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I too had thought of eloping several times-Shoojit Sircar

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The usually reticent Shoojit Sircar opens up about his upcoming films, the ones in the pipeline and the film he has shelved

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 17, 2013)

 

Bajaj, the automobile major, raised objections to the title of your Aayushmann Khurrana starrer, Hamara Bajaj. What if the matrimonial website, Shaadi.com, has an issue with the title of your other film, Running Shaadi.com?
I don’t foresee any problems with Running Shaadi.com since the Association has cleared the title. After the intense Madras Café I wanted to work on something light-hearted. Amit (director Amit Roy) came to me with this story that is a fun ride on the lines of Hrishikesh Mukherjee films. It is about a website, but not a matrimonial one, and has more to do with helping couples elope. We haven’t approached shaadi.com yet nor have they, but if required we will talk.

Was yours an arranged marriage?
No, we were family friends and knew each other for a long time.

Did you ever think of eloping?
(Laughs) Many times. We didn’t, but I’ve helped friends, including a casting director, elope from Delhi. It was a covert night operation. He was put on a train to Mumbai. On another occasion, a couple was rushed off to Kolkata.

Recently, the news of a father from Uttar Pradesh made headlines. His daughter had eloped, he traced her in Mumbai and tried persuading her to leave her husband and return home. When she refused, he dragged her to a secluded area and raped her, got a friend to brutalize her, before strangling her to death. Have you ever encountered a parent who has reacted as violently to such elopements?
That was bizarre and inhuman. Fortunately, the parents of those we helped eventually gave their consent to the match.

Do young couple still believe in the institution of marriage?
Youngsters will always fall in love and want to be together, but there is a clear demarcation between those who want to settle down and have kids and those who would prefer living together and adopting children. While doing research for Vicky Donor we learnt that even in India, several single women are approaching the infertility clinics for donors. I guess this trend has a lot to do with the fact that women today are more independent.

Were Amit Sadh and Taapsee Pannu always your first choice for Running Shaadi.com?
Amit Roy had already discussed the idea with them, but I wasn’t sure they were the right cast till I met them. Their excitement was infectious. Then Kai… Po Che! came along and I realised Amit Sadh was a good actor and our film would reveal his lighter side. Tapsee is perfect as the sardarni.

Hamara Bajaj was to roll by October, but you are going with Running Shaadi. Com first. Was the film delayed because Aayushmann wanted to wrap up his biopic first?
We are still working on the script of Hamara Bajaj. In fact, we are working on a couple of other ideas too and there should be an announcement in a few weeks.

You’re returning as a director?
(Smiles) I’ll return to direction early next year.

Should we expect a film staring Amitabh Bachchan?
We have done Shoebite and the Gujarat Tourism ads together. He is a director’s delight, but he is very particular that everything is discussed at length prior to the shoot so when we roll we are only reeling off shots. Recently, I did an ad film with Mr Bachchan and while on the sets we had a discussion about a project.

Were you disappointed that Madras Cafe couldn’t get a release in Tamil Nadu and UK?
I wanted the film to reach maximum audience as it deals with a part of our history that is not many people are aware of. My Tamil friends who have watched the film on TV have not found anything objectionable. To be honest, I never expected a smooth release. It helped that we got the film cleared by the Censors before releasing the trailers.

Any reactions from the Gandhi family?
No, none of the political parties have reacted to it. But the general response has been overwhelming. The film has earned John Abraham a lot of respect as a producer and an actor. We will definitely work together soon.

When is Vicky Donor 2 coming up?
That is what my screenplay writer Juhi Chaturvedi and I ask each other whenever we are together waiting for epiphany to strike. Meanwhile, I have started a Bengali film. It will be directed by Anindyo Chatterjee, one of the lead singers of Bengali band Chandrabindoo. The film is about all the firsts in an adolescent’s life… The first time you fall for a girl… the first time you sneak into an adult film…. It should be out mid next year.

What is happening to Red Carpet– the film late Rituparno Ghosh wrote for you?
He was supposed to act too, play a character similar to that of Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada. I can’t see any other actor doing the role and I’ve shelved the project. I am in touch with his family and they have assured me that as soon as the script is found, they will hand it over to me. And I will put it up online for everyone to read.

Reportedly you are also in talks with Bengal’s matinee idol Prosenjit Chatterjee?
Yes, we are in touch. I wanted to cast him in Madras Café, but things didn’t work out. We might collaborate on a project soon that I will direct.


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