Playing it Saif!

You've never really done a romantic film with an unhappy ending, have you?
I think I must have. Maybe a couple of unhappy ones for me. Maybe Kya Kehna was. It depends..If getting the girl means happy ending, which generally does. (pauses) I am trying to think if I have. I think Agent Vinod was something like that. He saved the world but didn't get the girl. I have played some villainous characters too.... Also, Ek Hasina Thi, getting eaten up by rats is not an happy ending either. A few filmmakers I know would like the idea of unhappy ending. Interestingly for Love Aaj Kal Imtiaz Ali had an alternate ending in mind, where my dithering character finally comes back to the girl and finds her pregnant. and he doesn't go up to her and goes back to Rishi Kapoor and has a drink with him, who tells him it is unfortunate that it didnt work out but life goes on. But we all felt that after all that he should get the girl and finally Imtiaz relented and people were happy.

Do you personally like happy endings?
I read somewhere somewhere in a filmmaking instruction kind of a film that the ending should be satisfying. So it doesn't matter if it's sad or not. And I agree with that. An open ending is also nice for the right kind of a movie. Sometimes an happy ending can be contrite.

I hate films with open endings.
Maybe there is a dimension to movies... I mean there definitely is a dimension to movies-- where the audience fills in the blanks. and that is also an interesting thing.

I feel that if someone has started telling a story, they should end it. Don't leave it to me to figure out what happens next.
There are films by people like David Lynch for which you have to get on the internet to check what it means. which can be pretty annoying. Like The Ring. The movie ends and you go WHAAAAAT! Mulholland Drive is another film like that. Someone said the clue is in the title sequence, and I watched that a hundred times and I could not figure it out. It drove me mad.

Whose idea was the naughty title?
These guys (Names add). We had very little to contribute with the film apart from trying to make it happen. I hope we are lucky enough to have news guys like this all the time. And maybe we will be, that's the nature of film life. their specialty is to bring things..in the past they haven't realised on budget, show formula..They are funny, witty. They said the title should be Happy Ending and we said, 'No, no that's really suggestive."

For you to say that is shocking! I would have thought you'd be gung-ho about it.
Well, yes. But you know my interactions shape me slightly. So if I meet too many people playing safe, I would like to be different but if somebody comes and tell me you have the control and I want to keep the title as Happy Ending, I would be like, 'let me think about it'. But it was the right decision. Film titles have also changed with fashion. From Lahoo Ke Do Rang to now we have Bodyguard. It's English title time.

What would you say is your space: romance, comedy, drama?
Luckily, you know everything is on the net. I was thinking, it's remarkable that I have kind of grown up rather publicly in a way. I started out when I was 20 and now I am 44. you know Someone made a montage of my films with Preity Zinta, because I have worked with her many times sporadically through out those 20 years. And there is a lot of uncertainty on my face. It's a cross between a very protected upbringing and something else I cannot define what..It's not sure enough to be a strong lead, which eventually what it graduates in to almost now to the last shot of Happy Ending walking out on the road. I don't know what the answer to what I fit into is.. I think what comes comfortable is romantic comedy and I think people feel comfortable accepting.

Please continue...
Also, I should be doing such films but earlier when people said I would feel a little slotted and I would say I wanted to do an Agent Vinod and Ek Haseena Thi. I want to do a Parineeta and Omkara too. but those are edges. There is a sense of urban timing and comedy that comes naturally, which I would think is silly not to capitalise on it as a USP because it is not everybody's gift. A lot of good-looking guys in Bollywood who have star presence perhaps can't do that.

True. But you moved away from your kind of cinema with Bullett Raja and Humshakals. Were you trying to find a different space?
Maybe.Yes. You talk about doing different things, experiment with different kind of roles, different makers,... Also, at the time, my thinking was, that the box office of the kind of films I was doing was not as wide as some of the other films that were being made. And I thought it would be nice to have one of those films. Also I felt that maybe after all these years I had learnt enough about acting to try and so that was the attempt. But now, I have realised that even if the box office is not that wide, one should stick to a certain culture of film. and respect that and be surrounded with people like that and say this is my world and be happy with that. But of course there are always exception Raju Hirani came to me, I am sure there would be meeting of minds..I mean I don't mean to..everyone caters to what they do is best.

So you are done doing a film for a hit?
Yes, I think now I am done with that. Some lessons have been learnt after quite a lot of thinking about it. But the lessons I learnt were something that I had always suspected. Happy Ending has not come about because of a failure and introspection that let me sign this. It was always there. And because it was always there, I thought I could take a bit of a chance.

You play all kinds of roles, so it's safe to say you have never been slotted. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Well, ultimately it is a good thing. Because there is so much choice out there and for a consumer to associate you with one thing, is a nice thing. It's better than nothing. Because you have given them a feeling that if they want to see...You might think you are very cool but they might want to see action from this guy and romance from that guy and at least they want to see something from you and that's nice in a competitive market. and one should respect that and I do. And I also actually really enjoy that kind of cinema and if I didn't that somewhere that might come across. It's just that in real life i would probably watch those films than a thriller..

Speaking of films, we never see you at previews or even in theatres catching a film. Do you watch movies in which you don't star?
Very rarely. All my life I thought, it would be nice to stop thinking about movies. It's such a consuming profession. That it takes over your life..so when you are not on a set it's nice to stay a little away from that. As for this preview culture, it is something that I avoid because you are at your wits end trying to figure out what to say to so many people. And I personally would never have a trial. If someone wants to see your film, show it to them by all means but you don't show up there and stand at the end of it and ask them how did you like it. Asking people there how did you like the film is petrifying for me. Because the kind of friends that I have would probably tell me we didn't like it. and that also hurts. And the truth will be out in two days so what's the point of your commenting on it. Also, the atmosphere of a trail is only for the people who want to watch the film. It is not even a realistic gauge of what the film is like. I beliebe when you buy a ticket and go to the theatre you want to love the film. When you go to see a trial, you probably don't. some of them are there to see the movie, some are there to check out the competition and some of them to run away from there. It is a competitive industry.. and it is a negative atmosphere sometimes. Unless you are friends or family or whatever.

But by not watching films aren't you losing in touch with what is happening in terms of scripts and makers?
Watching films and watching other people's acting... I probably should. It's just that -- and this might sound like a really lame reason --but all my film I thought it would be nice to kind of stop thinking about movies for a little bit because it is such a consuming profession. It can swallow you completely. You dont talk about anything else, you don't meet anybody from outside the industry, you don't think of anything else, which is fine at a certain age but this will not last forever. There is a certain thing I have of also living life, you know? And say ok, now lets talk about something else.

But aren't you sort of alienating yourself and missing out?
Oh, but everybody hears of good films and good makers. It's not as if one is living in an ivory tower. And professionally one would zero in on new talent. Like I heard of Raj and DK and the lunch box director (name) It's just that coming home from a set and putting on either a Zoom type of show or watching a movie, would make me want to shoot myself in the head. I would want to watch Agatha Christie period show or hercules poirot and drift off somewhere else until i have to go back to the set next morning at nine am. Of course one should be aware who is doing what kind of action or acting but it's also that ever since I was a kid really, i didn't watch Hindi films because I didn't like the kind of emotions my mother would go through on the screen. I mean who wants to watch their mom crying throughout the movie. so i think it started there and it never really stopped. But it is a professional requirement and I should watch the work everyone is doing. I keep wishing I had seen every film on a Friday so I could say what people were talking about, as a professional and be able to say that this guy is fab, and this guy is not. that much you need to know.

You haven't had a hit jodi with an actress. Has that worked for you or against you?
It's means both things, I think. Cinema is..it's kind of hard to slot people, or me perhaps. Because there it is. It also means that I have not been part of an iconic love jodi.

Do you find it easier to work with new actresses or someone with whom you have a comfort level?
Comfort is normally the enemy. Strangers are always easier. But somebody who has always been a professional is easier as well. If you get to know somebody that is different. That is not an advantage when you are playing a romantic pair, I think.Unless you have always been costars. The initial chemistry should be that of hero and heroine. that's important. I guess there are women that make you feel For example working with Preity feels good, but working with Illeana is different. She is a sparkling actress. She is really, really good. And I thought I was good at this sort of a role because it is a world that I have kind of been in, but it really falls flat without the timing at the other end, which she has. She reminds me of Kajol and Rani except she is more western.

Your last two films didn't do very well. Does that make your reflect on the kind of films you should do? Do you now know that you wont do a particular kind of film?
I mean, yes and no. It recently dawned on me that being one of the first multiplex actors, I should understand that sensibility more than anybody else, which shows how much I think about it. It's like when we did Parineeta, i liked the idea, and everybody liked it and I didn't connect with the end and nobody it, so I should be sitting here and saying, ok guys this is what people will connect with but no one can predict that, so...you know I thought 'when you work with a guy who has made huge hits hopefully he will make a huge hit with you but it doesn't work out like that sometimes. I mean, film to film, everyone has got a rhythm

So are you done with a certain kind of cinema?
I don't know. I am done with doing anything that i personally am not moved by. I have made these mistakes sporadically in the past. and they have happened chronically, you know..They keep turning up. And while I should have learnt from my mistake, history shows that every three four years i will say, lets lets try and do something different. But this time I hope lesson learnt to the point that you have to somewhere connect with the script. if you are somewhere feeling, listen I dont think it is going to work, then it probably wont. but there will come a time...like a good maker comes and says listen you are wrong, and it is going to be great, one might succumb again.

The roles that you do which seem like an extension of yourself work for you more than maybe an Aarakshan. Do you agree? 
I completely agree. We rushed a bit into Aarakshan also.

Yes, it hard to see you as an untouchable.
(laughs) Genetically, I am at disadvantage to play this role, ironically. But you know the right haircut, the right look can help, if it is worked on. There are certain films that Prakashji makes, and I am no one to judge or talk negatively about him negatively, but some of his ideas will be great while suited to him. And some will be not really exciting to other people. so what I am saying is that I think Aarakshan falls into the latter category. But that's the thing he is passionate about, because you know he is politically motivated.

In hindsight do you think it was wrong to disown Humshakals? 
I didn't disown Humshakals. I played a shining main lead and worked very hard for all the four roles.

Three roles!
No, there was that female character too. I had a blast working with Sajid, who I love personally. My colleagues tell me you haven't promoted any other film with so much heart. But if the film doesn't run, I feel something is wrong. We have made a wrong kind of movie. That's all I am saying. 

Was Sajid upset?
Apparently yes. 

Have you reached out to him to sort it out? 
I will. I haven't sorted it yet. I mean I have sent messages to him, but he hasn't replied. I am allowed to say that I think we have made a wrong film because I have also worked for it. It's not that I have insulted his jagir, as such. 

Do you have any directors on your wishlist? 
Raju Hirani. and maybe Sanjay Leela Bhansali. (Smiles) But I don't know if I can dance like he would expect me to.