His Story

“DJ was me…I was that guy who kept haunting the campus long after passing out of Allahabad University,” chortles Kamlesh Pandey,the author of the story of the film which sparked off debate all across the country on the rights and duties of the youth. The writer was in Lucnow at the launch of Mujhe Yaad Hai,a biography of Sahara Group Chairman Subrato Roy by his sister Kumkum Roy Choudhry,on Sunday. Pandey advised on the book and its textual content.

“There was a lot of me in that story as also in most of what I have written,hence,no reason to pen an autobiography or collection of my memoirs,” says Pandey,who besides being the creative head of advertising agency Rediffusion,has written screenplay or dialogue or both and even lyrics for films,including Tezaab,Beta,Dil and the lesser known Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jaaye in which Nana Patkar and Anita Kanwar played the lead roles. “The film was to be made by Amol Palekar for Doordarshan on a shoe-string budget of Rs 20 lakh. I suggested,we fashion the script on the lines of a nautanki in which dialogue gives way to lyric and music at the most unexpected points,” says Pandey,when reminded of the film most people have forgotten…except for Patkar. “I just have to press the button and Nana begins rattling lines from the film even so many years later!”

While the dream team made magic with Rang De… it failed to do an encore with Delhi 6 and he knows why. “I believe serious issues must be projected using the genre of comedy. In Delhi 6,the director went overboard with the social message and the comic element suffered,” he says. The film industry,according to Pandey is too star-driven and projects are guided by tantrums of air-heads who don’t even understand the nuances of their role or the story. But he puts up strong defence for Aamir Khan,who is often labelled as too interference. “Aamir has worked with his uncle Nasir Husain who was not only a successful director (from Jab Pyar Kisise Hotaa Hai,Yaadon Ki Baraat, Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin) but also a seasoned writer. Aamir’s inputs are always valuable and it is no wonder,all his films are such blockbusters. Besides,he is great fun to work with,” he says.

Pandey champions the cause of preventing pilferage of ideas. “It is an expensive proposition,but it is advisable for aspiring writers to get their scripts registered,” says the writer,who conducts an 8-week workshop for writers under the banner of scriptwala.com. Projects underway include Kohinoor for Ravi Chopra,Consignment for Anil Kapoor’s production house and Grand Bharat ka Last Show for Walt Disney.