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| Day 7 |
Monday, July 13, 2009 at 03:29 AM |
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Critics Vs Audiences  This past Monday, the 6th of July, as I walked into the J.W Marriot to celebrate the great success of our film Kambakkht Ishq, after repeated congratulations, almost every journalist asked me the same two questions:
1. How does it feel now that the film has been declared a super hit ... did you expect it to be so successful?
I feel euphoric. Nearly 150 films are released every year and yet only a handful can earn the tag of being a "super hit". So, yes, it makes me feel very special that I could do that, and that too with my first film.Also I am not going to be modest… YES I did expect this. I started with big dreams and expectations and believed fully in them. After months and months of sitting in isolated rooms writing, thinking about how to involve the audience, how to most impact them so that they laugh, they cry, they be entertained through the film, it is such a wonderful feeling to feel satisfied that we succeeded.
2. How do you feel about the critics not responding well to the film?
To be completely honest again, the day we decided to make a film with a premise in which a watch, that would ring every hour, was accidentally left behind inside the hero's stomach, we knew we were not making a film for critical acclaim. We knew this film was, quite simply, a means to entertain the audience
But I would like to respond to some of the critics who attacked this film in a very personal way, often with a strong hidden agenda. I feel I must comment, because like me, there will be more first-time filmmakers eagerly releasing their films and looking at the critics for a fair review. Critics who called the film illogical and sexist ... yet, rated a quite illogical and outrageously sexist Hollywood flick The Hangover, with four stars! The hypocrisy seems quite blatant. One is certainly allowed to his or her own personal taste, but when it is this inconsistent, one has to ask what is behind the opinions. Will due respect be given only if a film like this comes from the west or it garners $200 million before the critics in India review it.
What I am trying to say is the millions of people that pack into audiences are no less intelligent or critically thinking than the few who publish their critiques in the newspapers. And, in turn, those viewers who typically show preference for "intelligent" films also seek out entertainment and emotional stimulation. So, why are both camps so disparaging of the other? I think the oppositional dichotomy established only serves to limit each one of us as a viewer. It is time critics acknowledge that this generation of filmmakers are far too cinema literate, informed and aware. I do not assume my audience any less intelligent, as the critics have implied, because they seek entertainment in a film. Trying to run down mainstream cinema feels so passe.I would like to sum up by saying we should not attempt to read more into a film than is there. There are many films that are purely intended to be an escape, but, why should an escape be any less valuable? In these times, when one cannot open a newspaper, turn on the news, or even look outside on the street without feeling the heavy weight of a tumultuous world filled with international crises, should I not be impressed if someone is able to carry me to a more up-beat emotional state with a film? We are so hesitant to deem acclaim to comedy or romantic films (which we typically reserve for "serious" dramas). Perhaps, instead, the respect awarded to any given film should be determined equally by the emotional and intellectual reactions provoked and pleasure it provides. How could we then say that the emotions of an audience of millions are any less or more relevant then the emotions of a small handful of people called "the critics"? The critics are allowed to their opinions. But, compared to the feelings and reactions of the millions of viewers, I know where my real judgment is coming from. The audience.
The audience that has truly loved the film because it's not everyday (and the critics will agree too) that a film does Rs. 100 crores business worldwide in its very first week.
Thank You audience.
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| Day 6 |
Friday, June 26, 2009 at 08:38 AM |
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From Bombay to LA: A Bollywood Film in Hollywood  When we initially embarked upon Kambakkht Ishq, we knew what would set this film apart from all the films that have come before it. Akshay's character was a stuntman and therefore the film needed to be set within the movie industry itself. The Indian film industry, or Bollywood, had been the setting of many Hindi films before, so we decided the most interesting approach was to take Kambakkht Ishq to Hollywood. We dreamt big and I am grateful to have a producer who believes in pushing the envelope with all of his films and doing things that have never been done before. Although we both knew deep down inside that to pull off what we were dreaming would be unbelievable, at this point we had written the script to be a fully Hollywood story that demanded A-list Hollywood actors and locations. So, we had to push ahead to realize our dreams. Today, I look back, often with pure disbelief, that we dreamt about it, wrote about it, and actually went out there and achieved it. Indeed feels great!
I, along with my team, spent half the year between, January to June 2008 in Los Angeles … living, learning and absorbing everything … We were focused and busy doing all the casting for the film, but we were also tirelessly looking for the perfect Los Angeles locations. We knew that most of the action would take place within the confines of a movie studio, as the film centered around Akshay's work and there was no better studio to shoot in than Universal Studios. We shot for about two weeks extensively in Universal Studios. The experience was truly fantastic for me. It is a huge studio and offers so much to a filmmaker that it's probably not possible to encompass it all in one film. They have the largest number of sound stages and the backlot is outstanding, covering a range that would impress any director. Most importantly being actually present on locations where some of the legends such as Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese have shot their films is quite amazing. I remember passing by sets of films like Apollo 13, Grinch Who Stole Christmas and War of the Worlds, and thinking how lucky I was to be shooting along side these things. We were even shooting in the same area where popular T.V. shows like 'Desperate Housewives' etc were being shot. I have to say that I am blessed to have dreamt about these things and actually realize my dream by shooting my first film in one of the most popular studios in the world.
I also had to shoot for a couple of days at Paramount Studios as unfortunately in May 2008, just before we were to leave for the actual shoot in LA, an incredibly large fire broke out at the Universal Studios backlot and completely destroyed their magnificent New York façade. Luckily, Paramount was quite friendly and accommodating and had a terrific New York set that we shot on.  Another awe-inspiring location for me was the Kodak Theater. Early on during the scripting of the film, I had written a scene where Akshay's character receives the Best Stuntman Award and it was at that moment itself that I decided the Kodak Theatre would be the ideal location to film this particular scene. When I went to scout and stepped inside the Kodak theatre for the first time, for quite some time I did nothing except sit on the different seats - seats where probably the likes of Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise and Kate Winslet would have sat. In fact, my crew seemed slightly amused to just see me sitting there and do nothing but absorb the feel of the Kodak theatre.
One of the other major locations in the film is the V.A hospital - where Kareena is an intern. This is the same hospital where the television series Grey's Anatomy is shot. Many of the other Los Angeles locations were spectacular to film in as well - everything from the walk of fame on Hollywood Boulevard, to Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills, to the incredible houses in Santa Monica & Malibu and the vibrant boardwalk at Venice beach. Of course these are the glamorous and iconic visions of LA, and that is where we set the film. Much of the city does not look like what you will see in Kambakkht Ishq, but this is a film geared toward an international audience and shows one specific side of the city - the side of the Hollywood industry.
Kambakkht Ishq is a true merger of Bollywood and Hollywood. It is a full-fledged Bollywood production, combined with a fantastic crew from LA who helped bring an LA edge to the film. It is the first Bollywood film to be shot on stages and backlots of American studios, with A-list Hollywood actors truly distinguishing it from previous films shot abroad. Many films have used windows and back doors to give glimpses of the west, but this is the first time the two industries have been deeply connected and melded together. The result is a film that brings the best of Bollywood and the best of Hollywood together to the screen for all audiences to enjoy.
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| Day 5 |
Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 06:27 AM |
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Why Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor were roped in for Principal Roles  People often say to aspiring directors, "getting the right star cast for your film is half the battle won." Now I understand those people knew exactly what they were talking about.
Since I began working with NGE (Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment) years ago, I have known that the company decides the principal cast based more on comfort levels established through personal relations then an actor's actual star power. I think the stars that have worked with NGE generally sign on board being completely assured that the company is primarily interested in making top-quality, universally appealing films (and has to live up to this reputation) and have gone ahead to do the films that they have, sometimes even without bothering to read the script.
With each script that I was working on, it was becoming increasingly evident that I wanted to work with Akshay Kumar. From the time I worked with him as an AD on Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, to his meteoric rise as a super star, Akshay has always been very supportive and encouraging of me. It, in fact, surprises me just how much he encourages new and young talent. So Akshay essentially led himself into being a part of the film and becoming Viraj Shergill because the role was written specifically for him.
Choosing Kareena to play Simrita Rai was a decision heavily determined by her brilliant performance in Jab We Met. I had gone to see Jab We Met with Sajid and we both absolutely loved it, especially Kareena's performance. Kambakkht Ishq is a film with equally significant male and female protagonists - both characters have equal importance and demand strong performances. We needed two actors who would be completely on par with each other's acting abilities and have equally strong on-screen personas. As Akshay was cast as Viraj, we felt there would be no one better than Kareena to match him as Simrita.
Now that I can look back retrospectively, having completed the film, I can confidently say that I could not have asked for anyone better than Akshay to play Viraj. The character demanded foremost a need to look physically right for the part (an ultra fit guy who is stuntman and body double to the best actors in Hollywood), but also the ability to be a brash guy with loads of chauvinistic attitude. Akshay's training and expertise in action and martial arts primed him perfectly for the role and his acting capabilities are exemplified by his portrayal of an arrogant, chauvinistic man. Kareena brought life to her character beautifully as well. Simrita too had a specific physical characterization as she is a surgeon moonlighting as a model. But she is also a self-possessed, independent woman who alternates from being hard-nosed and stubborn to quite relatable and vulnerable to the complications of love. Kareena was able to bring the style and pizzazz needed for Simrita as well as draw out the emotional complexities of her character.
Both Akshay and Kareena have excelled in their roles, and their chemistry is so explosive in Kambakkht Ishq that you will have to see it to believe it.
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