Rajiv vijayakar speaks to critically acclaimed Bollywood director, Madhur Bhandarkar, on his style of cinema, and his latest offering, 'Heroine'.
With most of his films, Madhur Bhandarkar has succeeded in keeping both the critics and the audience happy. From Chandni Bar (2001) to Fashion (2008), he has also made winning national awards a habit.
Except for his debut disaster Trishakti (1998), most of his films, be it the dark Jail or the testosterone-heavy Aan: Men At Work and Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji, have been heroine-oriented. In fact, Madhur has got all fame and honour only with female-centric or issue-based films. Most of his films have also had English titles. Like his latest film Heroine, which follows his most preferred and well-known canon of an issue-based film, by exploring the world of a film star.
Bhandarkar's days and nights are spent in a tizzy of promotions, and for the first time, it takes him three weeks to find 15 minutes on the phone. Why has marketing become a monster, we ask.
"It's now a norm," he agrees. "Today, we need to create awareness even in a remote town. The reach of the movie must be instant, for it is a three-day affair at the box office that makes or breaks a film. There are 1,500 prints or more, and many more shows.
Everything from Facebook to Twitter is a tool — and everyone has an opinion that is expressed for all to hear or read. The rest of the hype is due to the fact that instead of just one television channel, as was the case two decades ago, there are now 150! The outcome is that I have to not only think of my picture (as in the movie) but also plan its release and marketing. Today, the dates actors give include 10 to 21 days for country-wide promotion."
Bhandarkar says that his latest film is inspired by a mix of multiple actresses' lives and is not modelled on any single celebrity. "There is also added fiction. It is a contemporary subject where we cover the life of a top star and talks about her director, co-stars, boyfriends, contemporaries — everything about her," he says.
And Kareena, he promises, will be a revelation. "My heroine is manipulative yet fragile. This is a film in which she blows hot and cold." While she has done a "fab job and pushed the envelope," the director concedes that he always modifies his script and character according to his actor. "One has to mould the actor to the role and vice-versa too," he says. "My lead character would have been different if a newcomer had played the role."
Shaping the actor
Bhandarkar does not subscribe to the workshop approach. "I am an instinctive director, and Kareena is a switch-on-switch-off actress. We gelled very well and the atmosphere was completely cordial."
How does he explain his track record of getting honours for his actors? "I have my own style," he explains. "The reason I do not hold workshops is that a set is different from a place where one holds a workshop. In a workshop, everything is clockwork. On the sets, it is necessary to adapt, and to deal with the technical hiccups that may happen any time.
I know what I want and how to get it from the actor I have signed on, based on my script. I believe a lot in impromptu changes. I give my actors freedom, but if there is something I am not getting, I also tell them to imitate me. And yes, I make sure that my artistic face goes with the character I have conceived."
The filmmaker goes to the extent of stating that anyone can act under a good director, with a good role — "The capabilities vary. But I am sure that I can get a decent performance out of anyone, even if he or she does not even know the ABC of
acting."
He also decries the way he has been branded to one kind of cinema. "Which films of mine have been similar to each other?" he asks. "I have made an action-drama, a film set in a jail and even a romantic comedy. If the script for a love story inspires me, I will make it. If I was not after variety, why would I make a Traffic Signal on street folks after a success like Corporate?"
The only point the director is clear about is that the budgets must be controlled. "That is my USP," he claims. "My films have almost always made profits even when they were not hits."
Has there not been too much of a focus on Kareena Kapoor this time? We know little about his supporting cast. "Arjun Rampal, Randeep Hooda and Manoj Bajpayee will all be surprise packages. My films have always had strong supporting actors."
His films have never been strong on music. Why is that? "I think this film will end up with three hit songs, Halkat jawani, Saiyaan and Khwahishein. I use songs in my own way."
Why does he change his music directors with every film? "It's about which music director suits which film," he says. "I have done four films with Shameer Tandon.
Pritam did Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji because I thought he suited that subject best. Salim-Sulaiman had done Fashion earlier, and this was a commitment I had made to them. More important, Heroine needed to be very strong in the background music department and thus, Salim-Sulaiman became all the more important."
With most of his films, Madhur Bhandarkar has succeeded in keeping both the critics and the audience happy. From Chandni Bar (2001) to Fashion (2008), he has also made winning national awards a habit.
Except for his debut disaster Trishakti (1998), most of his films, be it the dark Jail or the testosterone-heavy Aan: Men At Work and Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji, have been heroine-oriented. In fact, Madhur has got all fame and honour only with female-centric or issue-based films. Most of his films have also had English titles. Like his latest film Heroine, which follows his most preferred and well-known canon of an issue-based film, by exploring the world of a film star.
Bhandarkar's days and nights are spent in a tizzy of promotions, and for the first time, it takes him three weeks to find 15 minutes on the phone. Why has marketing become a monster, we ask.
"It's now a norm," he agrees. "Today, we need to create awareness even in a remote town. The reach of the movie must be instant, for it is a three-day affair at the box office that makes or breaks a film. There are 1,500 prints or more, and many more shows.
Everything from Facebook to Twitter is a tool — and everyone has an opinion that is expressed for all to hear or read. The rest of the hype is due to the fact that instead of just one television channel, as was the case two decades ago, there are now 150! The outcome is that I have to not only think of my picture (as in the movie) but also plan its release and marketing. Today, the dates actors give include 10 to 21 days for country-wide promotion."
Bhandarkar says that his latest film is inspired by a mix of multiple actresses' lives and is not modelled on any single celebrity. "There is also added fiction. It is a contemporary subject where we cover the life of a top star and talks about her director, co-stars, boyfriends, contemporaries — everything about her," he says.
And Kareena, he promises, will be a revelation. "My heroine is manipulative yet fragile. This is a film in which she blows hot and cold." While she has done a "fab job and pushed the envelope," the director concedes that he always modifies his script and character according to his actor. "One has to mould the actor to the role and vice-versa too," he says. "My lead character would have been different if a newcomer had played the role."
Shaping the actor
Bhandarkar does not subscribe to the workshop approach. "I am an instinctive director, and Kareena is a switch-on-switch-off actress. We gelled very well and the atmosphere was completely cordial."
How does he explain his track record of getting honours for his actors? "I have my own style," he explains. "The reason I do not hold workshops is that a set is different from a place where one holds a workshop. In a workshop, everything is clockwork. On the sets, it is necessary to adapt, and to deal with the technical hiccups that may happen any time.
I know what I want and how to get it from the actor I have signed on, based on my script. I believe a lot in impromptu changes. I give my actors freedom, but if there is something I am not getting, I also tell them to imitate me. And yes, I make sure that my artistic face goes with the character I have conceived."
The filmmaker goes to the extent of stating that anyone can act under a good director, with a good role — "The capabilities vary. But I am sure that I can get a decent performance out of anyone, even if he or she does not even know the ABC of
acting."
He also decries the way he has been branded to one kind of cinema. "Which films of mine have been similar to each other?" he asks. "I have made an action-drama, a film set in a jail and even a romantic comedy. If the script for a love story inspires me, I will make it. If I was not after variety, why would I make a Traffic Signal on street folks after a success like Corporate?"
The only point the director is clear about is that the budgets must be controlled. "That is my USP," he claims. "My films have almost always made profits even when they were not hits."
Has there not been too much of a focus on Kareena Kapoor this time? We know little about his supporting cast. "Arjun Rampal, Randeep Hooda and Manoj Bajpayee will all be surprise packages. My films have always had strong supporting actors."
His films have never been strong on music. Why is that? "I think this film will end up with three hit songs, Halkat jawani, Saiyaan and Khwahishein. I use songs in my own way."
Why does he change his music directors with every film? "It's about which music director suits which film," he says. "I have done four films with Shameer Tandon.
Pritam did Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji because I thought he suited that subject best. Salim-Sulaiman had done Fashion earlier, and this was a commitment I had made to them. More important, Heroine needed to be very strong in the background music department and thus, Salim-Sulaiman became all the more important."