‘Makers wanted Shah Rukh Khan, not Aamir Khan in Sarfarosh’, reveals director John Matthew Matthan, shares update on Sarfarosh 2

On 25 years of Sarfarosh

John Matthew Matthan says he knew the topic of his film was relevant. The movie released just before the Kargil conflict when tensions between India and Pakistan were high. The filmmaker says he still can’t believe the film is talked about after all these years. He says, “Well, I had no idea it would carry on for 25 years. I knew what I was saying then was relevant, and I also felt that Pakistan is not going to give up its Ghazwa-e-Hind philosophy. So that I knew, but I didn’t know it would last for 25 years.”

‘Aamir was considered for Sarfarsoh after Dil’

John Matthew Matthan then shared that he zeroed in on Aamir Khan for Sarfarosh after he saw him in a scene in Dil (1990) opposite Madhuri Dixit.

He shares, “I used to watch a lot of Hindi films. I started watching films when I was in 8th standard. I had not seen Hindi films before that, but by the time I was in college, I had seen every Hindi film ever made. But then in the 1980’s, the films turned so bad that I stopped watching Hindi movies all together. I stopped watching it for a long time, and then I started thinking about my film and went off to Rajasthan and Delhi to pursue the project and do research for the subject. I learned a lot of things over there. Around this time, I was staying at a small guesthouse in Delhi. On television there, I saw a small scene from one of Aamir’s films where his character was going to rape Madhuri Dixit’s character. And I felt that this guy looks honest, he is not going to rape this girl and that this was just an act. But I felt he suits the role. He was not a big star back then actually. So when I came back to Mumbai and started work on Sarfarosh with Aamir in my mind.”

‘Producer wanted Shah Rukh Khan to star in Sarfarosh’:

John Matthew Matthan then shared that his filmmaker friends wanted him to cast Shah Rukh Khan instead of Aamir Khan in Sarfarosh so they could “earn more money”. “I met my friend Manmohan Shetty, who owned Adlabs, and told him that I want to make a film. Around this time, Shetty had started Entertainment One to produce feature films. He had funded two films of my friends, both of which starred Shah Rukh Khan. One was Vikram Mehrotra’s Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, directed by Kundan Shah and the other was Praveen Nischol’s English Babu Desi Mem, both starring SRK. So at that time, all of them suggested I take Shah Rukh. I said, ‘Listen, I don’t think Shah Rukh suits my role. I don’t have him in my mind,’ but they said that we would be able to save more money as the three of us could get a deal, but I didn’t want to.”

Sharing how Aamir’s unassuming screen presence made him take the leap of faith and approach him with the script, he says, “Then I met Aamir. He read the script and said yes. So then I started studying Aamir, what he had done and he had done only love stories. I felt that was good because he was unassuming. For example, if you see Spiderman, when you see that guy first, you know that he is not going to be able to do anything, but he becomes Spiderman and you start believing he can do it. So I needed a hero who transforms, then you are with him, rooting for him because you feel that this guy is too vulnerable. In a realistic movie like Sarfarosh, I needed the audience to feel for the guy. With all three considerations, I was sure I wanted Aamir.”

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On Aamir Khan’s transformation: ‘His unassuming screen presence’

Before Sarfarosh, Aamir Khan had been a part of several romantic comedies and comedy films. It was after Sarfarosh that he starred in films like Lagaan. Sarfarosh can argubaly be called the “turning point” in his career. Matthan says, “Before Sarfarosh, Aamir was a different guy. He was doing only love stories. Nobody dared take him in an action film, whereas in his heart of hearts, he wanted to do films which were different, more realistic and that why he agreed to do my film. However, when he did my film, he had his apprehensions. He didn’t think it is a commercial film. I knew that the film wouldn’t create waves, but it would certainly create ripples. I wouldn’t put my money in a film if I knew the movie wouldn’t recover it. I didn’t know how much money I’d make, but I was confident that the film will recover its cost.”

“After Sarfarosh was made and because he thought it was not commercial, he wanted it to come after a couple of commercial films due to which the film got delayed. But when Sarfarosh finally released, it ran more than the other commercial films. It came after Ghulam. He then realised that he needs to do films which have original stories. So he then did Lagaan. There was a visible shift in his attitude after Sarfarosh. Post the film, he’s been doing movies that are ‘different’ from routine potboilers and that’s the reason he has stayed relevant all these years,” he added.

On Sarfarosh 2: ‘Aamir is keen’

After Sarfarosh, John Matthew Matthan helmed a couple of films before giving up filmmaking because he “wasn’t enjoying the process”. However, he is now yearning to make a comeback and wishes Sarfarosh 2 to be his next project. “I met him (Aamir) last week because of 25 years of Sarfarosh. We want to do some special screening for the cast and crew. We’ll have a small get-together,” he shared.

When asked if Sarfarosh 2 is on the cards, Matthan says, “Aamir is keen. I am also planning to make it, but unless you get the freedom and choice to do it and if it is not pleasurable for you then, how are others going to enjoy your film? Also there are not many scripts that I have liked. When I made Sarfarosh, I had a yardstick that the rickshaw walas should understand and enjoy it as much as college professors, so I am yet to find something like that to make a film again. But today, the yardstick has changed. The rickshaw walas can’t afford to buy movie tickets anymore, so college professors and students should understand and enjoy the movies, so that’s something I am working towards. It is actually a very good moment to make good films — ones which are intelligent and appealing.”

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“We have to find the right story. Aamir is very keen on Sarfarosh 2. But unless I have the right story that suits him, I can’t. It is not that easy. It is quite difficult because his character ACP Ajay Singh Rathore would be Director General of Police and at that level, they don’t leave their office and get on to the field. So I have to consult the police and find a loophole on how to make him step out of his office and fight. Understand how much liberty I can take with his role. But when I make it, Aamir will be a part of it. He is very keen,” he concludes.