Changing Realities

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar,who is making a comedy for the first time,talks about tackling a different subject.

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar,who is making a comedy for the first time,talks about tackling a different subject

Given a choice,every filmmaker would love to experiment with exciting and different topics,even though they are more suited to make films on a particular genre. A director like me,for example,loves to stick to topical issues or realistic cinema. And after making films like Chandni Bar and Jail,my name became synonymous with hard-hitting films. My films have received critical acclaim as well as National Awards. But after all the praise,there came a time when I felt the need to change tracks. This is why I am presently working on a comedy titled Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji.

Like my earlier films,it is based on relationships and focusses on the bonding between three guys. In the age of chick-flicks,I am making a boy flick! It is a different genre for the simple reason that it is untouched. Im still exploring this virgin genre,which I feel has certain parameters taken from the movies of filmmakers like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Guru Dutt.

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I am basically a fun loving,extrovert guy who specialises in hard-hitting films. After shooting with me for three days during Chandni Bar,I remember Tabu telling me,You are so humourous. Why dont you make a fun film instead of serious ones? Ive kept that conversation in mind all this time but it took me ten years to move away from my kind of cinema.

I feel that whatever subject a director chooses to make,he is the best judge for the project till its completion. And when his movie opens in cinema halls,it is for the audience to decide whether he has done justice to it. Generally there is an acceptance to a Madhur Bhandarkar film for its storyline and logic and people come to see something different from me each time. This is because I have established myself in a certain genre. There are many filmmakers like me who are stuck to one kind of cinema and would like to move away,but doing so requires the right kind of support and encouragement and most importantly,acceptance from the viewers.

A good pointer to the effort to change is the initial acceptance from all these stakeholders. This would encourage the filmmaker to explore various genres. For example,when watching a comedy film or a non-fictional film,the audience,I feel,should leave their brains behind. I would suggest the same for Dil Toh as it is mind-bogglingly hilarious.

Today,a film is made in not less than Rs 20 crore. Therefore,an effort to market it well is paramount. This can be tricky if a filmmaker changes track. When so much effort has gone into the making of a film,and when so much money is at stake,the onus is on the director to bring back the returns. When electronic items or for that matter even a reality show is advertised in a big way,why not a film? Whether its a small film or a big-budget film,if made well,it should get its due acceptance.

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One last word. Dil Toh.. doesnt mean that I am escaping from realistic cinema. I may go back to that genre when a strong subject comes my way.