Entertainment
Director R Balki talks Shamitabh, Shah Rukh Khan and more..
Updated : Jan 28, 2015, 06:51 PM IST
R Balki is a director with a difference. His films are memorable and his characters remain etched in people's hearts. Whether it's Cheeni Kum or Paa, Balki's cinematic brilliance has resulted in both the critics and audience praising him. Now that he's busy promoting his next- Shamitabh, we caught up with the director who explained why he loves watching films more than making it.
Along with the successes, characters from all your films have become memorable with each passing year. Does that add in any pressure on you for Shamitabh?
Past has got no effect on what you are doing currently because each story needs to be told in its own way and you just need to do justice to what you’ve thought of. It has got absolutely no connection with your past films because whatever you have done previously - good or bad will have no control on people going to watch your film right now. People buy tickets to watch and enjoy a particular film. I am only focusing on what I am doing right now and that’s it.
What took you so long (almost six years after Paa in 2009) to come up with your next film?
I have always said this and I will say it again. I love watching films. I would rather just watch films than make them. Making films is a boring, tedious process and unless you have an idea which you really want to tell the audience about, it’s a really painful process. Watching films is a far more pleasurable process. Still, it gets me motivated enough to wait for over two years to get all kind of issues get over and start another project. Genuinely, I would never feel motivated to do it if I don’t believe in the script. So maybe it’s mainly because there was nothing to motivate me these few years which took me so long to come with Shamitabh.
You even made Big B dub for the film before shooting for it..
Yes, but that is for a very different reason. Even Amit ji dubbed his own dialogues before acting in the film. The way we were shooting Shamitabh required us to dub the film first. You will know when you watch the film and will have all your answers to what it is and why he did this.
You had even offered the film to Shah Rukh Khan previously.
Of course, that’s completely true. I did have a discussion about Shamitabh with Shah Rukh. But every film has it’s own destiny, finds its own characters, graph and audience. I would have loved to work with Shah Rukh but it did not materialise with this film. But having Dhanush now, I cannot think of anybody else except Dhanush for the role.
So will your next be with Shah Rukh?
I would love to work with him and if the idea is right enough, then why not? But I don’t have any ideas right now, except Shamitabh.
Having Dhanush in your film surprised many. Big B and Dhanush come across as an unusual pairing. Why did you pick them?
Dhanush is one of the most powerful actors in the industry. He’s such an incredible performer and I needed two equal performers who go strength to strength with each other for Shamitabh because it’s about the clash of their egos. The moral of the story is that it takes two people to do things together. One person cannot do it all alone. It’s always about a team and not about an individual. So I needed someone who can match the calibre and the emotions of Amitji and Dhanush has done a wonderful job.
Is Shamitabh your most challenging work till date?
Nothing like that. Every time you do an ad, you feel that’s the most challenging thing you have done. Making anything is very painful and I get amazed when actors, directors say they had great fun while shooting for their films. It’s so much of labour, given that every film comes with its own set of complications. At that point o time when you are making it, these feel like the biggest problems on earth and makes you feel it’s the most challenging. But that’s how it is for every film.
Are you already preparing for your next?
I don’t have anything as of now and I am concentrating only on Shamitabh without thinking about anything else. Right now, if I select anything, it will be only garbage. It’s not the best time to think of new ideas. So maybe a month after Shamitabh, I will sit in my office and think about my next. But one thing’s for sure- this time I won’t take that long to come up with another film.
When do we see you and Gauri coming together for a project again?
We actually never came together I just produced English Vinglish. Bas, that’s it! Coming to work, Gauri works completely independently and I have no idea what she’s writing now. I think I will know about it only a day before the world knows! (Laughs) But she is doing something which I am clueless about. I have been busy for the past few weeks with the Shamitabh chaos and my work so once we meet properly, we will spend some time together and maybe talk about it then.