Exclusive| Ratna Pathak Shah on her Gujarati debut and what’s Bollywood getting wrong: ‘Don’t spend budget on buying people Starbucks coffee’

Shah says the Hindi film industry fell into the trap of “playing safe all the time.” There were hardy any risk takers because, as Shah observes, there were barely any intelligent people in production.

“One of the big talents that had been missing was that intelligent people never got into production. Educated people didn’t get into production, it was a very risky proposition. That has changed a bit. There are new kinds of financiers and producers coming into the picture and hopefully they will bring their own sensibilities along with it.”

The veteran is also happy to note that writers in the Hindi film industry are finally getting a good positioning. “After 100 years of Indian cinema, we have finally started giving importance to script writers.

“Der aaye durust aaye, par abhi toh samjhe, ki script ke bagair picture nahi ban sakti (It took us time, but we have finally realised that films can’t be made without scripts)! At least we have reached step one for now. Let’s see where we go.”

While it is uncertain where indeed Bollywood goes from here, Shah knows where the audience can find her next: In cinema halls on January 6, when her debut Gujarati film Kutch Express hits the screens. The film, directed by Viral Shah, will mark the veteran actors first lead role in Gujarati cinema. It also features Manasi Parekh, Darsheel Safary and Dharmendra Gohil in pivotal role.

Shah says it took her nearly 40 years to make her debut in the language that she has known all her life, but when the script came to her it resonated deeply with what she stands for. The wait was worth it.

 

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“I chose the films I would want to see on screen. The script should resonate with what I believe in and should say that in an interesting manner. I look for things I haven’t done before and there is plenty in this film that I had not.

“It was a chance to speak a language I had heard all my life but never had the chance to do something within that environment. I am delighted I finally got a Gujrati film. I am glad I waited for this.”

Shah says she was surprised with how the makers envisioned and mounted the film. The intent and the treatment wasn’t to make a “Gujarati film” but “just a good film.”

“They were able to think fresh, willing to put money where the mouth was. Now that’s a really special thing because most people count pennies and spend it in the wrong areas. Like buying people Starbucks coffee is not the way a film’s budget should be spent, but that’s how it is in many cases. But here was a production house that was willing to spare no effort to do a good job.”

The film is produced by Parthiv Gohil and Manasi Parekh Gohil. It is presented by Soul Sutra.