‘I want critics also to love my films’: Anees Bazmee

An ensemble cast of big stars, lavish budgets and masala laced with comedy — Anees Bazmee’s movies tick all the boxes. The writer-director of films like No Entry (2005), Welcome (2007), Singh Is Kinng (2008) and Welcome Back (2015) has had a smashing success with multi-starrers. Yes, there have been a few like No Problem and Thank You, which have come a cropper, but his success ratio outweighs the failures. 

After his last directorial Mubarakan (2017), the filmmaker is set to helm his next, Pagalpanti, toplined by John Abraham, Anil Kapoor and Ileana D’Cruz along with Pulkit Samrat, Kriti Kharbanda and Arshad Warsi. Here, the director tells us about his upcoming film, his penchant for multi-starrers and why he is serious about comedy.

What is Pagalpanti about?

Pagalpanti is full of madness. It’s a hard-core commercial film with songs, dialogue, and zabardast family comedy. There will be no vulgarity because that has never been a part of my films. It will be shot in London non-stop for 50 days minimum. It is about John’s journey and the other people involved in it. He will be seen in a different role as he is doing an out-and-out comedy. There’s Anil with whom I share good tuning. We have worked together in so many films — No Entry (2005), Welcome (2007), Welcome Back (2015), to name a few. I have also scripted his Deewana Mastana (1997), Laadla (1994), etc. This must be our 11th or 12th collaboration. Honestly, we have stopped counting!

Is the film releasing this year?

I think so, because by April-May, InshaAllah, we will be able to finish the film, after which the producers will decide on the release date. They did want to announce it in advance, but as a maker, it puts the burden on you because you have to finish it by then. That’s when the chalega attitude creeps in especially, if the work is not done according to your satisfaction. I didn’t want that. I told them to not worry about the date. In the earlier days, when we made films, we used to see it and if there was something which we felt was not up to the mark, we would re-shoot it. Though I have never done that, one should have the liberty of improving it and if that takes a couple of months one should get that breathing space.  

Most of your films are multi-starrers, is that deliberate?

It’s not that I want to make only multi-starrers. Every time I finish a film, I feel I should make a movie with one hero and heroine. Having said that, multi-starrers are not easy to make, which is why you don’t see everybody making them. You can say that multi cast films are my forte. I have a good tuning with all my actors, aur main aram se multi-starrer bana leta hoon. Uska maza kuch aur hai. Moreover, the seven-eight actors that I have in my film have important roles, whether it was Welcome, Welcome Back, No Entry or now Pagalpanti. It’s not that I set out to make them, it just happens. The story of Pagalpanti is such that it needs many actors, that’s all.   

People have come to expect a certain kind of comedy from you. Does that put pressure on you?

Whenever your films do well, and you have made a name for yourself, people have expectations from you. That does put pressure on you, but it’s good because it means logon ko aapse ummeed hai. I don’t feel the pressure because if you have seen my work, I make one film in a period of two years. When I am working on it, my entire concentration is on it, there are no distractions. I use my experience of over 50 films  — have written several movies and directed about 10-12 — and the knowledge that I have. 

John Abraham withe Anees Bazmee

Many of your films have done well at the box-office but they haven’t won critical acclaim. What do you have to say about it?

Honestly, main chahta hoon that critics also love my films, but I can’t make films only for those 20-25 people. It’s sad that critics kind of look down upon comedy, which is such a difficult genre. But these movies are big hits. When I meet people they tell me they haven’t seen a better comedy than No Entry, which released over a decade ago, and that they watch it even today. So, I feel films like these will become cult movies in the future. I am sure even the critics enjoy it when they watch it! Still, I hope I make a film that is liked by the audiences and the critics.  

What kind of comedy do you like?

I like situational comedies. I always tell my actors that they should not act in a funny way or do comedy, that will happen on its own. If you have seen my films, I don’t go over the board, where people are climbing and falling to create laughter, there is no slapstick comedy. I don’t believe in that. The situation is comical. For instance in the climax of No Entry, three people are hanging from a cliff and are about to die, in the Welcome climax, the entire house with all the characters in it is on the verge of falling off — these are serious things, there is no buffoonery — but the situation leads to comedy.

There are reports about you directing a college love story with Kartik Aaryan?

Chal raha hai. I want to make films in different genres, not just comedy. I have in the past made a romantic film like Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998) and a suspense thriller like Deewangee (2002). I am comfortable writing all the genres, but I don’t need to prove anything to anybody.  I do a film which I enjoy at that point.

David Dhawan has been remaking his old films like Judwaa and now Coolie No 1. Have you thought about revisiting any of your earlier movies?

I have some 15 original stories in mind and I still feel like a newcomer. There is a lot of excitement now with Pagalpanti. I am not just a director, but also a writer. If start remaking my old movies, what do I do with the new ideas that I have?

What is happening to the sequel of No Entry and Aankhen?

You will have to check with Boney Kapoor (producer) about the No Entry sequel. But Aankhen part 2 is happening. It has a big star cast, and I will start the film this year once I am done with Pagalpanti.