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Four stories and one man
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Naseeruddin Shah's directorial debut, `Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota' is a result of his urge to feel utilised
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PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY
THE LAST LAUGH? Naseer is happy to have finally made a film that he believed in
The Indian media has developed a bad habit of extracting `exclusives' out of a newsworthy personality. Even when the personality does not discriminate between print, electronic, audio or web media, he is forced to meet their demands to spill out some `exclusive' statements. But Naseeruddin Shah disobeys all that. In spite of reaching an hour late for the preview of his debut directorial venture, Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota, he refusedto give into the`exclusive'demands.
Creative lull
One small address from him in his trademark baritone including his apology for late arrival and his urgency to leave early does enough to make every one stand in rapt attention. That's the power of his wrinkled face, grey hair and a personality that exudes quite an aura. He is a no-nonsense actor/director who speaks his heart even at the cost of his reputation. His pungent remarks have often earned him the label of being arrogant. His disciplinarian attitude on the sets, especially as a director, has also branded him as a tough taskmaster. He never wanted to be a director at all though, he reveals, until one day when he realised he was undergoing "a creative lull" as an actor. "Though I did retain my sanity for I was directing plays derived from writers like Sadat Hasan Manto, Ismat Chugtai and others," he says.
"During my early days of acting,I had no urge to become a director. But the 1990's fell heavily upon me. I felt stagnated doing insignificant roles. That was the period when people found me complaining and being arrogant. That's the time when I resolved to make a film that could satisfy my creative urge. So after lots of research and reading I zeroed in on four short stories penned by a Gujarati writer, Uttam Gaura. I wove these four stories into one with various possible dimensions. All my characters meet each other in the end. They have a common aspiration - to go abroad. I admit that I wasn't technically steady in this film," explains Naseer.
Naseer chose Konkona Sen, Jimmy Shergill, Paresh Rawal, Irrfan Khan and Ayesha Takia for his film because he "connected with them" whenever he saw them in films. Apart from two newcomers, Ankur Khanna and Kunal Khanna, Naseer has employed his wife Ratna Pathak Shah and his son Imad. He has also made choreographer Saroj Khan act for the first time. "Imad was sitting idle at home and I needed a boy who looked as young," he laughs. And he always found Saroj's face "very expressive" because of her training as a dancer. "She is a terrific performer I admit," he says.
The perfect shot
Naseer's urge that his actors should feel `utilised' is also one reason for the making of Yun Hota... , a feeling he craved for during his acting days. He recalls those days rather wistfully, "Once in Godhuli I was trying to enact a scene in more creative ways for which I gave countless takes but wasn't satisfied. My director, Girish Karnad got fed up. He said, `If you want to give a better shot, it is your problem. For me, the shot you gave is perfect'. Except Shyam Benegal, Shekhar Kapur, Gulzar and Sai Paranjpe, no director proved to be of any help to me. So I believe if an actor is not able to deliver, it is the director's fault."
Naseer takes "full responsibility" if any of his actors fail to deliver. At the same time, he adds in the same breath that he cares two hoots about film critics and those who are judgemental about actors in their writings. "For me, the opinion of critics matters as much as a layman on the road. And critics should realise that they are no gods. And I hate writings like `this actor is pitted against that actor.' Is it a wrestling match where one has to win?" he gets a little agitated. But having said all that, he says he is happy with his work now. "I am not complaining," he sums up.
RANA SIDDIQUI
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