‘I won’t make a show I can’t sit and watch’

Actor, producer, anchor and now a film director. Rohit Roy makes his debut with a casting coup—Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi are back on screen after a gap of nearly two decades in his short movie in Dus Kahaniyaan

What was it to make a film with five other directors? Were different visions merged?
There was no merging of vision. Dus Kahaniyaan is a work by six different directors with six different visions. None of us interacted on any film. There was no conversation about how a film should be shot, nor was I told what the tone of my film would be. The essence of Dus Kahaniyaan is that the audience sees 10 differently mounted films. My sensibilities are different from Apoorva Lakhia, whose making style is different from Sanjay Gupta, who is different from Meghna Gulzar and therein lies the beauty of the film.

What is your directorial debut Rice Plate about? You’ve got Shabana and Naseer together after nearly two decades.
Rice Plate is about a Hindu lady and her interaction with a Muslim gentleman over a plate of rice. It’s an emotional drama that looks at what a hungry devout Hindu woman would do when her only meal is claimed by a Muslim man. Once the story of Rice Plate was written, I was clear in my mind that only Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah could do justice to its two main characters. My producer Sanjay Gupta arranged a meeting with Naseerbhai. I was so nervous that I even made Sanjay narrate the script to him. But all my fears were set at ease when I met him. The first thing he said was, ‘Kya bhai… Mujhse bina pooche hi mera naam announce kar diya…’ before agreeing to do the film. He had apparently read one of my pre-shoot interviews where I had mentioned his name in my wish-list. His comment broke the ice and the fact that he liked my script was a big boost to my confidence. As regards getting Shabanaji, though she had some reservations, we incorporated her suggestions and I hounded her till she said yes. Only after the film was complete did we realise that we had got them together after nearly two decades.

How was it working with Naseer and Shabana?
It was a pleasure of a lifetime to direct them. Of course they asked a lot of questions, but they also were my biggest support in the film. Since they function with so much clarity, the only thing they expect is someone with clarity who knows what he wants and how to get it. And in all honesty, there never was a doubt in my mind as to how I see the film. I realised how huge a thing it was to direct them after shooting was over. As Shabanaji recently said on Jhalak Dikhh Laja in zest, ‘Sabse pehli baat mere zahan mein yeh aayi ki ek naye ladke ne Shabana aur Naseer ko direct kiya aur bilkul nahi dara.’

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You have also acted with Nana Patekar in a short story by Gulzar in Dus Kahaniyan.
Gubbare, in which I act with Nana, and Zahir are my favourite films from Dus Kahaniyan. I have a small, but sweet role of a newly married husband in Gubbare. The film is about a bus journey that becomes a journey of life through which I learn a lot of things.
Nana has given the most magical performance in this film. Just watching him used to be a lot of fun for everyone on the sets.

Every time a film of yours is up for release, speculations abound about your quitting TV.
I feel that using a term like quitting is negative. I have never quit anything, though I did bid adieu to TV early this year. But it had nothing to do with my joining films. I have done my bit on TV and have had a great innings as an actor. Even my host act on Jhalak… has got a phenomenal response. TV is something I have enjoyed, it has made me who I am, but I have to move on and I don’t want to get saturated and then leave. I think I did the right thing by leaving when I was still on top. I had announced that Virasat would be my last show and I have stuck to that. An occasional host act may happen as I have fun hosting, but I am off acting in TV serials for good.

You started as an actor with the first daily soap on Indian TV, Swabhimaan. Today you are a content provider for channels. What’s the brief for your production house Magic Works?
In terms of money, production design and actors, we are going up, but we are going down in content and that’s very unfortunate. I am not ready to believe that in a country like India we should let the “who-will-watch-it?” argument hold us back from trying anything different. I am sure with the entry of niche channels we can try many things. Magic Works will always be involved in things that we are comfortable with. We are ready to work for bearable margins with great creativity because I won’t produce a show that I can’t sit and watch.

What next? What kind of films would you like to direct?
Honestly, I had never expected to get an opportunity to direct a film so early in my career as neither had I assisted any director, nor did I have a script ready when Sanjay asked me to direct a film for Dus Kahaniyan. However, I always knew I would direct. Acting is something I love, but direction has given me the kind of creative satisfaction that I haven’t got in my last eight years of acting. My inspiration lies in people like Raj Kapoor and Woody Allen . Rice Plate is not a story I would have understood as a new director but having made it and having seen the responses of the people involved with the film, I have the strength to tackle all subjects. I would like to make films on real people and real relationships. I am working on my next script—a film based on love, lust and relationships in Mumbai, which will roll by March 2008.

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Who are the other actors you would want to direct?
Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Naseeruddin Shah. Aamir has the capability of playing many different characters so convincingly that it will be a dream to work with him.