhandarkar’s these of exploitation
MB: It is not exploitation sir. When you make a film, you look at all angles. A film is made from so many angles, so much of money goes into its making that it has to have a commercial element. Henc, I have not said that my films are preachy. I have not said that my movies are judgemental. My films are a mirror of society.
PC: How is the difference between the Madhur Bhandarkar of Chandni Baar and Bhandarkar who made Fashion years down the line
MB: The realism of a movie which you saw in Chandni Baar, you would also see it in Heroine. But time has changed, those movies were made 11 years ago, Chandni Baar, and today we are talking about 2011-12. Time is changing, if today I make Chandni Baar, it would take 5 or 6 crores, that time it was 1.5 crore.
PC: You are talking about money all the time
MB: No talking about money, sir, what I am saying that I have not left realism.
PC: When Chameli was released, I asked you a question of how Kapoor saab would feel seeing it, in repose you said that It is 2003. How do you feel to have evolved since then, from Chameli to Heroine? Was Chameli better or is heroine better, in both of the movie you have similar characters.
MB: The characters are not similar
PC: You are revealing in both the movies
MB: In that movie I was a prostitute, in this movie I am a heroine.
PC: But in this movie there is a seen for which It can be said that it is meant for audiences. What is the change in Kareena in the past eight years.
KK: I think have offered best in terms of roles I acted in. I have always concentrated on acting, after Jab We Met, not Chameli, I am looking forward to Heroine
PC: Jab we met was one of your best, now we will find out after seeing heroine. You said your role model was Madhuri Dikshit and Sridevi, whose songs you used to listen and dance. You films may be liked, but the films of that generation are still evergreen. Like Jab we met was good, to remember, but other films are like a bubble. Now talk is about movie released and money made, Rs. 175 crore made, but no talk about how many people will watch and remember the movie
KK: That is industry talk, whether is Rs. 200 crore or Rs. 300 crore. Movie is running, but people will remember it or not, that nobody can tell.
PC: Do you feel Kareena that today’s heroines are working film to film, not for acting
KK: Not me. I have always said that I have interest in acting. That is why I always try to balance, be it Bodyguard, Ra one, Three idiots, along with that, I have done many critically acclaimed films,
PC: Like
KK: Dev, Chamela, Omkara, Jab We Met. Even now Heroine or Talaash that is going to be released in that the character of the heroine would be remembered
PC: In Jab We Met, there was a degree of seriousness.
KK: Rest of the films, where do people remember them
PC: That is what I am saying, that today’s films, people remember for one week, then forget.
KK: But that is the biggest hit
PC: No, hit it is, but for three days.
KK: Not necessary
PC: If you see Madhuri Dikshit films of our time, even our kids see those films now. In the same way, they would not even miss watching your films, one has to watch a Kareena Kapoor film when it is released, but after two years, they would not watch it. Is it right for a film star like Kareena, who acts well, to act in such films which are like instant food.
KK: There are attempts, but one girl alone cannot change things
PC: But if that one girl is leading in the industry, on whom every year, Rs. 1000 crore is riding, why can’t she change things
KK: I have come into the industry to do acting, not to bring about change.
PC: You said that you would continue to work like Zohra Sehgal till 90 years
KK: But, that is my passion.
PC: In 2012, heroine is your only film or some other film too is releasing
KK: There is Talaash too
PC: Are there any other shootings starting as Miss Kareena Kapoor
KK: Kareena Kapoor will always be Kareena Kapoor
PC: I used the word Miss Kareena Kapoor
KK: Always
PC: It cannot be always
KK: When the time comes, you will know
PC: In your films, a female dominates always. Do you hate men
MB: Nothing as such Prabhuji,
PC: Tabu, Konkona, Ranawat, everywhere female strong characters
MB: It is not so, it did Dil to bachcha hain jee with Ajay, I had got very good equations with him too. This depends on the script. Like somebody asked, why not a Hero instead of Heroine, I replied that I thought the other day that telling the story from a heroine’s point of view will sound more good, now the amount of heroine oriented films I did are more, hence you are feeling so. As a film maker, what I like to make.
PC: It is not a co incidence, in seven out of election films, heroine dominates. It means you think that you have to promote females. But I want to ask, why in industry there are female leads.
MB: Prabhuji, this mentality is not from today, it is from many years, the male oriented movies are running. Definitely, there were many roles scripted for Nargisji, Rekhaji, Shrideviji, Madhuriji. Today, times have changed, business worth Rs. 100- 200 crore is done, or an opening in three days. People we move in the way the industry is moving. We also have to be in the industry, like you said why she does male oriented movies, but if an actor has to reach to many people, actor has to do a Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Amir Khan movie, which is essential. It cannot be that I will do one or two films in the year.
PC: You want to be commercially successful, become Tata, Ambani, that is why you want to do this
MB: No, why I am saying is that if you want to reach to a larger audience, every man grows, as a film maker even I will grow. The time of Chandni Baar was different, today it is different. During Chandni Bar’s time there were no multiplexes, so many people go to multiplexes to see movies, today the whole big game is of three days.
PC: With fashion, you had a big reach, not that much for Corporate, but now that you have got Kareena Kapoor for heroine, you will go much ahead. You are a different film maker, you makes movies with different themes in mind.
MB: It is not so, depends on what is the script.
PC: You are a writer even
MB: I am a writer but I have co writers with me, I have a comfort level and a comfort zone. I can finish a film fast, because I have contemporary subject.
PC: Be it male of female dominated, finish the movie fast is what you feel
MB: Yes.
PC: That is why you took time from Kareena fast before marriage.
MB: Laughs
PC: Earlier, item numbers were not necessary for heroine. In that time, women used to be seen more chin up, now it is chin down. Is it necessary for a film success? Like having a kind of exposure, like Sheila Ki Jawani you have one more jawani
MB: Halkat Jawani
PC: So, I mean are such kind of dialogues are necessary these days, is it necessary to establish Kareena Kapoor when she is already on number one.
MB: I don’t think so. In this movie we have shot halkat jawaani to show that an actress is doing stage performance. It is a part of the script.
PC: That script has been written. Imitating such kind of things, is it necessary
MB: It is not a question of imitating, Prabhuji, it is a different kind of song, it is an integral part of the film, the character of an actress is portrayed in the movie and she is going on the stage and performing in the movie. Hence, it is not that we have tried to fit in the song. Like, ok, let’s put the song halkat jawaani in this movie.
PC: I am talking about the theme, without halkat jawaani, can’t the movie be made
MB: It can be done but
PC: Even Kareena would have felt after you gave her the song that I am doing the same thing that has become successful
KK: When you see the film you will know, that it was important to do this song also because she is performing on her song on the stage and it is a popular item song.
PC: It is the story of rise and fall of a heroine
KK: No, People feel that is the story.
PC: That is what you said
KK: We did not say that.
PC: Has it become necessary to reveal these days, acting is about emoting but body show is what is happening instead. I have not come to see the movie to see whether you did halkat jawani well or was Sheila ki jawani better. I will come to see the acting.
KK: This is what you are seeing, go and see the world, you must ask the audiences, why do they want item songs in movies.
MB: Why do you want to see halkat jawani
KK: Halkat Jawani, Sheila ki Jawani, Chikni Chameli, why do they want to see.
PC: But Madhur Bhandarkar had done no voting to see whether people what to see this and that too on Kareena who is a successful actress
MB: She is successful that is why we are doing a song
PC: But a song which is imitation
MB: No, no Prabhuji, that you must be feeling ,then there are many songs on Jawani. Now Jalwa song has come so many times, I have used this world in fashion too, fashion.
PC: What are heroes of today, all are dancing with fifty people dancing behind them.
MB: But Prabhuji, if a person is making a movie for 65-70 crore, like you are speaking of Khans, why would not he dance if a commercial film is being made. Because he has to see the audience too, one will not make a serious film by putting in Rs. 60 crore.
PC: Mughal e azam, Naya daur, serious films like these used to do golden jubilee, your films don’t run for five weeks. Movies used to run for 25 – 50 weeks.
MB: That era has passed, earlier these was one channel, now there are 150.
PC: But there are shows which run for 10 years
MB: Times have changed now
PC: Earlier directors and producers used to be invisible, but now to sell a film, they come to the forefront to promote, while the heroine is left behind
MB: Not at all. Hero and heroine always promote a film, and if even a director does, like I have made myself a niche brand over the years, what is the problem if the ‘karta dharta’ of the films comes ahead and sells it.
PC: But people know Madhur Bhandarkar
MB: That they know because I come to the forefront.
PC: That we know because we see your photos in the newspaper
MB: But it is good to have direct communication with the media and consumer market, then you know that a director is talking about his film. He tells about the heroine, what is wrong in that
PC: Magazine is known by the editors name, but the content is important ultimately. Even if he writes a great story, but you don’t act well, the movie will flop, you feel that the movie will run if you do bad acting.
KK: These days films do not run on acting, you yourself have said that movies are running without acting.
PC: I have said, on dance, on revealing body,
MB: Prabhuji, it is overall, it is the overall movie I think. Not only that, is it revealing and dance has been done, so the movie will run. There are many movies in which revealing has been done, dance has been done, but he movie did not run.
PC: Don’t you feel that entertainment is like instant food, have it and out. No effect on health is seen, like have Pizza, Hamburger
MB: As far as my films are concerned, I feel that they have left an impact. My films have shown a mirror to society always, got national award too. Hence, I don’t feel that my movie is like instant coffee or instant pizza that people forget. Even today people compliment on Traffic Signal, Corporate. In IIM – Ahemdabad, Corporate is a case study. I like to go and interact with that MBA student.
PC: We will see heroine too, you would have tried to show truth too even in that movie
MB: What is the problem in showing the truth, why should not it be shown, we are telling the story of a super star, Kareena Kapoor’s character of Mahi Arora, her stardom, the people near her, her love affairs, her relationships, other actresses which are giving her competition, film makers, we have based a film on them all.
PC: These days many bad things are said about the film industry, which are said about other industries too. Have you tried to show the reality of casting couch
MB: No, that is a myth
PC: Then that is nothing of that sort
MB: Sir, then there are fifty things to show in film line, all I cannot show in a two hour film
PC: Like there are allegations of paid news, paid news, we talk on paid news
MB: No, no, in a 2.20 hour movie,
PC: You mean in that the casting couch issue is not there
MB: No, Prabhuji, I will not talk about it, you see the movie, why should I reveal all here.
PC: Keep on making such movies, thank you for coming to our studio
MB: Thank you, Prabhuji !
KK: Thank you, Prabhuji !
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