Rajiv Vijayakar speaks to the women behind the touching cinematic portrayal of the recent release, 'English Vinglish' — director Gauri Shinde, and yesteryear superstar Sridevi.
Three incredible talents have joined forces for English Vinglish, a film that was destined to be a path-breaker since its conception. R Balki, co-producer, his wife, debutant writer-director Gauri Shinde, and Sridevi, the lady who has faced the camera since her childhood, and has returned to it after a 15-year break, are the proverbial three aces of a film which is as entertaining as it is a unique celluloid experience with a powerful message.
Among the plethora of actresses coming back to the screen this year, Sridevi has been the luckiest: how many comeback artistes get a role and vehicle that ranks amongst the very best in their annals? Concurs Sridevi simply, "Yes, I need to say a big thank you to my fans and the audience, and to god. When Gauri narrated the subject to me, after an incidental conversation between our husbands Boney and Balki ji, we just clicked, even as people."
Never in her long innings was the ace actress ever directed by a woman director. "Though the gender did not matter, I admit there was a greater comfort level as you can talk about almost anything with another woman," Sridevi admits.
Sridevi enjoyed every moment of the film, especially because her husband Boney was there all through the 10-week schedule in New York! "It was a free treat for him," she chuckles, adding that we need to ask him what he thinks of her performance. "I loved working with the small boy, Sagar, who was so unusually sharp and good and so cute. My French co-star Mehdi Nebbou was so enthusiastic and quite a perfectionist," she adds.
The encomiums haven't stopped pouring in, says the actress, who had never planned any comeback. "But I feel so lucky and grateful for what is happening," she says. Though she would not single out any one compliment, Sridevi especially cherishes people calling her up or hugging her when they meet to tell her how the film changed their lives. "I am amazed that so many people have told me that English Vinglish is exactly their story — not just wives, but even husbands and kids who have apologised to their wives and mothers after watching this film!"
Even today, the actress who rates every single film she did as close to her, will not plan on her next mov(i)e. "I never plan," she emphasises. "But I will look for quality films only, as work keeps me away from my family. Before we shot the film, we all, my husband and daughters Jhanvi and Khushi, went for a month-long holiday to Las Vegas, because I was going to be away from my kids."
Sridevi is disturbed by the conflicting buzz about Jhanvi's film career. "It's all untrue. Jhanvi's doing very well academically and is just 15. We do not even discuss a career in films." What if she wants to join the profession later? "We will see at that stage," she replies. "Why should I break my head on it now?"
Finding her character
Gauri Shinde is also someone who never plans. "Ad films are my love!" she tells us, "A feature film never loomed large in my horizon, and I had decided that I would only make one if I got a great idea. Also, by training, I am a director, not a writer, so when this idea hit me, I sounded it off to so many people, including my husband, before staying back in New York to flesh out the plot with a friend. But the major screenplay was done when I returned to Mumbai, and the writing in all took more than a year."
Gauri did not want the baggage of thinking about the actor before she locked the script. "I wanted to flesh out Shashi Godbole freely. I was convinced that an actor would work out after I finished writing the film. I intentionally also did not put the Maharashtrian aspects or typify their diets, hence the close-up on the rajma chawal because my family in Pune does eat this Punjabi item as well!"
It was Balki's complete confidence in the concept that turned Gauri's idea into a reality. And she is well aware that it was her husband's standing, branding and repute that made things so easy for her. "When Balki told me that Sridevi was interested, it all fell into place," says a still-surprised Gauri. "She turned out to be the luck factor I had depended on, and when we met, there was something about her that made her the only possible choice!"
A fresh perspective was needed on Shashi's husband and so came Adil Hussain. "I had bumped into Mehdi in New York at a premiere and we had stayed in touch. The film was not in the picture then, but I knew there was a reason why I had met him!" she says.
The rewarding moment was when Gauri's Pune-based mother loved the film and tearfully embraced her. "There were some parts of our family in the scenes — like the dining table 'jazz' sequence, though in real life it was not about jazz, but something else," says Gauri.
Modestly explaining the concept of her in-depth subject, she says, "I guess it's all about what you imbibe in life — all the influences, people, books, incidents, experiences good and bad — everything!"
At the same time, her husband must have been an obvious albatross in another way — of the industry assuming that he had ghost-directed the film. Smiles Gauri, "Well, all I will say is that I would have preferred to open a boutique rather than pretend to have directed a film that my husband had actually made!"
And Balki concurs, "This is one of those very rare films that I envy, by which I mean I wish I had made it! When I first heard Gauri's story, I related to it instantly and, believe me, I would not have supported or invested in a product, even from her, had it not been worthwhile."
What draws Balki and Gauri both to films is the commonality in their approaches. "Filmmaking is a laborious process and unless we are confident about connecting with and entertaining people, we will never do it. A film must primarily entertain."
His contribution was there, Balki admits — but only as a producer. "As a first-time producer, I had to manage the money, schedules and all other planning!" he laughs. "Gauri made me do things that I naturally did not like, but ended up doing and learning."
Three incredible talents have joined forces for English Vinglish, a film that was destined to be a path-breaker since its conception. R Balki, co-producer, his wife, debutant writer-director Gauri Shinde, and Sridevi, the lady who has faced the camera since her childhood, and has returned to it after a 15-year break, are the proverbial three aces of a film which is as entertaining as it is a unique celluloid experience with a powerful message.
Among the plethora of actresses coming back to the screen this year, Sridevi has been the luckiest: how many comeback artistes get a role and vehicle that ranks amongst the very best in their annals? Concurs Sridevi simply, "Yes, I need to say a big thank you to my fans and the audience, and to god. When Gauri narrated the subject to me, after an incidental conversation between our husbands Boney and Balki ji, we just clicked, even as people."
Never in her long innings was the ace actress ever directed by a woman director. "Though the gender did not matter, I admit there was a greater comfort level as you can talk about almost anything with another woman," Sridevi admits.
Sridevi enjoyed every moment of the film, especially because her husband Boney was there all through the 10-week schedule in New York! "It was a free treat for him," she chuckles, adding that we need to ask him what he thinks of her performance. "I loved working with the small boy, Sagar, who was so unusually sharp and good and so cute. My French co-star Mehdi Nebbou was so enthusiastic and quite a perfectionist," she adds.
The encomiums haven't stopped pouring in, says the actress, who had never planned any comeback. "But I feel so lucky and grateful for what is happening," she says. Though she would not single out any one compliment, Sridevi especially cherishes people calling her up or hugging her when they meet to tell her how the film changed their lives. "I am amazed that so many people have told me that English Vinglish is exactly their story — not just wives, but even husbands and kids who have apologised to their wives and mothers after watching this film!"
Even today, the actress who rates every single film she did as close to her, will not plan on her next mov(i)e. "I never plan," she emphasises. "But I will look for quality films only, as work keeps me away from my family. Before we shot the film, we all, my husband and daughters Jhanvi and Khushi, went for a month-long holiday to Las Vegas, because I was going to be away from my kids."
Sridevi is disturbed by the conflicting buzz about Jhanvi's film career. "It's all untrue. Jhanvi's doing very well academically and is just 15. We do not even discuss a career in films." What if she wants to join the profession later? "We will see at that stage," she replies. "Why should I break my head on it now?"
Finding her character
Gauri Shinde is also someone who never plans. "Ad films are my love!" she tells us, "A feature film never loomed large in my horizon, and I had decided that I would only make one if I got a great idea. Also, by training, I am a director, not a writer, so when this idea hit me, I sounded it off to so many people, including my husband, before staying back in New York to flesh out the plot with a friend. But the major screenplay was done when I returned to Mumbai, and the writing in all took more than a year."
Gauri did not want the baggage of thinking about the actor before she locked the script. "I wanted to flesh out Shashi Godbole freely. I was convinced that an actor would work out after I finished writing the film. I intentionally also did not put the Maharashtrian aspects or typify their diets, hence the close-up on the rajma chawal because my family in Pune does eat this Punjabi item as well!"
It was Balki's complete confidence in the concept that turned Gauri's idea into a reality. And she is well aware that it was her husband's standing, branding and repute that made things so easy for her. "When Balki told me that Sridevi was interested, it all fell into place," says a still-surprised Gauri. "She turned out to be the luck factor I had depended on, and when we met, there was something about her that made her the only possible choice!"
A fresh perspective was needed on Shashi's husband and so came Adil Hussain. "I had bumped into Mehdi in New York at a premiere and we had stayed in touch. The film was not in the picture then, but I knew there was a reason why I had met him!" she says.
The rewarding moment was when Gauri's Pune-based mother loved the film and tearfully embraced her. "There were some parts of our family in the scenes — like the dining table 'jazz' sequence, though in real life it was not about jazz, but something else," says Gauri.
Modestly explaining the concept of her in-depth subject, she says, "I guess it's all about what you imbibe in life — all the influences, people, books, incidents, experiences good and bad — everything!"
At the same time, her husband must have been an obvious albatross in another way — of the industry assuming that he had ghost-directed the film. Smiles Gauri, "Well, all I will say is that I would have preferred to open a boutique rather than pretend to have directed a film that my husband had actually made!"
And Balki concurs, "This is one of those very rare films that I envy, by which I mean I wish I had made it! When I first heard Gauri's story, I related to it instantly and, believe me, I would not have supported or invested in a product, even from her, had it not been worthwhile."
What draws Balki and Gauri both to films is the commonality in their approaches. "Filmmaking is a laborious process and unless we are confident about connecting with and entertaining people, we will never do it. A film must primarily entertain."
His contribution was there, Balki admits — but only as a producer. "As a first-time producer, I had to manage the money, schedules and all other planning!" he laughs. "Gauri made me do things that I naturally did not like, but ended up doing and learning."