Happy New Year is being touted as a celebration of Hindi cinema, but for you it’s also a renewal of your friendship with Farah Khan, isn’t it?
I would have worked with Farah whenever she would have asked, but this is the way it was supposed to happen. A few years ago, Farah had a story about five young boys in a basti. I felt I was a bit old. Then she changed the story. I haven’t worked for a film about dance other than ‘Dil Toh Pagal Hai’, but it was interesting to add the heist angle. It’s like Ocean’s Eleven meets The Full Monty. As a producer, making difficult films is my thing, so I did it.
When choosing a film, what is easier for you — saying yes or no?
I take a long time to say no. I feel bad whenever I have to refuse a film. I avoid the conversation, make excuses not to meet or call the person, and then read the script a few more times. Saying yes is pretty much instinctive, but I explain to the filmmaker that I can start the film a year late. For me, choosing a film is to choose a state of mind that I want to be in. I do films that make me happy. I don’t understand when actors say they did a film because it was “challenging” or “exciting”. Those are heavy words. I like to be simple — I want to be happy.
Do you feel the pressure to do a particular kind of film that the audience likes to watch you in?
I’ve doled out a lot of different stuff and the audience has always loved me. ‘Swades’ may not be so huge commercially, but it was loved. Ditto with Chak De! India, even Ra.One. As a superhero film, it didn’t have that big a market, but my audience loved it. In my 25 years in the industry, I’ve always brought a certain integrity to my work and the audience love that. I do a film because I need to do it. I’m the happiest while working. We have been travelling like crazy for ‘Happy New Year'; some days, I don’t even know which city I’m in or where I am going next. I’ve decided this is the best way to be. I don’t need to know much. I just want to be on the set and act. That’s my job. Main sirf acting continued…
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