Andheri spares no one. To add to the misery, there was the Mumbai heat. When I finally reached actorGulshan Devaiah’s Versova flat, he and Ira, his cat who he cannot stop raving about, welcome me with broad smiles.
It’s hard not to notice the five newly born kittens lazing around the sofa, while mother Ira was being pampered by Gulshan. Hardcover volumes of Frank Miller’s Sin City are stacked by the window sill, as the apartment speaks of the outspoken personality occupying it.
Over ghee-laden motichoor laddoos from Kanpur and Cranberry juice, Gulshan and his Greek wife Kallirroi tell DNA about Hate Story, acting, theatre, cats and a lot more.
You like cats?
Oh yes! When I was younger, I thought I was a dog person. But now I realise I’m a cat person. I like dogs too. I think our lifestyles do not really support a dog’s lifestyle, because a dog needs to be taken care of, they need to be walked around and all that. Cats don’t need much, they’re self-reliant, clean, potty-trained. (Goes on to introduce the kittens, who will be up for adoption in a week or two)
Oh yes! When I was younger, I thought I was a dog person. But now I realise I’m a cat person. I like dogs too. I think our lifestyles do not really support a dog’s lifestyle, because a dog needs to be taken care of, they need to be walked around and all that. Cats don’t need much, they’re self-reliant, clean, potty-trained. (Goes on to introduce the kittens, who will be up for adoption in a week or two)
Let’s talk about Hate Story.
Hate Story is an interesting movie. I never really imagined I would do something like this. Having said that, I had no preconceived notion that these are the kind of films I’m going to do. I got a call from Vivek (Agnihotri, director of Hate Story) and went and met him. He gave me a narration and I instinctively said yes, because I connected with the role. I thought I could walk a new path with this one. I didn’t know how I was going to go about it but that’s what makes it even more interesting.
Hate Story is an interesting movie. I never really imagined I would do something like this. Having said that, I had no preconceived notion that these are the kind of films I’m going to do. I got a call from Vivek (Agnihotri, director of Hate Story) and went and met him. He gave me a narration and I instinctively said yes, because I connected with the role. I thought I could walk a new path with this one. I didn’t know how I was going to go about it but that’s what makes it even more interesting.
It was interesting enough for me to push myself and find a way, that I could apply myself as an actor in a film like this. I’m used to a more organic style of working, with Anurag (Kashyap), Bejoy (Nambiar) or with Vasan Bala with whom I’ve done another film. So, to transcend myself from that into this was interesting and it was a learning process. Director Vivek Agnihotri with writer Rohit Malhotra have done really well. Of course, Paoli (Dam) too. We had lot of fun while working.
What exactly did they tell you then, as now it’s being promoted as a ‘first of its kind erotic thriller’?
They didn’t exactly say one of a kind, but Vivek said this genre is not properly explored, as in, people have made films, but they don’t properly pitch it as an erotic trailer. He said we will be unabashed about it, because it is an erotic film and we will slot it in the genre. He was very clear with his actors also. He said we want you to be brave and courageous enough, because we have to make it look believable, although we cannot show everything we shoot. When the audience is watching they should feel that two people are making love. Vivek also known for his aesthetic way of shooting scenes would be shot, the visuals...
They didn’t exactly say one of a kind, but Vivek said this genre is not properly explored, as in, people have made films, but they don’t properly pitch it as an erotic trailer. He said we will be unabashed about it, because it is an erotic film and we will slot it in the genre. He was very clear with his actors also. He said we want you to be brave and courageous enough, because we have to make it look believable, although we cannot show everything we shoot. When the audience is watching they should feel that two people are making love. Vivek also known for his aesthetic way of shooting scenes would be shot, the visuals...
So how ‘brave and courageous’ were you?
Pretty brave and courageous! I was very anxious few days before we got to shoot those bits. I didn’t know how to go about it, but Paoli is extremely professional about it and so was Vivek and others on the set. It was a close set, only people from the camera crew were there. We got along really well. There were some ‘choreographers’ also who were really sweet. They’d come and tell us, ‘You’re making out, you’re making out, you’re making out’, so I’m like ‘You mean I’m having sex with her?’ And they’d go ‘Yeah yeah yeah!’
Pretty brave and courageous! I was very anxious few days before we got to shoot those bits. I didn’t know how to go about it, but Paoli is extremely professional about it and so was Vivek and others on the set. It was a close set, only people from the camera crew were there. We got along really well. There were some ‘choreographers’ also who were really sweet. They’d come and tell us, ‘You’re making out, you’re making out, you’re making out’, so I’m like ‘You mean I’m having sex with her?’ And they’d go ‘Yeah yeah yeah!’
(Laughs)
It was rather time-consuming and painful because from morning to evening when you’re shooting a love-making scene it gets really boring, trust me!
It was rather time-consuming and painful because from morning to evening when you’re shooting a love-making scene it gets really boring, trust me!
How much of a help was Paoli?
She’s been in more films, she’s more experienced, so she’s very knowledgeable about the set and what kind of lens they are using... I think they have this culture in Bengal, where they keenly study the lights and where what is coming from. She’d tell me ‘hey you’re in the light, I’m not visible’ and stuff like that. Nikhil Dwivedi and I have seen that side of her…
She’s been in more films, she’s more experienced, so she’s very knowledgeable about the set and what kind of lens they are using... I think they have this culture in Bengal, where they keenly study the lights and where what is coming from. She’d tell me ‘hey you’re in the light, I’m not visible’ and stuff like that. Nikhil Dwivedi and I have seen that side of her…
She was extremely professional about it. I knew of her from her reputation, that she’s very bold, she’s not inhibited. But I think she has a process to it. It’s not like she’s ready to strip in front of everybody. That’s not true. She has a process, she understands what the film is about, what her part is and accordingly I think she approaches the nudity. So I think it’s a little unfair the kind of reputation that she has. She’s a lot more than somebody who is capable of just stripping. But I guess maybe after the film people will realise that.
It’s an obvious question, how did your wife react?
My wife is an actress; she went to two different theatre schools. And we have enough love and trust between us for these silly things not to come in between us. It’s nice to have another creative person in the house because you can bounce off your ideas. She also knows how comfortable I was made to feel by Paoli and the other crew.
My wife is an actress; she went to two different theatre schools. And we have enough love and trust between us for these silly things not to come in between us. It’s nice to have another creative person in the house because you can bounce off your ideas. She also knows how comfortable I was made to feel by Paoli and the other crew.
No comments:
Post a Comment