Sanjivan Lal is setting the trend of bringing back quality cinema—the likes of which Hrishikesh Mukerjee, Basu Chatterjee, Sai Paranjpye and Kundan Shah made popular.  Those were the films where the story was the star, and not vice-versa.  The South Asian News catches up with him as he’s travelling all over India.

 

You certainly made a celluloid statement with ‘Bubble Gum’, one of the best films to tackle ‘puppy-love’ in Bollywood.  What inspired you to make this film?

 

‘Bubble Gum’ was born out of compulsion. It was not the first script I wrote. There were 3 other scripts which I had written and wanted to make but they did not materialize. Shekhar Kapoor’s ‘Masoom’ has always been one of my favourite films. Using it as a reference I decided to write something that would have my conviction, appeal to the audience all over and still make economic sense to an investor. With these parameters– I began looking around for a story. Soon it struck to me that most people loved talking about their childhood, and going down memory lane. Nostalgia was the common link. I began looking into my own childhood trying to figure out the most exciting part of my life and realized it was the time when I was fourteen. I was academically in a critical year in school.  At the same time was madly infatuated with a girl next door.

 

I sounded off the idea to friends and found them laughing, recalling their own childhood and connecting with it. Now, to keep the production cost low I decided to use new faces as teenagers and have Tanvi Azmi and Sachin Kheddekar as the affectionate parents. It had to be a family film – appealing to families all over. I tied up with TATA STEEL in Jamshedpur as my roots were there.

 

I also have a hearing impaired brother. Though my parents never discriminated between us, I began looking at my story from the brother’s point of view as well – a story about two brothers with ‘puppy love’ thrown in as the centre of their coming-of-age conflict!

 

 

Did the film do well, were you happy with the marketing and pre-publicity?

 

No, the film wasn’t successful at the box office. I was disappointed. But the reviews were great and word of mouth spread. However the visibility of the film was low and it got limited release due to two blockbusters – Singham and Zindagi Na Milenge Doobara.  There were many other reasons but it taught me a lot of things beyond filmmaking. In the absence of ‘Stars’– the marketing team was at a loss how to promote this film.  To begin with- they branded it wrongly. Just because the film had kids – they started calling it a ‘children film’. I tried pointing out that it wasn’t a ‘children film but a film about childhood for grown-ups but they failed to get it right. Instead of presenting it as a family film and a coming of an age story about two brothers– it got treated as a teenage romance! Had the film been presented in the right way and its release well-timed, there’s no reason why it wouldn’t have done well.  Branding is the name of the game. You have to create a right brand for your product and ensure a good visibility. That’s the reason why some Producers are a brand– while others are not!  Anyway, I hope to not repeat the mistakes.

 

The film has gone on to have a great second innings as it were on You Tube.  What it missed out on the big screen, it has got its share of followers on the small screen, and on DVD.

 

The popularity of the film online and the comments from viewers reinforces the fact that people do connect with films emotionally and appreciate a sensitive and realistic story. ‘Bubble Gum’ is set in the late 80s and early 90s before the advent of mobile and internet but many Producers and marketing gurus suggested that I make it contemporary but I wasn’t convinced. I tried telling them that people always connect to the characters, and their emotions and never to a period but they were not convinced. To make my point, it’s the youth who are appreciating my film online!

 

 

As a Director who knows his capabilities have you ever wished to belong to any particular camp in Bollywood, and have you ever approached any production house with that intent?

 

Belonging to various camps has its advantages and also its disadvantages. The advantages are many but the biggest detriment is that it forces you to dwell in mediocrity. You are made to negotiate as a filmmaker and a story-teller. You have to do a balancing act to avail of the benefits, and compromise on your own vision. What that means is that you don’t tell the stories you really want to tell but the ones that keep everyone happy – mainly the investors and the Stars and others in the inner circle irrespective of the fact whether they’ve contributed to the end product. They all thrive on the unwritten understanding of ‘You scratch my back, I scratch yours’. No doubt filmmaking is teamwork and one needs support from everyone but that also accounts for the inferior quality of films being made.

 

No, I never approached any lobby to be a part of. People get into this business for all kinds of reasons but I see myself here primarily to better mainstream films, to tell newer stories within the parameters of mainstream Hindi Cinema and to make an entertaining and engaging film with modern sensibilities. Hence my loyalties are to my subject and my script– and not to any particular Production Company or a Star or any camp.  I let my script dictate who I need to cast and if it makes sense to them- they consent to come on board. If not, I look for the next best alternatives but beyond a point – I prefer keeping my script on hold for the right time rather than make it in desperation. Yes, this is also the time when I feel the crunch of not belonging to any camp but I don’t really feel insecure for I know it’s just a matter of time till my next film becomes a brand. And once you become a brand, you become a camp yourself!

 

 

While on that note, have you ever approached the top 5 actors, or actresses in Bollywood who have tremendous clout?

 

So far I have never approached any ‘Star.’ I approach Actors who suit my characters. Now if they happen to be a Star that is good news for my marketing team as they need the ‘Stars’ to market the film. Since most of my stories are rooted in realism– I look for actors who can get into the skin of my characters. I have yet to write a script that needs a Star for their charisma and appeal. Actually I have something in mind that needs a huge Star because the Character needs his flamboyance, suaveness, sophistication and that hint of wickedness.  It is a subject not yet touched upon in India – nor abroad. It also requires to be shot in multiple countries and thus needs a budget that the Star can ensure to do justice to the story. Let’s see what the future has in store.

 

 

After watching your film, we felt like you reflected the good quality, pleasantly acted, clean family film that was a trademark of Hrishikesh Mukerjee and Basu Chatterjee

 

I loved Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee’s films while growing up. They were before their time. They should have been making movies today for the multiplex audience. In the same breath – I would like to mention two producers who should have been here today producing content driven films but they are no longer around – Gul Anand and N.N. Sippy.

 

In today’s scenario there are two extreme kinds of films getting made. On one end there are the larger than life movies inspired by South Indian films – big budget, loud, over the top and on the other spectrum are dark, and depressing films made for festivals. Why not have the best of both and better our mainstream films?  My effort is to combine the better of the two, and make something sensible as well as engaging that goes beyond the Friday weekends and the festivals. There is a huge vacuum that needs to be filled up.

 

 

Many non-filmmakers and non-actors make it big with their networking capabilities.  What do you think about these award-winning manipulators?

 

I have a very different take on this. Everybody has a right to give a shot at fame and money but finally it’s the talent that counts and helps you survive. Yes- networking is important but only till your first or the second film. If you don’t get recognized and become a brand, no amount of manipulation works. And since life is not an overnight journey, you need to have the talent in you to last a life time!! Everybody is welcome as we are always short of talent. The best of filmmakers have come and gone – leaving behind a legacy.  The worst ones are forgotten!

 

 

Writing or directing?  What is easier for you?

People were already making films before I joined FTII.  And are making films even now. I decided for myself that if I have to make films – then I had better do something that others are not doing. I better make films that I don’t get to watch. I better tell stories that can only better Hindi mainstream cinema. And to tell my stories – I have no choice but to write them myself since they are my dream projects.

 

I can’t expect anyone else to write what’s in my head but since writing at times gets lonely and is time consuming– I often look around for likeminded people with similar sensibilities to collaborate.  So far I have been lucky in having friends who have professionally collaborated or have allowed themselves to be used as sounding boards.  Directing then becomes a necessity to execute it till ‘The End’ ensuring that it doesn’t get harmed or distorted in the process.  It’s not unusual to see best of writers in our industry getting frustrated once they have written and handed over the script to somebody else to direct. There are some directors who cannot write nor do they understand story telling. In such cases the script becomes vulnerable. I welcome everybody’s suggestions – In fact I take a lot of feedback, but the final call is always taken by me keeping the complete picture in mind. This is also the reason why I take a long time to script and then direct. Maybe I’ll have to come up with a method to speed up my filmmaking!

 

 

Which are your forthcoming films that we should be watching out for?

 

Since my stories are not run of the mill– I have a tough time finding the right producers and actors. Presently there three completed scripts- ‘Halla-Gulla, Shor-Sharabaa’- a human drama based on a true story, ‘Consignment’ a thriller-   and a film on moral-policing against lovers across the country that happens on Valentine’s Day.  All three are at different stage of negotiations with different Producers and Actors. Beside that I am also developing two more scripts based on unusual stories with writer friends. One of them is likely to go on floor by early next year.

 

Jude Paul Fernandes / jude@thesouthasiannews.com