Sunshine Cinema

Director Anurag Basu was halfway through writing the script of Barfi! when he decided on its leading man. Defying the industry odds,Basu — still fresh from the debacle of his last film Kites (2010) — managed to get his choice of star-actor and a big studio backing without much trouble. Siddharth Roy Kapur of UTV Motion Pictures,the film’s producer and Basu’s old collaborator,had faith in Basu’s oddball methods of working and his honest voice. “Anurag is someone who never has a bound script. But once he starts narrating and you let yourself into his world,you are convinced about his vision,” said Roy Kapur at the Screen Preview of Barfi! on Friday afternoon. “It is amazing. When we see the film today,we realise that it has come out exactly how he had narrated at the beginning,” he added.

The event had the actor-director-producer team of Barfi! — Ranbir Kapoor,Ileana D’Cruz and Anurag Basu — talking about Barfi!,which releases on September 14. The film’s other female lead,Priyanka Chopra

couldn’t be present due to a prior commitment.

For Ranbir,Barfi! came to him at the right time,after the emotionally-draining role in his last film,Rockstar. “After Rockstar,I needed to do a happy film like this,” he said. Not just the film’s content,but its shooting too was a welcome change for the actor. There were impromptu collaborations

between the cast and crew instead of hard-boiled methodical preparations .

For this,Ranbir gives credit to the director’s instinctive and unconventional way of working. “Basu likes to work in chaos and wants everyone to join in the process of making the film. Although I was playing a challenging character,I didn’t feel any challenge. He made it so much easier,” he said.

The much talked-about Kishore Kumar biopic with the same team of Ranbir-Basu and UTV is still on the anvil,confirmed Ranbir. “That is very much on. We are discussing a few things and we will hopefully revive that,” he said.

Barfi! derives its title from the iconic ’70s baby in the advertisements of radio — Murphy. Ranbir,whose character is hearing-impaired,is named Murphy. But he introduces himself as “Barfi”. The film is a feel-good romantic comedy at heart,but it goes through the colours of various genres without being too sombre,insists Ranbir.

“It is a comedy,romantic caper-turned-murder mystery. However,even in its scenes of tragedy,it never loses the humour,” Ranbir added. And much of this comedy is physical,drawing from Charlie Chaplin,Mr Bean and even the early days of Raj Kapoor.

Chopra’s character,Jhilmil,is an autistic girl,and Barfi’s friend. “Their relationship is what it’s like between a sunshiny puppy and an eight-year old,” said Ranbir.

D’Cruz was initially jittery about the unfamiliar world of Hindi films. “I completely depended on Anurag,” she said. Her character,Shruti,is a Bengali woman and Ranbir’s lady-love in the film. With all the talk about D’Cruz’s uncanny Bengali looks in the film’s promos,Basu said he modelled the actor on his own mother’s appearance. “Instead of going for a retro-Bollywood over-the-top look,I found a much more realistic look in my mother and that is relevant to the movie’s time and place,” he said.

For both Basu and Ranbir,whose filmographies boast of memorable music,the songs of Barfi! are of great significance. “Barfi’s music is its fourth character,it makes a huge difference if the songs aren’t there,” the director said. Aware of the winning results his partnership with singer Mohit Chauhan yields,Ranbir is happy that the singer has lent his voice to his numbers in the movie again after the success of Rockstar. “He commands such a large fan base. I just hope more directors keep making us come together,” he concludes.

For the detailed coverage of the event,read Screen issue dated September 14.

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