Ram Gopal Varma has seen more flops than hits in the last few years. But that hasn’t shaken his confidence. Attributing his lean phase to his arrogance, the filmmaker says he has learnt from his mistakes. As he comes back with Veerappan, Ramu talks about it all – from making an erotica to his equation with Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap. Excerpts:
Is it like a comeback with Veerappan?
It’s not like a comeback but yes, I took a really long holiday for almost 2 years.
Why?
I think I was being repetitive with the kind of cinema I was making. So I decided it’s high time to take a hard look at what kind of cinema I should make now. And in these two years, I wrote many scripts and started watching films. I just kind of rejuvenated myself.
How did Veerappan happen?
Veerappan is something that I was always interested in, a dark character that is larger than life and rebellious. You can see that in my films like Shiva, Satya and Sarkar. I first heard about Veerappan in 1995. Dacoit rule in the jungles was becoming a big thing in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Then I met some people who told me about him, so it was always there at the back of my mind. In 2004, I planned on making a film on some people trying to catch Veerappan. That time, Shimit Amin was supposed to direct it and I was supposed to produce the film. And just when we were about to start, Veerappan was killed. So I thought he is already dead, what’s the point of making a film on trying to catch him? In 2008, I happened to meet some people who were involved in the process of killing Veerappan. His life is like 25 years of Mahabharat with so many interesting factors. I got fascinated by Veerappan again.
How did you do your research on Veerappan and how did you go about doing the casting?
One, I thought that every time the police officers were coming, they were trying to learn from the previous officer’s mistakes and how Veerappan was adapting to it over the course of time. It was almost like a biologist studying an animal and its behaviour. So everyone kept upgrading as per the experience. I met some of the cops who were involved in the operations; I got in touch with some middlemen between Veerappan and the Government. So various types of people were my sources of information.
Tell us about those people.
I cannot name them. Some of them are from within the department and some I can’t name for security reasons.
How did you think of the actor Sandeep Bharadwaj for the central part?
Sandeep didn’t look like Veerappan, but when I saw his auditions, I was quite impressed the way he delivered his dialogue. Then I asked Vikram Gaikwad (make-up man) if this boy can look like Veerappan. Vikram said he could try. And today when people see him, they say he is an exact copy of Veerappan. But as I said, the real Sandeep looks completely different. It has come out well partly because of Vikram and also because Sandeep is an incredible actor. He is a super method actor. He developed a gait and body language of a man who lives in a jungle and is either on a hunt or being hunted.
How did you get him ready? Did you show him videos of Veerappan?
There is very little footage on Veerappan available. Sandeep spent time with people who interacted with Veerappan.
Was there any resistance from the family or any relatives of his?
I met Veerappan’s wife, Muthulakshmi years back because he is a registered criminal and was killed eventually, so there is no point in protecting him. Whatever Veerappan has done, is in the public domain. So the resistance cannot be there. She is in the know of it.
Will you be showing the film to her?
I will.
What did you feel during the period when your movies stopped running?
I think it has a lot to do with my arrogance. Every filmmaker has a failure when he doesn’t take up the right subject matter. An actor is as good as the subject matter he is given. And the subject matter you choose is either out of arrogance or overlooking the fact that better movies have been made on a similar subject. Or, on being surrounded by people who say yes to everything you say. So yeah, my arrogance did me in.
Any film that you feel you shouldn’t have done?
Some films I believe were good, but unfortunately they didn’t work, like Nishabd. Not working at the box-office doesn’t decide if it was good or bad. The way I make the film is different from the way the audience looks at it. But yes, I have a list of films which I shouldn’t have made.
Do you think there was a point when you were not taken seriously?
It is a natural phenomenon. You don’t take those people seriously who do not deliver.
Did your social media war with Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap also affect your image?
I personally don’t feel that. It doesn’t matter to the common man, if his favourite director continues to deliver what he expects from him.
What’s your status with Karan and Anurag now?
I like Karan. There were misunderstandings, but I have clarified them with Karan. When I said Karan’s films are horror films, I meant that I am scared of his success. So, it’s a compliment. As for Anurag, I love him but he hates me.
You are coming up with a web series. What drew you towards digital media?
The idea came up because there are certain things that you can tell in a shorter duration and some things that the Indian censors won’t allow. The mindset of a viewer watching a web series would be different. All these factors put together influenced me. And let’s not forget that eventually I am a storyteller. And I want to tell a story on any platform, so why not on the web?
Is this your answer to the archaic ways of censorship today?
Definitely, that is one part. If I want to tell something and someone wants to listen to me, I don’t want someone sitting in the middle trying to moderate it. To begin with, as I had tweeted: I am working on an erotic series.
How did you get your lead actress Gold (newbie) for such a bold erotica, Single X?
I think there are many girls out there who would want to work for such relative thing. Like a man has power, woman has sexuality as her power. Trying not to use what they have would be like subjugating their wealth. That’s the way I look at it. Some girls have the intelligence to understand it.
Was it easy to shoot the bold stuff with Gold?
I explained to her what I wanted and she did it with complete conviction.
You are coming back with Sarkar 3, what’s the plan there?
The script is more or less ready, just fine-tuning it because it has been 10 years. Sarkar came in 2005, so I want to bring in a certain style which is more contemporary for today’s audience. There will be some changes in the visual structuring.
But you won’t have Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in it?
Abhishek’s character anyway died in Sarkar Raj, so I can’t have him. Aishwarya also goes along with that part. The third part is being set in a different time period. The rest of the casting is being finalized.
You are also doing a film with Vivek Oberoi?
Yes, it is called Rai. It is based on a gangster who is from down South. I have never heard a story as dramatic as his, in my entire life. He is the first gangster I know who had a happy retirement.
Which starts first, Bachchan’s film or Vivek’s film?
Sarkar 3 will take a lot of time to shoot since it’s majorly outdoors--- and I don’t want rain. So I am expecting to take it on floors in August. I will start with Rai first.
Are you in touch with Urmila Matondkar? You congratulated her on her wedding...
I am not in touch with her. It is not like anything is wrong between us. I had some association with her and have done many films with her, so I just wanted to congratulate her.
Any remakes in the pipeline?
No, not really. After making Aag (remake of Sholay), I have decided to stay away from them for the rest of my life.
Do the scars of Aag still remain?
Not really. I live in the present and don’t worry about anything else. That’s my way of life.