'I Will Do Anything For SRK And Farah'

SpotboyE.com caught up with Anurag Kashyap in his Andheri office to know about his upcoming films Ugly and Bombay Velvet. The conversation veered on to different topics as the filmmaker was in a mood to talk. Excerpts: 

You are back on Twitter...

Yes.

What made you come back?

Isn’t it obvious? Its for the promotion of my upcoming film, Ugly. And why should I be hypocritical about it? I was asked to do this as a promotional exercise. Theres a reason why my Twitter bio says fundamentally reluctant (laughs).

So, do you intend to promote Bombay Velvet and withdraw?

If I have come back, I wont go back now (pauses). I dont want to be that person who oscillates between getting on and off the cyberspace. Ill stay there but spend lesser time on it. I wont let it consume me like last time.

So, you agree it landed you in trouble?

I am not scared of troubles. I didnt see that episode around The Lunchbox as trouble. I kept tweeting and people found easy headlines. No one checked what I meant.

Lets talk about Ugly...

A year was consumed in the court case over the smoking disclaimer with the Censor Board. At the end of the day, the High Court (Mumbai) deferred the case saying they cant pass a judgement till the Supreme Court orders dont come in. I wish they made this clear on day one; we wouldnt have wasted so much time.

So the disclaimer does go in...

We have no other option. It makes me upset and angry. I am not in favour of it. I still cant justify it.

But youre not the first filmmaker whos disgruntled with the system. Words like ‘virgin and a supposedly nude poster of a film draws as much flak.

Its a very strange, moralistic time. Look at this...theyve banned the cab service for the rape in Delhi. Now, if a rape occurs in the train or any other public transport, will those also be banned? Our country has knee-jerk solutions for everything. We are a country that gets offended every day.

Back to Ugly. Why opt for the last week of December to release your film?

The industrys biggest record breakers starting with Aamir Khans Ghajini have released in the last week of December. Thats the time when most people are ready to spend and watch a good film (pauses). Ugly, which releases on December 26, is not a direct competitor to PK. Aamir (Khan) picked three clean weeks, we get two.

Is the Indian audience ready for a film like Ugly?

I think yes. If they give it a chance, they wont go home disappointed.

But the audience often has issues with something thats off the beaten track, like your No Smoking...

(Interrupts) Many people had issues with No Smoking. It was a shocking film and not everyone understood where it came from. The response at all the screenings of Bombay Velvet has been positive.

Bombay Velvet has received plenty of negative press since it went on floors. Doesn't it put pressure on you? 

No. I am very confident of Bombay Velvet. And so is everyone else associated with that film.

But theres huge money riding on it, and a lot of money has been spent on the making...

So what? Returns vary from film to film. I am very happy with the film Ive made. I dont care about the opinions from the  trade. Some people are unhappy that someone has given me so much money to make a big budget film.

The change in its release date (earlier planned for release in November/December 2014, will now releaseMay 15, 2015) has raised eyebrows, nearly questioning the content youve created.

We hadnt finished our film. Well start working on dubbing and sound effects from this week onward. How could we have released the film in November?

But you did put up a fight with Aamir over choosing the initial release dates...

Honestly speaking, I felt as if I was being forced to release Bombay Velvet early which I wasn't in favour of. I felt it was better to push the film to a later date (pauses). There was discomfort over that (pauses again). But eventually, everyone saw reason in my thought.

Its said that Bombay Velvet is too lengthy and you bought time to cut it to size...

You must pose this question to those who write these stories. I know my films length. The absolute line-up was not more than 3 hours, 20 minutes. After  editing, it is 2 hours, 20 minutes. One hour is easy to chop.

There are too many theories around what inspired you to make Bombay Velvet; one of them is that its based on your romance with a jazz singer in America after your divorce with Aarti (Bajaj)?

The film is dedicated to that jazz singer (blushes). I cant tell you too much about her. She was performing at the Lincoln Centre and I was smitten by her. I was mesmerised by her, and this was quite a few years ago.  Lets just say she introduced me to jazz, a big contribution to my life.

How difficult is it to wear multiple hats- producer, director, editor...

I dont produce films anymore. I just look into the creative side of filmmaking. In future, I will just write and direct. I dont understand money. I cant deal with accounts every day.

Have you seen the PK promos? Do you like them?

Yes. And I am quite curious to know whats there is in the film. I like that song.  Love is a waste of time. I just love that song, its typical UP style.

What is making you so curious?

I just love Rajkumar Hirani and his style of writing. I like the way he thinks. Lage Raho Munnabhai is my all-time favourite script. Hence, I am keen to know what he has done in PK.

Do you intend working with Hirani?

I wish I stole his scripts before he makes the film (giggles).  I am not closed to the idea of working with him.

You were also supposed to make a biopic on the Punjabi poet Parsh and a movie with Amitabh Bachchan...

I want to go on a long holiday after Bombay Velvet releases, before I decide to make another film. Everyone is waiting for this film to finish.

Has the Bombay Velvet journey made you so tired?

Not tired, but a film consumes you till its not finished with all the VFX, sound, dubbing... bahut kaam hota hai.

Would you still make the other two films in the Bombay Velvet trilogy if God forbid this one flops?

They are three separate films and I will make them... I dont leave my films aside once Ive decided to make them.

Why did you rope in Karan Johar as the villain?

When you see the film, you wont ask. I was asked a similar question when I cast Tigmanshu Dhulia as a villain in Gangs Of Wasseypur. No one questioned me after the release.

Do you also intend to act?

No.

But you do intend to make a Hollywood film and shift base there...

I dont want to shift base to any other place. But yes, I will make a film there soon. I will make something small, in my zone. I dont want any hype and hoopla around it.

Will it have Martin Scorseses blessings like Bombay Velvet has?

The man has been kind. He has done enough for me. Thelma Schumacher is his editor and she is working on my film. But its too early to talk about my Hollywood film.

Has he seen portions of Bombay Velvet?

He has. You know we have this bad habit of dropping names. All our validation comes from dropping names. I dont want to do that. A personal validation from him for my film matters a lot to me. But hes not the only filmmaker who has seen portions of the movie. Eighty per cent of the big filmmakers in the industry have seen it. I show it to colleagues whose opinion I respect. And I dont do that to sell a film or get some publicity.

You were very upset when the news broke out that you were dating Sabrina, an AD (Assistant Director) on Bombay Velvet...

I have a problem with news that is simply headline driven. As for Sabrina, she has come out of that incident. And now, as a policy, my personal life is off the radar. No one has anything to do with it.

Kalki is an important part of that personal life. Whats your current equation with her today? Do we see you reuniting with her professionally?

Yes, we will work together again. Shes the most amazing person I have met. The media and this country cant comprehend the kind of person she is. I stayed with her for six years and not once did she ask me how much I earn. She led her life and I led mine.

A split usually leads to hatred between the couple...

There is nothing between us that makes us hate each other, or not want to see each others face or work with each other. We still care for each other. I still care when she faces a tough time finding a house for herself. But she doesnt want me to help her, shes an independent lady. She wants to live on her own terms. And I respect that. The world thinks that there has to be a reason easily understood by everyone as to why two people separate. And the most easily understood reason is: Another man/woman. 

But thats not always true. Ive wasted a lot of time fighting all this on Twitter and when I took a break and came back, I realised theres no point in wasting time. Many people dont seem to understand.

Why did you embarrass yourself doing a sex scene with Vishal Dadlani in Farah Khans Happy New Year?

Sometimes you do things for emotional reasons. I never questioned Farah or her intent. I will do anything for her and Shah Rukh Khan. And the reasons are very personal.


 

Do you still intend to make that one film with Shah Rukh, which you have in mind since many years?

I would love to make that film, but now its his call.  

Are you planning to relaunch Abhinav Kashyap (his brother, Dabangg director)?

He can fund his own film. Dont write him off. Hes smart, sharp and talented. He doesnt need my help. Trust me, hell be back with a bang!