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Life after Bangkok
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Thanks to Aashayein, there is hope for Nagesh Kukunoor after the disastrous Bombay to Bangkok
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Photo D. Gopalakrishnan
new hope Nagesh Kukunoor
Nagesh Kukunoor emerged as the new hope of the film industry with films like Hyderabad Blues, Iqbal and Dor. He believes people come to cinema halls just for entertainment, it is director’s job to lace it with message. His last outing at the box office, Bombay to Bangkok, however proved to be neither here nor there. As he promises to turn the tide with Aashayein, here are excerpts from an interview:
What can we expect from Aashayein?
It’s about live life now. It’s about fulfilling your dreams. I am a little secretive about the plot but the story revolves around John Abraham who plays a gambler, whiling away without much purpose and how his life changes unexpectedly.
Something similar to your life’s graph?
In my case, it took me a long time to gather courage to leave engineering and do what I wanted to do. But yes, at least I was able to do it. I dread being an old man ruminating if I had taken a chance then…”
Do you agree our value system perpetuates planning?
Absolutely! It is grilled into the middle class children to build up the bank balance by following the trodden path. I have met people who realise in the middle of their careers that they are not happy what they are doing. But then there are little options left. The new generation is much stronger in making its career decisions.
Why John?
Frankly speaking, I had not seen any of his work before casting him. Certain scripts require certain budgets and certain budgets require certain heroes. John fit the slot. Unmindful of adjectives like cool dude, with which he is generally defined, I felt he has an extremely honest face. I am known for casting against the tide. Didn’t everyone say before Dor Ayesha Takia is not meant to be taken in a serious role? Another charge is you have taken too many projects… sometimes leading to problems with the cast?
I have a bigger team now so I don’t have to be present for every shot. The idea is to complete two films a year. Media made stories about Eight By Ten. We could not complete one schedule on time in Canada. There is no problem between Akshay and me. I do my research before casting an actor. I know he is a simple guy but doesn’t accept any nonsense. The film is 60 per cent complete.
Your Bombay to Bangkok was ripped apart by critics?
I accept the criticism but I don’t like people saying why has he tried such a subject after Iqbal and Dor? Here everybody wants to slot you while the very basis of my success lies in doing something against the tide. Sometimes you hit the bull’s eye sometimes you don’t.
You were recently seen on Getway, Do you see this instinct spreading to other new age directors?
Yes it is, but still if a Mithya gets made, hundred copies of it follow. There is a lot of money in the market, the directors should follow their instincts rather than joining the dots on a graph of what works in which territory…distributors tell you this works in South, North India loves that. Forget it!
ANUJ KUMAR
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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