MAHESH TINAIKAR Candidly Unplugged - An Interview

 

Mahesh Tinaikar, golden fingers guitarist of the indie rock scene in India and a passionate musician open to sounds and grooves coming from various influences and parts of the world was his cool and delightful self during an interview he granted to a captivated Hindi Cinema Blog reporter on the occasion of the release of the Whirling Kalapas EP. The acoustic project features him and his usual "partners in crime": Uday Benegal (vocals) and Zubin Balaporia (keyboards) plus collaborations with Suman Sridhar, Taufiq Qureshi, Suresh Mendoza, Ankit Dayal and Vivaan Kapoor. Here is the result of a chilled-out conversation with the man behind the unique strumming and riffs of the many times legendary Indus Creed.

HCB: Tell us about your favorite guitarists and which have influenced you the most?

MT: I discovered Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel only 4 or 5 years ago and I can say he is now my favorite guitarist! Before that I was more into rock n' roll and all but after listening to him I just find acoustic music great and...

HCB: Have you ever met him?

MT: Well actually, I will finally be meeting him in a month! 

HCB: That's great!

MT: Yes! I am heading to New York  and he will also be at the same event, so I will meet him there.

HCB: How old were you when you first picked up the guitar?

MT: I was pretty old, I would say, around 19 or 20 years old... I was always wanting to play the guitar, I knew that was what I wanted to do and so I managed to start with three guys: Uday (Benegal) and Zubin (Balaporia). 

Indus Creed at Live at Someplace Else, Kolkata

HCB: What do you think your occupation would have been if you were not a guitar player?

MT: (Chuckles) An airline pilot. I also almost missed becoming a sailor on a merchant ship. The ship was a cattle carrier and it was going to Kuwait. I was going to work in it but as I boarded the ship, I saw the cattle and all and I just couldn't do it. I walked out of the ship then and there! I had always wanted to play music and my parents thought it wouldn't give me a living so I tried getting another job but in the end, music was what I really wanted to do.

HCB: You are currently touring for the launch of the Whirling Kalapas EP. What has being in this project meant to you?

MT: Actually you know what, let me give you some background. Indus Creed, the original band, stopped playing in 99 when Uday left to New York, where he got settled and stayed for around 10 years. He came back in 2008-2009 and he said, "let's do music" so we started the Whirling Kalapas. Eventually, we got back to recording an album as Indus Creed but then last year we all thought, let us get Whirling Kalapas back and keep it very acoustic... as acoustic as possible. We got together with  Zubin and we started playing all these songs and did a show in Shilong where we played as just a trio. Everybody said it was fantastic!  So we were very happy with that and eventually decided we would record, which took a couple of months. It is a project I am very happy with.

HCB: What differences do you find between performing for Indus Creed for example against performing an acoustic act, such as the Whirling Kalapas?

MT: It is very different. First, the audience is much younger when we perform as Indus Creed. Our acoustic act attracts a lot of older people who just want to listen and chill you know, and also lots of other musicians that are curious and take an interest. What I notice is that all the audience is smiling (when we perform acoustic music). We don't get too many young people.

Live at Someplace Else, Kolkata

HCB: Do you have a favorite acoustic guitar you play?

MT: I bought a Martin acoustic about 5 years ago in NYC. I just tried it and it sounded beautiful. I also have an Ovation guitar which I got in the Middle East, maybe Dubai, I don't remember, in 1993 or 1994. 

HCB: Some guitarists give names to their guitars, have you christened yours?

MT: (Laughs heartily) No! Not at all! I haven't gotten into that! I am not someone to get into that.

HCB: Would there be anything you would change about your career or the path you have taken to become the musician you are today?

MT: In hindsight you always think that you could have done things differently but I have no regrets whatsoever. Maybe if I had done things differently they wouldn't have come out as they have. I can say I am very happy today.

HCB: Where or how do you find inspiration for composing? Do you compose more with your band or by yourself?

MT: Well it varies, or is a combination of both, you know, sometimes you show a song to someone and you take it from there and sometimes it just comes to you like that... There is no fixed form, I would say. Sometimes you listen to something and have an idea or sometimes you are even on the plane and you get this song going in your head and you can't record it anywhere so then you forget about it! (laughs)

HCB: Tell us who is a musician you admire and would love to meet and work with?

MT: I am not sure I can say. There are so many people I admire or like but then there has to be a certain chemistry when you get together to make music. If two people cannot connect then it becomes difficult to make music together. When I was not working with the band I worked with many musicians but it was ok though not really like it was with my band. We are also great friends outside of making music. We just hang out. It is important to have a chemistry with the musician you are working with so even if there are two excellent musicians, if there is no spark, the music will not be as enjoyable.

HCB: What has been playing on your Ipod or Mp3 player lately?

MT: Oh lots of things! I listen to Despond. In acoustic, I listen to guitarist Don Ross and obviously to Tommy Emmanuel...

HCB: How would you describe the current acoustic scene in India? Do you have any tips for acoustic scene or indie scene musicians in India at the moment?

MT: In the last 4 or 5 years there has been a lot of acoustic songwriters that are very good - a lot of girls - and of course other acoustic bands that are all very talented. The indie scene also has a lot of DJs, acoustic musicians or even heavy metal with young boys and girls doing interesting things. The audiences will turn to all this good music at some point.

HCB: What is coming up for you as a musician and for the bands you contribute to?

MT: At the moment, I am just very busy with Indus Creed and the Whirling Kalapas so I am not playing with anyone else. While the band was not playing for about 8 or 9 years I was working composing for TV commercials or documentaries and that sort of thing. Or I would play one night somewhere, like that but there was no real commitment to any band... But I am now very busy and happy with what I am doing with both bands.

* The Whirling Kalapas EP is available for free download temporarily at the Rolling Stones website.

* Excerpts of Indus Creed music are also available for streaming at the official Indus Creed website.

* Visit the Whirling Kalapas' Facebook page for updated news. 

* Purchase Indus Creed music at iTunes

ALYSSA and SHANE MENDONSA Interview: Music's Contemporary Young Wave

Bombay is India's foremost landmark in terms of Hindi cinema and music, both mainstream and independent. Today's post focuses on two musicians who have been crisply and ingeniously contributing to enriching the Indian music scene. Shane and Alyssa Mendonsa have become a leading pair in the new young wave that swings Indian urban music from Bollywood pop to electronic music. Spanning a series of youthful genres, brother and sister have been making their mark, whether it be by opening a DJ school, creating background scores for internationally acclaimed films or remixing Bollywood hits and contributing fresh vocals or sounds to these mainstream favorites.

READ MORE>>

ALLAH KE BANDAY from Childhood to Manhood - Interview with FARUK KABIR

‘Allah ke Banday’ has been generating buzz and expectation for several weeks by unraveling a powerful soundtrack, unique promotional visuals, a deep subject and a golden cast including actors Naseeruddin Shah, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni and Rukhsar Nirmala ('Nishabd', 'Sarkar'). The film is Faruk Kabir’s first venture both in terms of acting and directing, and if this was not enough, Faruk is also behind the screenplay, which focuses on a subject dear to him: the flame that creates incredible potential within each child.

'Allah Ke Banday' is the story of two boys, Vijay and Yakub, who are born into one of the world's largest slums. With an early start in the world of crime, they are sent to a Juvenile Prison, where they encounter its dreaded warden (Naseeruddin Shah) in a world that is more chaotic than the one they left behind.

The Hindi Cinema Blog was very lucky to speak to multitalented young artist Faruk Kabir, who shared his mature take on filmmaking in this exclusive interview. READ MORE >

ATUL KULKARNI and NATARANG Rule the Roost - Interview & Film Review

Better late than never, the Hindi Cinema Blog has finally managed to watch the unmissable and highly acclaimed 'Natarang', Ravi Jadhav's filmic anthem to a man's passion for art and to standing for what one believes in, based on a novel by Dr. Anand Yadav. A story that has the capability of stirring audiences throughout the world, this is unquestionably one of the best Indian films we have come across this 2010! (see the trailer and official 'Natarang' website)

READ MORE >

 

Exclusive Interview with PURAB KOHLI ('I Am Afia')

The I-View Film Festival in Manhattan has selected critically acclaimed director Onir's newest cinematic opus, 'I Am' for its opening night. The film boasts a vast cast featuring some of  Indian cinema's greatest names and consists of four short films based on real life stories, one of which is the touching tale of Afia, a young woman who wishes to experience motherhood using a sperm donor to give birth to the perfect child.

Purab Kohli, a dedicated actor who has been widely appreciated by audiences in India and abroad for his work in a sound variety of thoughtful and mainstream roles ('My Brother Nikhil', 'Rock On') that reflect his rich sensitivity, tells us more about 'I AM AFIA', in which he stars alongside Nandita Das. Click here to see the film's trailer. 

READ MORE >

IMRAN KHAN chats about cinema

Need a whiff of fresh air? A youthful evening with a dash of romance at the movies? Have you seen 'I Hate Luv Storys'? Not yet?! What are you waiting for?!

Meanwhile see what lead actor Imran Khan had to say to Diana from the Cinema Hindi Italian blog who turned up for a live chat organized by Bollywood Hungama:

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ATUL KULKARNI Exclusive Interview - 'VALU' Touches a Universal Chord

India has featured as the special guest of the 2010 La Rochelle International Film Festival in France. Its programme particularly focused this year on the work of Maharastrian director Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni, who screened his films to a full theatre. His film 'Valu' ('The Wild Bull') delights the viewer with memorable landscapes, touching moments and incessant wit and humour.

The 'Valu' is a misunderstood bull that roams the vicinity of the remote village of Kusavde, much to the villagers' fear and disarray. Politics, relationships and the general atmosphere in the village take a turn when a forest officer (Atul Kulkarni) is sent to capture the roaming bull. He is  accompanied by a budding film maker who wishes to film a documentary about the misfortunes linked to the animal's supposed mischief.

READ MORE >

ANUPAM KHER - Q&A on ‘Apartment’ and more

The Italian Cinema Hindi team was able to interact with Anupam Kher, one of India's most prolific and successful actors, who recently participated in a chat organized by Bollywood Hungama for the promotion of 'Apartment'.

Interview  by: Diana

CH- What made you fond of Tanha, the character you interpret in 'Apartment'?

AK - Tanha is a struggling lyricist who reminded of my struggling days.

CH- How did you feel acting as the Principal again in 'Koochie Koochie Hota Hai'?
AK- It was enjoyable.

CH- Please update us on your upcoming projects.
AK- My next releases will be 'Badmaash Company', 'Hawaai Dada', 'Mr Bhatti on Chutti'.

CH- After so many successful films, what would you say motivates you to choose a certain role?
AK- The hunger in me as an actor and as a person to explore various possibilities of human emotions.

CH- 'A Wednesday!' was recently screened in Rome, Italy and was a huge success. How about making more Indian films in Italy?
AK- I would love to shoot in your lovely country.

CH- 'Apartment' is a thriller, however what type of films do you personally enjoy watching?
AK- I mainly enjoy watching human drama.

The complete interaction between Anupam Kher and his fans shall be published by Bollywood Hungama in the near future.

Q&A with BOMAN IRANI and ARSHAD WARSI

As the release of 'Hum Tum Aur Ghost' approaches, the talented actors who star in the much awaited film, Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani (who shall also appear in Shyam Benegal's upcoming 'Well Done Abba'),  have agreed to participate in Bollywood Hungama's chat sessions to talk about their new releases. Our sister blog, the Italian Cinema Hindi team, were glad to interact with them on that occasion.

CH - Arshad, would you say 'Hum Tum Aur Ghost' is typically a Bollywood film? What would you say you like the most about the character you are playing in the film?

Arshad Warsi: Not at all. Thats why I’m worried... (The character) is a normal guy in an absolutely bizarre situation.

CH - What type of message do your next releases 'Hum Tum Aur Ghost' and 'Well Done Abba' wish to convey?
Arshad Warsi: ('Hum Tum Aur Ghost')  Helping somebody selflessly and the power of true love.

Boman Irani: For 'Well Done Abba', it is that even the simplest of people can beat the system.

CH - Boman, which two words would sum up 'Well Done Abba'?
Boman Irani: Shyam/Benegal.



CH - I’m an Italian football supporter, Arshad, you were in the cast of 'Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal' (*), are you a football team supporter? Who is a better football player, you or John Abraham?

Arshad Warsi: Definitely me…

CH - Boman, I really liked watching '99', the movie is great and your performance is outstanding. After having played so many different roles, what motivates you to choose one film rather than another?

Boman Irani: Every film should be a learning experience. And variety is the spice of life.

CH - Arshad, which is according to you the best film of 2009?

Arshad Warsi: 3 Idiots.

CH - Boman, which are the films in which we will be seeing you next?

Boman Irani: 'Housefull', 'Dostana 2', 'Crooked' and 'Don 2'.

CH - Arshad, would you like to comment on 'Munnabhai Chale Amerika'(**)? 

Arshad Warsi: Probably we shall start next year.

(*) 'Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal' is a 2007 film about a soccer team from Southall (London) that is composed entirely of South Asian players and how the team climbs the professional football ladder.



(**) 'Munnabhai Chale Amerika' is the eagerly awaited third chapter of the Munnabhai series (which already counts 'Munnabhai M.B.B.S.' and 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' as its first two chapters), produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, directed by Rajkumar Hirani and interpreted by Arshad Warsi and Sanjay Dutt.

AAMIR KHAN Video Interview

Bollywood Hungama has released a new exclusive interview with Aamir Khan on the eve of his 45th birthday. He talks about film making, box office success, 'Peepli Live', copyright and his judicious decision to step aside as an actor for a certain period of time and concentrate on his personal life. The video of the interview is presented in two parts.

The Hindi Cinema Blog team sends its deepest wishes of peace, fulfilment and happiness to Mr. Aamir Khan on his birthday.

We strive to keep this blog's content as exclusive and genuine as possible. However, the quality of this interview  has motivated us to share it here. The content is exclusively Bollywood Hungama's and the interview  is the work of Mr. Faridoon Shahryar.

KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK: The man behind the thriller

'Karthik Calling Karthik', a slow romantic-thriller starring Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone and a futuristic soundtrack by Shankar Ehsaan Loy, is Vijay Lalwani's maiden feature film.  Prior to his directorial debut, for which he took up the roles of story/screenplay writer, director and producer, Lalwani worked in the advertisement industry and received numerous awards for his work, including a Cannes Lion award in 2004. He has graciously accepted to answer some of HCB's questions during one of Bollywood Hungama's live chat sessions.

HCB: How did the character of Karthik come to mind?

VL: Karthik was my main character from the start. I needed a troubled soul for the film, so I created him. The script required him to be weak... disturbed... etc. I fleshed (his character) when the story was still being crafted.

HCB: What comes easier to you: writing or directing?

VL: Writing comes easily. It requires only me. Directing requires coordinating with many many more, hence I am still learning...

HCB: Did you receive any advice from any of your film industry seniors during the writing or directing phases, if so from who?

VL: I actually received no advice because I did not have the fortune of meeting as many people as I would have liked then. However, Rensil D'Silva, a good friend of mine, did encourage and support me a lot. In fact he suggested I directed KCK.

HCB: Vijay, it has been a pleasure to be able to interact with you.

Visit the Karthik Calling Karthik official website

For more on Vijay Lalwani, check out Verve Online's exclusive interview with the director.

Buy the 'Karthik Calling Karthik' soundtrack on Itunes.

DEEPIKA PADUKONE: Live Chat

Diana, from the CineHindi blog team from Italy recently had a live chat with Deepika Padukone. Here is what the beauty had to say:

CH: Deepika, you rocked in Love Aaj Kal, what about your next project?

DP: After Karthik Calling Karthik', I have 'Housefull' relasing on 30th April.

CH: I am from Italy. How did you like my country when you came here to film for 'Bachna Ae Haseeno'?

DP: I was there in July-August for 'Housefull' and Puglia is my favorite place.

CH: What do you like about your character in 'Karthik Calling Karthik'?

DP: It is very different from all the other characters that I have played till date.

SWANAND KIRKIRE SAYS ‘AAL IZZ WELL’!!

A man of many arts, Swanand Kirkire is lyricist, writer, singer and actor. He is behind the freshly delightful song lyrics of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's upcoming release, 3 IDIOTS, starring Aamir Khan, Madhavan and Sharman Joshi. He graciously agreed to tell us more about the songs that are currently winning hearts among film and music buffs across India.

AC: Random question, so what is playing in your Ipod right now?

SK: I am not listening to the 3 Idiots soundtrack obviously because when I was listening to it nobody else was listening to it (laughs). Now the world is listening to it and I am listening to something else like lots of Indian classical music… I am also learning to listen to a lot of Western classical music. Apart from that, my all time favorites are R.D. Burman, Gulzar sahab songs, and that kind of music is well, like… my food!

AC: You have repeatedly worked with Shantanu Moitra and Rajkumar Hirani. Please tell us a bit about what makes you feel comfortable working with them and how you came to be a team.

SK: The association with Shantanu and Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) is old now, with Vinu Vinod Chopra too, for that matter. We really go a long way. I've done four films with them. This is my second film with Raju and my fourth with Vinod Chopra. If you see our filmography, it is me and Shantanu. Lage Raho Munna Bhai we did it with Raju.

We are mostly friends, we're likeminded, we like each other's space… and unlike all the Bollywood "whatever happens" (philosophy) we were involved in this film right from the script level. When (Raju) was writing the script, we were making songs, we were trying to find the sound of the film. So that is how 'Give Me Some Sunshine' came much before he started writing the script. Raju wanted something exclusively for that film and if you listen, all the songs are very musically and lyrically simple. We did not try to make them complicated at all, we wanted to keep them very college like, easy for any college student, just as they play guitar at college and come up with some tunes.

AC: What would you say each of the singers apart from yourself have brought to the 3 Idiots soundtrack?

SK: All are wonderful singers! They brought a lot of things to the soundtrack. See the song 'Jaane Nahin Denge', no one else but Sonu can sing it, no one else. It is a very high and low song, the amount of passion reaches that high and then comes really down also at the same time. Shreya is also an awesome and fantastic singer. Shaan… well I mean their contribution is amazing and takes everything beyond. For a lyricist like me, the biggest moment is to hear (them sing), because we write a song on pen and paper, the music composer sings it with you and a guitar, then it goes to a recording… but the final moment when the singer is singing… that's a magic moment because the singer is transforming (the song) into something else, into a piece of art that becomes complete at that point of time. Sonu and all, they really made me cry.

AC: How would you say the experience of making this soundtrack is fundamentally different from your past soundtracks?

SK: It is very different. If you listen to 'Parineeta' the words are a little more lyrical and Lage Raho Munna Bhai was more Bombay tapori. In 'Khoya Khoya Chand' I was doing much more Urdu poetry because (the movie) was about the 50s or 60s Hindi film industry. That is something that I am trying to achieve in my life: you should change your clothes according to the film or the script. '3 Idiots' songs are very casual and are straight from the heart. There is no ornamentation or poetic smartness. In them if you have to say something you say it, it does not matter if you say it in English, Marathi or whatever. The songs get the point straight with as minimum possible and there is no concern about the language. There is not much decorative poetry but there are philosophy lines in it. 'Aal izz well' is a philosophy.

AC: How did you come up with the 'Aal Izz Well' theme for the title song? Was its fun spelling already a part of the script?

SK: 'Aal izz well' was in the script. It is a big idea of the film itself. Aamir (Khan) says it to everybody, whenever you are going through a bad time… Basically, Raju as a child used to live in a smaller town and there used to be this colonial watchman who used to say 'Aaaaal izzzz well!' in the night. So what used to happen is kids would think 'if all is well, let's go to sleep', and everything was well, you know (laughs). So that is the theory of the film. Whenever you are in a bad time, just tell your heart that 'aal izz well'. It is written as the colloquial pronunciation (proceeds to tutor the foreign interviewer into how to pronounce it properly). Aal izz well!

AC: We know Sharman Joshi's voice is used in 'Give me some Sunshine'. Did the director, producer and/or actors contribute to the soundtrack? How?

SK: The best part about working with Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and everybody is that it is a team effort. We decide on the songs and lyrics. There were contributions from here and there all the time. In 'Give me some sunshine', Shantanu almost wrote all the English part.

AC: Tell us a bit about Sonu's interpretation of your lyrics in "Jaane Nahin Denge".

SK: He is really amazing and he did a great a job. He understood the particular situation in the film and he heard it once and said 'I need some time to prepare'. He took his own time, about half an hour or 45 minutes, locked himself in a dark studio room and asked all of us to go out and then he came in and he sang. Sonu is always like that, he is technically the best singer we've ever had.

AC: Was there any personal experience that inspired you to write 'Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh'?

SK: It came very naturally when they told me the situation (in the film). There are people in your life who live life really beautifully and happily. They do not compromise at any level and just do whatever their heart says is right. They don't follow stupid norms. So I had some people like those in my mind and actually it came very easily to me because I was comparing myself with them. Because of them I became another idiot (laughs).

AC: Are there any new soundtracks in the pipeline?

SK: The 'Paa' soundtrack has released. That was another kind of experience, different songs completely. It is on the market and on the Internet and the film is releasing on the 3^rd of December. There are also two or three other films but it is early to talk about them now.

Interview by Aline Cinehindi in collaboration with JoannaCh

3 IDIOTS releases on 25 December 2009

For more lyrics by Swanand Kirkire, check out the following soundtracks:

Paa

Laaga Chunari Mein Daag

Eklavya: The Royal Guard

Khoya Khoya Chand

Lage Raho Munna Bhai

Jai Santoshi Maa

Sehar

Kal- Yesterday & Tomorrow

Parineeta

Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi

Brief interaction with AMITABH BACHCHAN

Last week, the Bollywood Hungama website marked the release of ALADIN by organizing a Live Chat with legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Diana, from the Cinema Hindi team, was able to interact very briefly with him to discuss his motivation as an actor as well as a future film project. Here is what Bollywood's most famous actor had to say:

CH: You are the greatest actor in the world today. After having played so many different roles, what motivates you to choose one film rather than another?

AB: A (role) should have lots of challenge.

CH: Can you give us any updates regarding the filming of SHANTARAM?

AB: Mira Nair gave me the script but has not progressed further. I believe the film has been shelved.

SHANTARAM would be the film adaptation of Gregory David Roberts acclaimed novel and would possibly star Amitabh Bachchan and Johnny Depp, who has also bought the rights to it.

The entire live chat shall be available at the Bollywood Hungama website shortly.

A Brief Interaction with ASHUTOSH GOWARIKER

Today, the Bollywood Hungama site organized a chat with "What's Your Rashee?" director Ashutosh Gowariker, also known for blockbuster "Lagaan" and for "Jodhaa Akbar". The Cinema Hindi and English Box teams were able to get some questions across to him and this is what one of the most notorious Indian directors in the industry had to say.

C. H.: Hello Sir, how would you describe what it was like working with Sohail Sen on the 'What's Your Rashee' soundtrack (and singing on it)?

A. G.: It was wonderful to work with Sohail. His knowledge of the various forms of music including, folk music, Indian classical, Western classical and also world music was very helpful in creating the rich soundtrack of the movie. Also, he created tunes which did complete justice to each of the raashees! I hope you liked the songs...

C. H.: Priyanka Chopra is the first actor possibly in world cinema to play 12 different characters in a single movie. That is quite a challenge. What made you cast Priyanka?

A. G.: Quite simply becasue she is a fab actress. I have seen her right from her first film HERO and then in AITRAAZ where she plays a negative character. I believed that she will be able to bring nuances to each raashee girl, which she very beautifully did. I love her performance. Hope you agree with me!

C. H.: Up to "What's Your Rashee?", your movies had dealt with important subjects such as the struggle forsurvival (Lagaan), caste discrimination (Swades), religious tolerance(cohabitation) (Jodhaa Akbar). What persuaded you to direct a romantic comedy?

A. G.: I wanted to make a light hearted film. And i chose the genre of the romantic comedy because i have not made one before. Also, through the beautiful concept and story of Madhu Rye, I also wanted to touch upon the different raashees.

Read the complete chat on the Bollywood Hungama site soon.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ANURAG KASHYAP

Anurag Kashyap, Indian film director ("Black Friday", "No Smoking", "Dev D", "Gulaal"), script writer ("Satya", "Water") and producer ("Aamir") of highly acclaimed films, opens the doors to his universe in this exclusive interview. He provides a rare insight into the elements that make the life of a film maker, whether these are satisfaction, bitterness or success. Read on as he gives Cinema Hindi his insightful opinion on Indian and Italian cinema within the framework of his upcoming participation as member of the jury at the Venice Film Festival. Cinema Hindi is honoured to offer its readers a close-up on one of India's most notorious modern film personalities.

Part 1: Anurag Kashyap on his work

C.H. - The script for the Hindi masterpiece “Satya” was co-written by you. What are your feelings for that film today?
A.K. - I still feel that was the best work WE did. It wasn't my film alone. I always say “Satya” was my film school. There was a lot of searching in that movie, which I believe we gradually lost.

C.H. - You directed “Black Friday” and produced the film “Aamir”. Both films are on the subject of terrorism. Do you believe cinema may awaken the public opinion - particularly in India - to this issue?
A.K. - I don't know whether it awakens the people or not. It does affect some. I hope we can affect the public conscience, sadly nothing does. People are selfish, in the sense that they are all trying to survive, they always treat such things as it does not happen to us. The job of cinema sometimes, when it is socially and politically conscious is to just hold the mirror and show us what's happening around us. We can't do more than that. Except “Black Friday” and “Aamir” all the films I have made have largely been personal.

C.H. – “No Smoking” is probably the most experimental Hindi movie ever made. Something in it seems reminiscent of Fellini's way of depicting grotesque situations or characters. What experience did “No Smoking” represent for you as an unconventional film-maker?
A.K. - I enjoyed making "No Smoking". It premiered at the Rome film Festival in 2007. It was my most personal film, I cherish it more than most. More than all my films. It was my story in the sense it was about my battle with authorities with the morality and the censors. Indians could not read into it and that was disappointing. Over a period of time it has found its place in film schools and with film buffs but main stream industry still has not accepted it. I enjoyed making it but sadly what it did was that its failure at the box office led to a lot of film makers not being allowed to do their own thing. Any original voice was curbed owing to No Smoking's failure.

C.H. - What made you cast John Abraham as the lead actor? Is it true that you asked superstar Shah Rukh Khan to play the main role before deciding to cast John Abraham?
A.K. - John was the only choice who wanted to do it and understood the film. Shah Rukh Khan showed interest but wasn't sure it was worth it.

C.H. - The soundtrack of “No Smoking” is definitely one of the very best the audience has heard in recent times. Tell us a bit about the experience of working with composer Vishal Bhardwaj. Did the fact that he is also a film director facilitate your collaboration?
A.K. - Vishal was not just the composer of the film, he was also one of the producers. He made the film possible. Vishal was also the composer of “Satya” and my first film as the director, “Paanch”. My relationship with him has always been that of a master and the irritant disciple. Me being the latter. I try to push him and he pretends being irritated but loves being pushed. He has shown more faith in me than most. It is always very satisfying to work with him because he always brings out a new sound to his music for my films.

C.H. - "Dev D" is an enchanting film with an extraordinarily fresh script. We are aware that it was based on a concept put forward by Abhay Deol. What motivated you to work on that particular project?
A.K. - My identification with the subject inspired me. I was going through my own separation and divorce at the time and I was depressed and was drinking, abusing substance at the time I wrote it, and I also found love in the actress who played Chanda (Kalki) during the filming. All my various contradictory emotions flowed into the film.

C.H. - The development of the different characters in "Dev D" reflects intense dedication. Weren't you afraid of being too daring?

A.K. - It all just happened naturally. I didn't know I was meant to fear anything. May be my naiveté, may be the innocence. I just did what I felt and was feeling. It just came through.

C.H. - Many of us have not yet seen “Gulaal”. Would you please introduce the film to us?
A.K. - I wrote “Gulaal” when I was at my angriest in 2001. When all my films were banned and "Water" was shelved and I had this huge issue with the way our government dealt with freedom of expression and the political state of the country. I went away from Bombay, to Rajasthan and on my walkman was only one CD, of “Pyaasa”. It kept playing in the loop. “Gulaal” emerged out of that. It is a take on what India has come to vis-à-vis how a free India was imagined by the poets, of the pre independence.

Part 2: Anurag Kashyap on Italy

C.H. - You have expressed your interest for Italian Cinema in the past. Please tell us which aspects have touched you the most.
A.K. - De Sica. Vittorio De Sica made me a film maker. It was a retrospective of his films in 1993 that inspired me to be a filmmaker. I was 20 then, by 23 I wrote my first film "Satya". What touched me the most was the realism of it all then. How Italians were so similar to us in the way they deal with life and family et al. Later I discovered Fellini, and that was ecstasy. That showed me that there are no boundaries to imagination and no curb on what you want to say. It doesn't matter if what I say is embarrassing, juvenile, unintelligent or incoherent as long as it is my voice and it comes across. Then slowly I discovered Antonioni, Rossellini, Rosi and lot more. The discovery continues with “Il Divo”, “Gommorrah” , "The Best of Youth" et al.

C.H. - What is your opinion on contemporary Italian Cinema?
A.K. - I love Sorrentino. I love his films. He is the best and most powerful new Italian voice. I also loved Michel Placido's “Romanzo Criminale” I saw it at Tribeca. His daughter acted in the film that was written by the director of “Aamir”(*). “Best of Youth”, “The Past is a Foreign Land”, “My Brother is the Only Child”, “Days and Clouds” are some of the recent films I liked very much. I even enjoy the “Giallo” (**) from the 60's 70's.

(*) "Barah Aana", featuring Violante Placido. (note by Cinema Hindi)

(**) Detective stories. (note by Cinema Hindi)

C.H. - What would you say Italian and Hindi Cinema have in common?
A.K. - Family bonds. And the way the women are in the films.

C.H. - Your film "No Smoking" was screened at the Rome Film Festival two years ago, generating rave reviews. What are your memories of that experience?
A.K. - I loved every bit of it. My memories of Rome of "No Smoking" are the only good memories of that film. My daughter was with me during that time and I loved showing her around. It was a memorable week and the great audience reception that I will never forget.

C.H. - You have been called upon to be a member of the jury at the next Venice Film Festival. Two of your films – “Dev D” and “Gulaal” - will also be screened off-competition. How are you feeling about the opportunity to participate so actively in the festival?
A.K. - I am as excited as a child, and sometimes I find myself trying to curb my enthusiasm. Biggest fear is that everyone will find out that deep down I am a child, who is more a film buff than a filmmaker. "Dev D" is an indirect tribute to Fatih Akin, whose film is in the festival, which I will get to see before anyone in the world. Jacques Rivette, Tornatore so many filmmakers who have at various points in my life inspired me are going to be there with their new films. I will be like a kid in the candy shop. I am happy and proud.

C.H. - Please, give us your opinion on why the Italian audience should watch Hindi movies. Are there any particular films you would suggest to the Italian audience as a maiden Hindi film experience?
A.K. - Italian audience should watch Indian films because they will relate to them. They should discover Bimal Roy and Guru Dutt.

C.H. - Do you believe there is a possibility of developing a serious partnership between India and Italy in terms of film making? Have you ever given thought to shooting in Italy or with a partially Italian cast or film crew?
A.K. - Absolutely and I believe it is happening. Sonali Kulkarni has acted in Italian films. An Italian filmmaker is currently making a film in India based on an Indian short story and our Grand Master Mani Kaul is planning a film on Rossellini. There should and will be more collaborations.

Part 3: Anurag Kashyap on Indian Cinema

C.H. - Hindi Cinema seems to be undergoing an in-depth evolution. It treasures some of its traditional elements while it also takes inspiration from Western Cinema, but above all it is experimenting new paths. In your opinion:

a) When did this change start taking place?
A.K. - Somewhere it started with “Bandit Queen”(*). But it was slow. In last three years it has become a wave with a lot of new filmmakers, who are essentially outsiders to this family business, and have started making films.
(*) Film directed by Shekhar Kapur in 1994. (note by Aline Khan)

b) What direction will it take?
A.K. - That depends on how much courage we have to take the risks we should be taking. It seems to be heading towards an era of reinvention and introspection and a lot of new voices are emerging out of that, but we still lack the production and distribution backup to this new cinema from India.

c) Which film traditions will Hindi Cinema leave behind and what new elements will become a solid part of it?
A.K. - Hopefully we will surpass stardom. You will get to see more of India and Indian struggles and way of life and politics in the new Indian cinema. Hopefully even the escapist cinema that we make will also have a relevance. We definitely won't leave behind our traditional song and dance and celebrations, but all else will be more meaningful and relevant. It is starting to get less fantastical and more real. And hopefully I will get to do what I want to do.

d) Which are the films and the film-makers (apart from you) involved in this change?
A.K. - There is Vishal Bharadwaj, Aamir Khan, Raju (Rajkumar) Hirani, Rakeysh Mehra, Dibakar Bannerji, Nishikant Kamat, Navdeep Singh, Shimit Amin, Shriram Raghavan and many more.

C.H. - Do you think it is possible that Hindi Cinema will be taking the world by storm in the future, marking a New Era in which Indian Cinema dominates, therefore replacing Hollywood?
A.K. - Yes I have always had that belief based on the fact that while the world has exhausted their subjects and stories to tell. We are yet to explore ourselves.

C.H. - Please, tell us something about your work with the great director Ram Gopal Varma.
A.K. - I wrote three films for him, “Satya”, “Kaun” and “Shool”. He was the man who inspired the whole generation of us who are making films today. I learnt what I had to while working on “Satya”.

C.H. - Two very talented actors, Kay Kay Menon and Abhay Deol, have starred in your films. Please, tell us about your experience working with them.
A.K. - These are the two Star actors I have worked with. While Kay Kay chooses the most challenging roles, Abhay chooses the most challenging films. There are many more great non star actors I have regularly worked with like Aditya Srivastava, Vijay Maurya, Deepak Dobriyal, Mahie Gill (who you will see in both “Dev D” and “Gulaal”) and Kalki Koechlin.

C.H. – “Delhi-6”, directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, will be the third Hindi film screened at the Festival. What is your opinion on Mehra's work? Some of your followers have found similarities between elements of “Aks” and “No Smoking”. Would you say that “Aks” influenced you as a film maker?
A.K. - I wouldn't say “Aks” influenced me as a film maker, because at the beginning of it, even I was involved with it. But I have a very high opinion of Rakeysh Mehra both as a film maker and as a social, intellectual person. I have very high regards for his films and especially "Delhi-6", which is my favourite Rakeysh Mehra film.

C.H. - Aamir Khan is considered an unconventional actor in spite of being a huge Hindi film superstar. Would he be someone you would look forward to working with and why?
A.K. - I want to work with Aamir Khan and hopefully I will in “Bombay Velvet”. He is a courageous man who has truly changed the way our audience looks at our cinema, just by being part of such films and backing them all the way.

C.H. - Do you often watch “Indian non-Hindi” films? If so, which of these films and/or directors would you recommend?
A.K. - Yes I do when I know of them. I saw "Subrarmanyapuram", a great Tamil film recently and a lot of new Marathi cinema, that in recent times has seen a great resurgence.

C.H. - Do you believe that 'Indian non-Hindi' cinema is capable of generating the same impact on Western audiences than Hindi films have?
A.K. - Yes. Provided it gets the same platform. Sometimes I believe the regional cinema in India has more potency and courage than Hindi cinema.

Cinema Hindi wishes to convey our gratitude to Mr. Kashyap for his generosity in granting us this exclusive interview.

(A special thanks to Aline Khan for pushing the team forward to request the interview and for her assistance in English).

UPCOMING FILM RELEASES 2010

Title	Cast
Action Replay	Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai, Neha Dhupia, Ranbir Kapoor
Agyaat 2
All The Best 2	Bipasha Basu, Fardeen Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan
Allah Ke Bandey
Anjaana Anjaani	Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, Anupam Kher
Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge	Ajay Devgan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ritesh Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal
Be Positive - No Entry 2
Behanchod	Amitabh Bachchan, Imran Hashmi, Lara Dutta, Shahid Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor
Chance Pe Dance	Shahid Kapoor, Genelia D'Souza
Delhi To China	Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Raju Sriwastav, Shahid Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Isha Koppikar
Dhoom 3
Don 2 - The Chase Continues	Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Isha Koppikar, Saif Ali Khan, Om Puri
Dostana 2	Katrina Kaif, John Abraham, Abhishek Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade
Dulha Mil Gaya	Shah Rukh Khan (guest appearance), Sushmita Sen, Fardeen Khan, Ishita Sharma
Fatso
Golmaal 3	Kareena Kapoor, Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor
Hello! Hum Lallan Bol Rahe Hai	Rajpal Yadav, Preeti Mehra, Manoj Joshi, Ketaki Dave, Ravi Jhankal, Bomi Dotiwala, Makrand Anaspure
Hera Pheri 4	Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty
Hide N Seek	Purab Kohli
Housefull (  film)	Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Arjun Rampal, Ritesh Deshmuk, Jiah Khan
Idiot Box	Sushant Singh, Hrishita Bhatt, Jyoti Gauba, Milind Gunaji, Upasna Singh, Surendra Pal
Ishqiya	Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah
It's A Wonderful After Life
Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai
Kajraare	Emraan Hamshi
Karthik Calling Karthik	Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone
Kaun Bola?
Kites	Hrithik Roshan , Barbara Mori, Kangana Ranaut
Krrish 2	Deepika Padukone, Hrithik Roshan
London Main Kya Hua?	Paresh Rawal, John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Mugdha Godse, Upen Patel, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan
Milenge Milenge	Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor
Mr. India 2
Mumbai	Arjun Rampal, Shahid Kapoor, Esha Deol, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rani Mukherjee
Munnabhai Chale Amerika	Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi
My Name Is Khan	Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol
Paan Singh Tomar
Patiala House	Akshay Kumar, Anushka Sharma
Peter Gaya Kaam Se
Phillum City
Pyaar Impossible	Priyanka Chopra, Uday Chopra, Dino Morea
Raavan
Race 2	Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor, Sameera Reddy, Akshay Khanna
Rajneeti
Rann	Amitabh Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Sudeep, Paresh Rawal
Red Alert - The War Within
Right Yaa Wrong	Sunny Deol, Irrfan Khan, Isha Koppikar
Shaapit
Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene
Singh is King 2	Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif
Striker	Siddarth Narayan, Aditya Pancholi, Ankur Vikal, Anupam Kher, Seema Biswas
Teen Patti	Amitabh Bachchan, Ben Kingsley, R. Madhavan, Raima Sen, Shraddha Kapoor
Tees Mar Khan	Akshay Kumar, Akshaye Khanna
Toh Baat Pakki
Veer	Salman Khan
Wanted 2	Salman Khan