India?s entry for the Un Certain Regard section, Udaan, was a film no one wanted to touch. FE catches up with the film?s producer, Anurag Kashyap, and director Vikramaditya Motwane to know why they backed the film and the long journey to Cannes
When did you decide to turn producer?
Vikramaditya?we go back a long way?wasn?t getting a producer. I stepped in only when I could, right after Dev D, when my finances were in order. I wrote the dialogue for him. I know the film in and out. It?s a beautiful film.
How will the Cannes honour help the film? Will it release in India soon?
The Cannes showing will help us explore new markets. And yes, UTV has said it will release the film in July.
Is it still tough for first-time directors to get funds?
The Indian film industry spends lot of money on somebody?s son and daughter, not on newcomers?that?s the mindset. For instance, the industry will always tend to use stars to play teenagers, not a teenager who can play the part. This needs to change. We need a teenager to play a teenager, not a star.
Casting should be done on who fits the part. Even a script like 3 Idiots wouldn’t have been made if it didn’t have stars.
But things must be easier for you.
Yes, it is kind of easier for me now, but I am under pressure to make ten Dev Ds, and that?s where the problems begin. I have gone out and made new films on my own because I can only make films on my own terms. I want to produce a certain kind of film, and I have UTV?s backing to do that.
What are you working on now?
After Dev D, Kalki Koechlin (Chandramukhi in Dev D) and I wrote Girl in Yellow Boots and that film is almost ready. We produced it ourselves, NFDC is co-producer and now we are looking for a distributor. I am going to shoot a film in Bihar, something that I have been working on for a while. It?s a revenge drama and shooting starts in July on location in Bihar . On the Guru Dutt bio, I began writing it, but it wasn?t turning out to be the film I wanted to make, so I have put it on hold for now. I will start work on Bombay Velvet with John
Abraham next year.
?Give new directors a chance; their heart & soul are in the first film?
There are no stars in your film. Is that why producers rejected it?
That was one of the reasons cited, everyone told me the film wouldn?t work. Then Anurag stepped in and later, UTV.
What does the Cannes competition mean to you?
I am surprised, to be honest, that Udaan was picked for Un Certain Regard. It?s not a typical festival film, the story is simple. I like to keep it simple.
But you are finicky about the script. You rewrote Dev D
several times?
The script is the most important part of the film. All problems should be sorted out at the script level. With Udaan, I have had a lot of time to fine-tune the film; the first draft was written in 2003.
Are you upset that the industry doesn?t do enough for fresh talent?
It?s changing; the audiences too are demanding it. We must realise that to make a good film you need a good script and one must also remember not to make it unviable. I wish producers gave new writers, new directors enough chances, because the passion a writer or director puts into his first film can never be repeated. His heart and soul are in it. The first film is raw, unfinished, unpolished but original and straight from the heart.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the Indian film industry?
Our problem is we love to ape. Look at what Sholay has done to the industry?the formula, hero, villain, dance, song, is being used again and again.
But that is changing; people are doing things differently.
Yes, for the last few years, Anurag, Dibakar Banerjee, Vishal Bhardwaj have done films differently. One of the finest films to emanate from here was Lage Raho Munnabhai. Rajukumar Hirani set the bar so high with it, that even 3 Idiots, despite its success, pales in comparison.
