Eye for talent

For me,hearing new talent is an important exercise and experience as a director. I have always been keen to watch fresh talent and connect with the voice of this country. There are so many villages and areas where I’ll never be able to go and hear them. This show brings all of them on one platform,where they can dream big and we can guide them. If they are genuinely good they can proceed further and make the most of it. I believe that new talent always brings in new ideologies and new dreams. Most importantly,they come sans any excess baggage.

Do you believe that a singer needs to have X factor?

Why not? In the west,there are singers who are performers. Of course,standing and singing is the most important thing as one has to be in sur. If one has that,why not go beyond,widen your horizons and discover that added dimension to a musical performance. It does not mean you have to dance,it means you feel the music deep within and express it through your body,your soul and connect with the higher power. It’s difficult to explore those kind of things and perform,indeed it’s a challenge. Also,what does X factor mean? Is it being excellent,being extraordinary,being exceptional or is it undefinable? I feel it’s just a moment of magic that one is born with and which people connect to. Again,you may be born with it but you have to shape it,chisel it and perfect it. Kishore Kumar is a perfect example of an actual performer in our Hindi film context.

Among the current lot of singers,who do you think has the X factor?

If you look at it Sunidhi (Chauhan). She performs differently from Lataji(Mangeshkar). Of course,Lataji is goddess and we cannot talk about the legendary singer in this context. But mind you,she is another person loaded with X factor. A simple lady with a conventional sari draped around her,she is X factor personified. Today’s singers are like rockstars. Be it Shreya (Ghoshal),KK or Sonu Niigaam,they are wonderful performers in their own ways. They are changing the definition of what a live show should be all about.

What is your take on the kind of talent that we are seeing in the music reality shows?

Some of them are very talented but they need to pursue it beyond the show. It’s not about getting the chance of holding a mike on a public platform and being seen on national television. The participants should not sit back and say I am a star. They have to learn more,perfect their art,find more nuances and give a little more of themselves instead of saying they are not getting the necessary break. I firmly believe that if you are exceptional,then nobody can stop you from doing what you want.

You were among the first ones to give a break to a reality show contestant — Shreya in Devdas?

Exactly. At the age of 16,she sang for the hugely budgeted Devdas. She was the voice for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and nobody could stop her. Shail Hada is another reality show product who I gave a break in Saawariya — he sang the title track. Parthiv Gohil,again a talent hunt find,sang Yu shabnami (Saawariya),Vibhavari Joshi who sung Saaiba and Harshdeep Kaur,who rendered Chand ki katori in Guzaarish,were winners of talent hunts. That’s what I mean when I say you have to be dedicated and make the most of it,else you will disappear. Through this show we will inculcate all these values and groom the participants.

What will you be looking for in the participants?

I will look out for magic but if you ask me what it is,then I cannot describe it. Why do I worship Lataji or Mohammad Rafisaab or Kishoreda (Kumar)? We cannot analyse why we idolise some people. It is that moment of magic. I will enjoy the performance,and help the participant make the most of it.

Your forthcoming film My Friend Pinto too is directed by a newcomer.

Yes. Raghav Dar,who makes his debut as a director,is wonderful. The music is by Aja- Atul who are popular Marathi composers. They have done a great job. It’s completely different from the folk genre they are famous for.

It seems to be completely different from the films one associates with Sanjay Bhansali?

It should be. If I have people directing for my production house,they have to have different ideas,try different genres and sensibilities. One learns from them and you also share all that you have learnt and experienced. You stand by a first time director allowing him to explore his sensibilities.

Weren’t there times when you,as a director,wanted to do it in a certain way?

I believe in giving the director his space. Yes,we interacted and discussed,and I offered him creative help in whatever way I could. However,I never interfered because only then can he create. The experience could be always valuable to him but finally he has to find his own experiences.

When is Rowdy Rathore going on the floors?

The shooting will start in August.