I’m working towards being relevant 10 years from now: Sanjay Gupta

Sanjay Gupta’s Kaabil releases on January 25. The film, starring Hrithik Roshan and Yami Gautam, revolves around a blind couple with vengeance at the core. The filmmaker talks about what made him do something different from his usual dark and edgy films and working with the Roshans…

What made you choose a script where the leading man is blind?

When the writer told me the hero was blind, my heart sank a wee bit. I was like, ‘Abhi kya, yaar? Kuch bechara, lachaar ke baare mein story hoga…’ But as the story progressed, I realised its potential. That’s what attracted us to it — the story is not about becharapan or lachaari at all.

Please continue…

It is just the fact that they (Hrithik and Yami’s characters) live life with a lot more zest than you and me — because he has a handicap, he wants to make the most of every moment. We take so much for granted. This guy does not. It’s the journey of the guy. To what point can love drive us? There are two things that drive you — passion or vengeance in equal fervour. In Kaabil, the man is driven by both.

The film is different from your usual dark, edgy action movies…

Kaabil is probably my most good-looking, commercial, vibrant, colourful film till now. The last film I did like this was Aatish. After that, I don’t know what happened to me (laughs) and I made these dark films, but I give full credit to Rakeshji for bringing me back on track and teaching me the meaning of wholesome cinema, colours and wonderful, good-looking characters.

From a female-oriented Jazbaa to now, a blind-hero film, you’re moving away from the kind of films you were known for...

That’s reflective of my personal life. The years between 2004 and 2009 were dark years in my life. I was alone and indulged in excessive partying and drinking and that kind of got reflected in my cinema and then I got married again, settled down and had children, the world changed. Today, I have become supremely conscious of my work because I know that my kids are watching it, even if they are very small. I am thousand times more aware and conscious of my responsibilities as a father and the fact that I need to leave a legacy for my children. I am driven by the fact that I need to work very hard…

Why?

I started in 1986 with Jalwa, so I have been working since then. How many of my peers are around? But the point is that now my kids are four and five and when they are 14 and 15 and they understand the world better, I need to be relevant at that time. I don’t want them to say my father ‘used to’ be a filmmaker when they grow up. That is my driving force — I need to be relevant 10 years from now.

Who or what inspired this change?

A world of change has happened in my life in the year that I have spent with Rakeshji (Roshan), who is my hero. The lifestyle he leads, the films he makes, the respect he commands, the financial stability and the way he provides for his family — that, to me, is a hero and a space I want to be in. so I have already started working towards that. I am so grateful… The right people come into your life at the right time because they are your guiding light. I had a care-a-damn lifestyle. If I had cared half as much as I do today, I wouldn’t have to worry about my future, but I have always lived by the gun, so none of that.        

What have you have noticed personally about Hrithik?

For him, his world is the work that he’s doing, so when he’s on set, he is only focused on that. It took me 15 years to approach him. I think he is probably the most brilliant actor that we have and he has actually sat me down and tried to convince me that he’s not a brilliant actor. He says ‘I don’t act. My problem is that I feel. I have to feel and live the emotion, so it’s very taxing.’ But he does it. That’s why you have to understand that you can’t make him do 20 retakes. The minute he is giving a take, he is giving more than 100 per cent so you better not f*** up. Get the best from this man. Be ready to accept it.