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: Three films in eight years is not a bad score, particularly if you are Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. He takes time over his films, chooses the cast and crew with great care and does everything according to the script. If his debut film Aks in 2001 was critically acclaimed but commercially a flop, his next Rang De Basanti earned him both critical and commercial success. It also raised people’s expectations. Now, he’s back with Delhi 6, set in a city he grew up in. “I love everything about Old Delhi,” says Mehra, even as he points out that the story could have been set in any other city, Mumbai, Kolkata, Haridwar, Jhansi… or any other city in India. In an interview over e-mail with Sudipta Datta, Mehra talks about his apprehensions about making Delhi 6, his choice for the lead roles and says that the audience is unpredictable. Excerpts:
•You have raised the bar with Rang De Basanti. How tough was it to make a film after that?
The filmmakers of these two films are two different people altogether. Rang De... has another Rakeysh Mehra and in Delhi 6, I am another person. I felt very scared to attempt Delhi 6, it is a far more difficult subject than Rang De Basanti. I wanted to make Delhi 6 long back but it’s good I made it now because I am far more mature to handle a film like this now.
•In a way you have made yourself a chronicler of Delhi... what aspect of the city do you highlight in Delhi 6?
There are several aspects that are there in the film, I think I should leave them for people to watch. Yes I have delved into my childhood but it’s not my story…The story revolves around a man who comes to India from New York with his grandmother and the short trip turns out to be the longest journey of his life.
•What’s the significance of the title?
Delhi is a character in the film and 6 is the pin code of old Delhi, the Chandni Chowk area.
•Was Abhishek Bachchan always your first choice? Is he the outsider looking in?
Yes Abhishek was always my first choice. I had given him the first draft of the script few years back to read and he had liked it a lot. He was keen to do the film but the dates couldn’t match because...
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