Movie interview: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

 

Sanjay speaks on Saawariya experience

 

Sanjay spoke to us when his much hyped film Saawariya was ready for release and both his new stars were biting their nails in anticipation. Sanjay might have been excited but he didn’t show it. He talks about his experience of making the film.

 

Tell us about your experience of working with a corporate company for the first time.

 

It is Sony Entertainment’s first film. With all this talk of crossover and co-productions etc, this is really the first collaboration happening in India that a major studio is producing a Bollywood film. And it first dawned on me when the name Columbia Tristar first appeared on the logo and I realized the visual value of what it meant when Sony pictures came into it. 

 

They’ve put in a lot of scientific analysis on how this is to be marketed, presented and right from evaluating the script to how it should be put across is another art that you can learn from them because I think it has never happened here earlier. I feel that Saawariya has become completely different with Sony pictures coming in, not in terms of aesthetics or filmmaking but in terms of how it reaches people. And the number of people it would reach not only in India.

 

It will be great if this first collaboration works out in terms of box office. In terms of working relationship, it has so far been absolutely wonderful because I have never felt the pressure of working with a corporate giant. No one has troubled me or thrown their weight around. This would result in future collaborations and that’s important for all of us.

 

About the change of crew this time round…

 

Sameer is a writer who writes very simply. He understand the simplicity of the situation and doesn’t talk about “Maine kuch alag likha hai” This alag thing when Gulzar Saab likhte hain to bahut khoobsoorat lagta hai but har koi nahin likh sakta. Today Prasoon Joshi and Swanand Kirkire are writing very beautifully but I, for my film wanted a simpler approach to my songs and I had a new composer and new singers. I wanted something people would be able to hum easily and he tells a thought simply like Anand Bakshi Saab. He’s a wonderful man to work with and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

 

Working with Salman and Rani on the one hand and newcomers on the other - was it difficult?

 

Not necessarily. Rani is an actor who understands the importance of launching two new actors. She cares for them. There were moments where they would be nervous of sharing screen space with her, she would handle it, talk to them, and would try and work it out with them. There was never this spirit of overshadowing them or showing an attitude that ‘I’ll show you I’m better than you’ etc. Rani is such a dear friend that she was a pillar of strength. She offers laughter and jokes in the work process and she brought us joy rather than making anyone nervous.

 

And Salman?

 

It felt extremely good to come back and work with him again after a two film gap.