Anurag Basu, renowned for bold Hindi Cinema themes, marks his 54th birthday. In a candid Lehren chat, he reflects on his career, Mahesh Bhatt bond, and 'Kucch To Hai' controversy with Ekta Kapoor. Check out the podcast.
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00:00 I thought my career was over.
00:02 I won't get a chance to make a film again.
00:05 Usually, a director or producer interferes a lot.
00:09 He wants to put his own thoughts into the film.
00:14 The kind of end product I was seeing, Ekta wasn't.
00:24 You didn't have to assist for a long time.
00:30 You got a big serial after that.
00:32 How challenging was it?
00:35 Did you feel nervous?
00:38 Because you got a big serial.
00:40 I was never nervous.
00:43 I was always ready for my first chance.
00:47 That's why I got more chances.
00:49 I think you should be ready for your first chance.
00:52 You get your first chance in Mumbai.
00:56 If you encash that first chance, you get a second chance.
01:00 I was ready for every first chance.
01:02 Even if it was a film or my first day of shooting.
01:05 I was always ready.
01:07 There are many stories.
01:15 I had grown up with television.
01:18 Television had changed a lot.
01:22 I did 'Tara', 'Saturday Suspense', 'X Zone', 'Bestseller', 'Koshish Ek Asha'.
01:31 Then I did 'Badaji Ke Shows'.
01:34 I was involved with almost all the shows.
01:38 But I had grown up with it.
01:41 It was repetitive and regressive.
01:44 I didn't understand why this show was so popular.
01:48 I wanted to quit shows.
01:52 I told Ekta that I wanted to try in films.
01:56 Ekta said that we are also making films.
01:58 You should do films with us.
02:00 The first film that Ekta Kapoor considered for me.
02:05 Ekta signed me for the film 'Kush To Hai'.
02:09 It was my first film.
02:11 It was a film of 10-12 crores.
02:13 It was a good star cast.
02:16 But I was not in control of things.
02:20 The kind of end product that I was seeing, Ekta was not seeing that kind of end product.
02:24 Gradually the differences increased.
02:27 We had a lot of fights.
02:31 And there was a loss in our friendship.
02:35 Gradually I was not proud of the film that I was making.
02:42 It was the first time in my life that I was not proud of the film that I was making.
02:47 So I left it.
02:50 I told Ekta that I don't want to do films.
02:54 It was a very difficult decision.
02:56 I had come to Mumbai to make a film.
02:58 I got a film and I had to leave it.
03:01 I thought that my career was over.
03:03 I won't get a film again.
03:05 I got it once and I won't get it again.
03:08 But I got a call from Mahesh Bhatt.
03:13 He gave me a shadow to direct.
03:16 It was very strange.
03:20 Many years ago, he saw my work in a serial and told me that I should make a film.
03:26 He didn't take me seriously.
03:29 Because Bhatt sir often praises people.
03:33 He doesn't hesitate in praising.
03:35 I thought he was just praising me.
03:37 But he called me after 4-5 years and gave me a film.
03:41 I didn't have any doubt about it.
03:43 He gave me a shadow and I made it.
03:46 After making the shadow, I remember the trial shows on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
03:56 I was very nervous because I was showing my film to people for the first time.
04:00 Many big people came and convinced me that I made a good film.
04:07 It was a super hit film.
04:09 And we have arrived.
04:11 I was nervous that I didn't make a good film.
04:14 But people convinced me that I made a good film.
04:17 The film was released on Friday.
04:19 I went to the theatre at 12.
04:21 I realized that people were not liking my film.
04:26 I thought that I should make a film.
04:30 I wanted to make a hit film.
04:34 That's when Murder came out.
04:36 I made the script in 2 months.
04:40 I told Bhatt sir and Mukesh sir.
04:42 And then Murder was made.
04:44 What did you learn from Bhatt sir?
04:49 My relationship with Bhatt sir is different from other directors.
04:54 All the directors I worked with before him were associated with Bhatt sir.
04:59 Tanuja Chandra, Vikram Bhatt, Mohit Surya.
05:02 I have assisted Bhatt sir.
05:04 I was fresh with him.
05:06 I had a one to one relationship with him.
05:09 I was a freelance director coming from outside working for him.
05:12 Bhatt sir gives so much freedom and freedom.
05:17 That's why people make such good films for him.
05:26 I would say that a man with that stature like Mr. Mahesh Bhatt.
05:35 Often, when a director is a producer, he interferes a lot.
05:39 He wants to express his own thoughts.
05:45 But Bhatt sir is different.
05:48 He gives freedom.
05:50 I write a story.
05:54 I tell Bhatt sir about the idea.
05:59 Then we meet and write the screenplay.
06:03 Bhatt sir is a very good bounce board.
06:06 There are many things in the screenplay that he points out.
06:11 But no one notices.
06:12 Bhatt sir had added one scene in the murder.
06:18 It was a very insignificant scene.
06:21 It was between Mallika Sherawat and her friend Shiva.
06:25 It was about an astronomical affair.
06:28 She said that she had also attempted suicide.
06:31 Adding that scene made a big difference.
06:35 It was not in the screenplay.
06:36 Bhatt sir has such small contributions.
06:39 It is not visible, but it is there.
06:42 There are two talented actors in the Hindi film industry.
06:46 Waheeda ji and Dilip sir.
06:48 As a director, how do you judge them?
06:52 How much have you learned from their films?
06:56 I will tell you about Waheeda ji.
06:59 When Waheeda ji made her debut,
07:03 there was a style of acting in the Hindi film industry.
07:10 But the way she acted,
07:14 it didn't seem like she was acting.
07:17 This was her specialty.
07:20 Even today when I tell actresses not to act, but feel,
07:32 Waheeda ji never cheated herself or the camera.
07:36 She felt every character and acted it.
07:40 Everyone knows Dilip sir and Vishnu sir.
07:46 The whole world knows their acting.
07:49 But I am a very small man.
07:59 It would be a shame to say anything about a man of his stature.
08:04 But the things I said about Waheeda ji,
08:07 those things are opposite.
08:09 Dilip sir was not that easy.
08:11 Dilip sir used to act, he used to see, he used to act.
08:14 He knew that if I see like this, people will whistle.
08:17 Many times he used to come out of the character.
08:20 Rest he is a great actor.
08:23 What is the meaning of direction for you?
08:26 The meaning of direction for me is to understand human relationships
08:31 and to bring it on screen in the easiest way.
08:34 When you take a project, what do you see?
08:38 What factors do you know while taking a project?
08:41 You should touch it.
08:43 You should do something.
08:45 Either make you laugh or make you angry or make you cry.
08:49 It should move you emotionally.
08:52 I see if there is a subject that moves me emotionally.
08:56 I am a subject like this.
08:58 It becomes easy for me because I write my own stories.
09:02 So the film comes to my mind while choosing the story.
09:06 When you plan to write a story, how do you plan it?
09:11 First of all, what is to be made?
09:14 First of all, a man thinks about what to make next.
09:17 After Murder, everyone wanted me to make a similar film.
09:25 Unfortunately, people started watching Murder as a sex flick.
09:29 I got many offers for similar films.
09:31 I stopped myself from making films.
09:34 Then I made Gangster which was different from Murder.
09:37 After Gangster, the same thing happened.
09:39 The whole industry fixed me in the romantic thriller genre.
09:45 They were offering me that kind of film.
09:47 I wanted to make 10-12 films.
09:51 But it was challenging for me to make a film different from Gangster.
09:55 Then I made Metro.
09:57 After Metro, it became difficult to make a film different from Metro.
10:00 You compete with yourself and keep looking for new subjects.
10:05 And that's how it happens.
10:07 Just one question.
10:09 What is the motto of your life?
10:11 Just live life to the fullest and enjoy every day.
10:15 One thing that you never forget to carry with you?
10:19 Anything of Sai Baba.
10:21 Either a ring or a photograph or something.
10:23 And what is something that you can't live without?
10:28 A person or a thing?
10:30 Anything.
10:31 I cannot live without my family.
10:34 Your hobbies?
10:37 Cooking, listening to music.
10:39 Painting sometimes.
10:41 Watching movies.
10:43 Favourite holiday spot?
10:45 Many actually.
10:47 Right now, my in-laws are in West Bengal.
10:53 There is a place called Auli in Garhwal.
10:57 Chamba, Kotiala, Backwaters.
11:04 The list just goes on.
11:07 You are afraid of?
11:09 Snake.
11:11 Your first crush?
11:14 My teacher, professor.
11:16 When I was in first year.
11:20 Your first date?
11:22 Same teacher.
11:24 Passion in life?
11:27 Passion in life, filmmaking.
11:30 Three wishes?
11:33 Three wishes?
11:35 Make me thin.
11:38 Give me more brain.
11:41 And give everyone the strength to be happy.
11:47 If you were not a director, what would you be?
11:50 Chef.
11:52 So, for chef, your favourite dish?
11:57 My favourite dish changes from time to time.
12:01 Bengali cuisine, it's Ashokto.
12:05 And just in general, I like Thai food a lot.
12:12 And favourite drink?
12:15 My favourite drink, just a chhaas.
12:21 [Music]