Rajkumar Santoshi : I enjoy doing films which are from my heart!

Director #RajkumarSantoshi after debuting with #Ghayal in 1990, is still active directing films. Actually he assisted #GovindNihalani during #ArdhaSatya. He has numerous hit films to his credit and just recently he has announced a new film, titled Lahore 1947, starring his favourites Sunny Deol and Aamir Khan. #AamirKhan is the producer of #Lahore1947. Rajkumar Santoshi has received several accolades which comprise three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards. His first directorial Ghayal fetched National Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. The film brought him Filmfare’s Best Director Award. Later he made films like #Damini, #Ghatak:Lethal, #Barsaat, #TheLegendofBhagatSingh, #Khakee, #AjabPremKiGhazabKahani etc. He directed #AndazApnaApna, starring #SalmanKhan and #AamirKhan but it didn’t do well commercially, then. But now it is considered to be a cult classic. There was a talk of it’s sequel but Santoshi denied it while interacting with our Sr Editor Keerti Kadam.

Who inspired you to enter film making? What genre films are you comfortable with?
Frankly I like to dabble in all genres. I have always made films in different genres. People tend to feel that I mostly make action films. But that is not true. Frankly, doing action films one after another might bore me. I always believe in doing something new, something innovative. That’s the reason I made a court room drama like ‘Damini’. I am always on the look out for a new subject which is challenging to me. I enjoy doing something where I feel satisfied and which is from my heart.

The reason behind me coming to this film industry was my father. P. L. Santoshi. He was a very big Director in his era. And this was not the only reason but the actual reason was I would’ve hated to go to the same office and glance through the same files multiple times. For example, a profession of a Lawyer. Whoever visits court doesn’t come with any pleasant news. People come with various problems and miseries. Thus, to run away from all such professions I chose film industry and by coming here if I’d do the same work, then it will be boring for me. I can’t keep on making films like Ghayal all the time. That is why I choose different subjects and one can never fall short of subjects. I don’t work just for the sake of working. Problems come and go but, whatever I do has my full involvement in it.

After doing social films, I made ‘The Legend of Bhagat Singh’. For me it was most satisfying because I was taking a subject that is in the history and one cannot change it. I cannot show something false from what the history was as it is documented. Thus to make a film on this is very difficult and to make it interesting requires skills. After this film I got the highest price as a director. I was appreciated by filmmakers and artists too which raised my stature.

Andaz Apna Apna did not acquire much box office collection back then but now it has received a cult status. Your views on that?
Andaz Apna Apna when released was not a box office success despite having big names like Aamir Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon and Salman Khan and not to forget Paresh Rawal and Shakti Kapoor. I believe that it is a hit on digital platforms and millions of people have watched it. Aamir once told me that ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ has been watched by many Asians, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis all over the world. In the list of 100 best films, Andaz Apna Apna stands on the 35th position. Each film has its own destiny. The reason it did not gain much at box office could be that it was not promoted well. Audiences were hardly aware of what kind of films were made then, unlike now, where we are reaching the audiences through media. People must’ve thought it is a love story similar to Aamir’s movie ‘Dil’ or Salman’s ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’ but here in Andaz Apna Apna, it was a first try for Paresh Rawal, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan to indulge into full fledged comedy. Each character had comedic nature as it was a pure comedy film. There were absolutely no emotional scenes whatsoever in the entire movie. Audience took time to understand. Later many such comedy films were made with two Heroes and two Heroines.

Is there a sequel to Andaz Apna Apna with Salman and Aamir?
I did think once however that is very difficult because they’ve reached a certain age where making a film with them would involve a different kind of comedy. Comedy requires an inner sense or else that comedy turns out to be vulgar. Today if an aged Hero teases a Heroine it would look vulgar. It’s about time. In films of Shammi Kapoor or Dev Anand, till the interval the Hero would only be seen troubling the Heroine. Half of the film had only this. ‘Waqt waqt ki baat hai’. To answer your question there’s no sequel of Andaz Apna Apna in the talks at the moment.

How did you think of casting newcomers for your last outing Bad Boy?
Producer of ‘Bad Boy’ Sajid Qureshi told me that he has signed Mithun Da’s (Mithun Chakraborty) son Namashi. Mithun Da has given employment to many in the industry and has been a part of many superhit films. And talking about Mithun Da’s greatness we both know each other very well yet he didn’t call me for casting his son. Sajid told me to meet Namashi. I wanted to see how respectful and truthful he is and his willingness to learn. If he would’ve had this thought in his head that “I’m Mithun Da’s son” then I wouldn’t have been interested. While working on the film he was genuine and I was impressed by him. The character suited his personality. The same with Amrin. She is our producer Sajid Qurashi’s daughter. On meeting her she seemed to be dedicated and she didn’t throw this attitude that ‘Mera baap picture bana raha hai, tu naukar hai mere baap ka’ (laughs), she was extremely cooperative and hard working. She never threw tantrums and didn’t refuse on redoing the shots.

How did the industry treat you earlier? Did actors throw tantrums?
‘Ishwar ki badi kripa rahi hai mere pe’. My first film ‘Ghayal’ was a huge hit not only at the box office but the critics too lauded it. After the film’s premiere there happened to be a party at a hotel in Colaba. That party included top most stars and the minute we entered everybody welcomed us with thunderous applause and congratulated us. It was my first film and it was very well appreciated also.

During that era many crap films were made like ‘Himmatwala’ where the standard was poor. Even songs were like ‘Ladki nahi tu lakdi ka khambha hai bak-bak matkar naak tera lamba hai’ (laughs). Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’, Mansoor Khan’s ‘Qayamat se Qayamat Tak’, Vinod Chopras’s ‘Parinda’, these were the standard films that came and then came my ‘Ghayal’. Where people thought that apart from Hero and Heroine, Director is also an important element in the film.

Cinema is a director’s medium. Looking at my success and through media’s hype with whichever star that I’ve worked, nobody asked me for the script. Even Amit ji never asked me for a script, there was just a narration and discussion that happened. ‘Khakee’ released in 2004 for that I told Amit ji, you will have to remove your french cut beard. He told me this is my lucky french beard to that I told him I require your talent, luck you keep to yourself. Because in police department french beard is prohibited. Only a Punjabi is allowed to keep beard. Amit ji spoke about him playing a role of a cop in a film with a french beard. He told Guru Govind Ji didn’t tell him to remove it. I told him he’s your Guru he can take that liberty, I have to be perfect to the casting and the character. So, Amit Ji removed the beard without any tantrum. I have been very fortunate when it came to actors. I never faced tantrums.

For music, my first choice was R.D Burman. For us he was like a God. Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt they both are fans of R.D Burman. He gave music for Dharamji’s ‘Betaab’. Dharamji requested me to let Bappi Da do the music. He said he’ll deliver to my satisfaction. ‘As Bappi Da is recording for 30 days in my studio and I’m the producer and if I take a music director from outside it would be awkward for me. So, I request you to please consider Bappi Da’, he requested. Later, I met Bappi Da with Sunny and he gave a very good music for ‘Ghayal’ and the background music too was very good which includes my contribution as well.

Is the warmth missing, prevalent during your time in the film industry?
Change is the only permanent thing. I feel things change and one has to be prepared to accept those changes, pick the best from that. Technology keeps changing. For example, back then there were no cell phones. One should look at the positive side and look for what benefit it provides. Earlier projects were made when the Hero liked it. Today, so many other factors have come into account, the cost of production has gone high, star fees have escalated, release has become very difficult. With time new strategies are made. People have become more professional where personal equations has taken back stage.

You’ve launched two actors Bobby Deol and Namashi Chakraborty but you’ve never worked with their fathers, Dharmji and Mithun Da. Are you missing and looking for that opportunity?
Definitely, I never got a chance to work with Dharamji and Mithun Da, however I am a part of their families. I’ve done couple of films with Dharamji under his company’s banner. Apart from that I had an ambition to work with Dilip Sahab and Dev Sahab that regret will be there with me lifelong. My father launched Dev Sahab in 1946. Dev sahab had signed me for a film under his banner ‘Navketan’. ‘Dev Sahab bade zindadil aadmi the’. He told me we’ll do publicity like, Santoshi and Dev Anand coming together after so many years. Public were surprised to see that Dev Anand worked with P. L. Santoshi and now is coming back with his son Rajkumar Santoshi. All these were exceptional qualities.

Does big films hamper small film’s business?
Gandhiji was shot dead on 30th January so I had planned to release ‘Gandhi Godse – Ek Yudh’ on that day. Just 8-10 days before a lot of money was put to publicize and promote Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Pathaan’. Unfortunately my film didn’t get noticed. It’s trailer, teaser were very well appreciated, audience appreciated the film but it didn’t do well as much as we had thought it would. Maybe due to the wrong release it couldn’t survive the onslaught of a big film.

What was the story behind Sunny Deol’s dialogue ‘Tarikh pe Tarikh’ from Damini?
It happened automatically, nothing was planned. In real life my family went through a problem. There was a court case going on regarding a property issue. For that my mother and grandmother frequently attended the court and we were not doing very well at that time. I was an assistant director. I heard about the struggle what happens in the court, how the date keeps on shifting ahead. I had this in my head that how a poor person gets sidelined in the court. So, remembering this incident I converted it into a dialogue. Justice delayed is Justice denied and many times we get judgement but, we never get justice and judgement not necessary is justice. I make a film when I relate to the character and feel from my heart. I believe it should be worth communicating, worth saying.

Do you ever plan to re-release the hit films that you’ve made?
I have not been the producer for them but if it is released now I’d like to keep a box of mine naming it ‘Director’s Fund’ in the theatre so whoever likes the film puts some amount for the one who has made the film. So, I’ll take that box and come back home. Let the producer, distributor take away the ticket money but that fund in the box will be for the director. This idea I would really like to work on. Director has made it, he should get acknowledgement. There should be a box, ‘Director Relief Fund’ Hahaha, (laughs).