Vinay Pathak is a journalist's delight. Conversations run into long, interesting discussions and observations on everything from Hindi literature to the state of politics in the country. After Hrs… recently met the articulate actor at his Andheri residence and over cups of adrak wali chai and biscuits sprinkled with sugar, Pathak chatted with us about his role in the movie Island City, playing Manto in Ketan Mehta's next and his passion for his job.
How did Island City happen? What appealed to you about the script?
The movie happened by fluke. I met Ruchika Oberoi, the director and writer of the film at Film Bazaar at IFFI in Goa, and we got talking about this script that she had written for Screenwriter's Lab. I pestered her to let me read the script and when I did, I flipped! It was such a crisp, intricately-woven satire, yet, so simple and beautiful. I called her right away and told her I'm on. Then NFDC came on board and the project got underway. It's a fantastic script with a high entertainment quotient. The audience is going to experience all the navrasas when they watch this movie. It will open a pandora's box in their head.
The title obviously refers to Mumbai. Do you think there has been a Mumbai overdose in our movies?
All his life, Woody Allen did nothing but make movies on New York. The city has always been one of the strongest characters in his movies and most of them are classics. Overdose? Mumbai city? No way!
How do you choose a movie? Is your role important or the script?
The script has to work. There are so many scripts I have said no to where I'm the protagonist. For me, the story is the most important, followed by how it's written in the screenplay format and who's the director. When you speak to somebody, you gauge their sensibilities. Island City is Ruchika's first film, but what a brave director she is! Her core team is full of cinema enthusiasts and within a week, I realised these people mean business. It was such a joy to be a part of a pure, cinematic experience.
In Ketan Mehta's film Toba Tek Singh, you play the writer Sadat Hasan Manto's role. Tell us a bit about the movie.
I have been a Manto fan all my life and Ketan has done a brilliant job with the story. He has created Manto as a character, as the supervisor of the mental asylum who comes in contact with all the inmates. Pankaj Kapoor is in the main role and I also got the opportunity to work with some really talented actors. We shot in a village called Bassi Pathana, which is a few hours away from Chandigarh, while Toba Tek Singh is a village near Lahore.
There is a tendency to box people in categories and Hindi cinema has tried to put you in the 'playing-the-fool' box. But we have seen your serious side in movies such as Dasvidaniya and Gour Hari Dastaan. Is there a deliberate attempt to break out of the mould?
Nothing like that. The only deliberate move is to not repeat myself. People keep bringing me Bheja Fry kind of films. They want me to play the protagonist, shoot in one bungalow for 20 days in a limited budget and expect the film to be a success, just like Bheja Fry. But my question is, where is the story or the characterisation? I don't want to get bored of my job. I love my work with utmost respect, passion and stubbornness. Cinema is in my veins, in the way I look at people and the way I look at life. And if I claim to love it so much, I can't do work that sucks the joy out of it.
