Page 63 - English Tehelka Issue 12 - June 30, 2018

cinema

iopics are not a point of have fallen short. Their performances person’s life. Within this framework, his films tend to have a social message. er, but they didn’t do it without thought. performance in the film. When asked if
strength for Hindi cin - might be convincing but the milieu, Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju has raised Such films tend to be non-entertaining, Kapoor, an established star, auditioned ‘Sanju’ intends to explain Dutt’s side of
ema. Despite being part setting and narratives of the films hopes of breaking Hindi cinema’s me- or at least, not very popular. Hirani has for a portion as a test of whether he the story on terror, Chopra replied in
of world’s biggest film in- (Hey Ram, Sardar, Gandhi My Father) diocre run with the biopic genre. For in- successfully upturned this perception. would look as Sanjay Dutt. “When I the negative, while director-producer
B dustry, Indian films have have not done justice to the universal stance, unlike Mary Kom, a bonafide hit Film PK took on superstition with flair. first heard the script, I was blown by it. Hirani chose to duck the question.
found maintaining authenticity a chal- connection which the real Mahatma where Priyanka Chopra gave her best His Munna Bhai series, dependent on I didn’t know if I had it in me to do this Their response seems to indicate that
lenge. The biggest testimony to this Gandhi had left amongst the people but didn’t look one bit like the boxer the suspension of disbelief, made im- role, if I could become Sanjay Dutt….I am the film, given Sanjay Dutt’s complete
fact is Gandhi, Richard Attenborough’s across the world. A narrow view of the from Manipur, in Hirani’s Sanju, Ran- portant points about India’s medical a big fan. I had his poster up on my cup- involvement in the project, will have
1981classic. More than thirty years since, Mahatma’s life onscreen is a strong bir Kapoor resembles the controversial practices and the real estate mafia in board as a kid. Now, I have the daunting his version of events ruling the narra-
Indians still relate to Ben Kingsley as example that when it comes to biopics, movie star, Sanjay Dutt. In fact, Ranbir’s our cities. Perhaps his most resonant task of playing him and representing tive. The film’s trailer also hints where
Mahatma when the film plays on TV on Hindi cinema has failed to strike the look for the film varies, in sync with the message is the one from Three Idiots, him (onscreen). I respect him a lot and Dutt admits to being a drunkard, a drug
Independence Day. Seasoned veterans right note. various phases of Dutt’s life, giving the about the overwhelming obsession look up to him. I really want Sanju Sir to addict and promiscuous but states that
like Naseeruddin Shah, Annu Kapoor A big factor in biopics falling short film the feel of authenticity. with engineering degrees and high like my work in the film,” Ranbir said at he is not a terrorist.
and Darshan Jariwala have attempted of expectations is the lack of research Rajkumar Hirani, as a filmmaker scores in India today. All the four films a press meet. Sanjay Dutt’s life doesn’t hold sur-
to explore different facets of Gandhi’s and insight that goes in to creating an has delivered record-breaking block- are entertaining and hugely popular. Ranbir has faced a difficult phase prises for the public. His liaisons with
persona in different films; and yet era, a specific period in history or in a busters that tell a good story. Often, Always having co-written his films of his career prior to this film. Despite women outside of his marriage are
with Abhijat Joshi, an academician having worked with India’s most prom- a well-known fact. He used to have
turned writer, Hirani spends ample ising filmmakers — Anurag Kashyap, multiple girlfriends and women. Dutt
Film Sanju might rescript the ing, exploring and debating over their issues with interviews when he re-
amounts of time researching, read-
had also addressed his drug addiction
Imtiaz Ali and others, his films flopped.
covered from a rehab in the USA; way
scripts. They confess to taking walks
biopic genre for Hindi cinema around their homes for an entire day Casting Ranbir back in the eighties. As Khalnayak and
other grey roles, he owned his aggres-
to crack just one scene at times. Given
Kapoor was a
sive, party hearty and bad boy persona
his method towards writing a film, his
onscreen too. It is known that he shares
approach towards making Sanju, an
idea that Dutt himself proposed to natural choice for a distant relationship with daughter
the filmmaker has been a research- both the filmmaker Trishala from his first marriage. So
It is ironic that Bollywood has miserably failed to bring that charm onscreen when it oriented. “When he first began speak- and writer, but there are no surprises here.
But his reasons for keeping an AK 47
comes to making biopics, even with great actors. Now, for a biopic like Sanju to set a benchmark ing, Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) really opened they didn’t do it with him, and keeping the company of
up to me. We spent a day talking about
in the genre in Hindi cinema, it needs to go beyond authenticity, melodrama and how one spends time inside a jail, how the underworld have always remained
does one go through a day, “Hirani said. without thought vague. Popular media has captured
entertaining script, writes archita kashyap
“On the second day, he spoke to me at Dutt’s prison terms and his return to
length again, about a similar episode his home regularly. What actually hap-
of his life. That is when I called up Ab- He found a lifeline with Karan Johar’s pened and why he did, what he did, was
hijat to join me for these conversations. Ae Dil Hain Mushkil, but his perfor- never very clear. Sanju, the film, will
For 25 days, Abhijat and I would go and mance in this one wasn’t amongst his possibly hinge on this detail.
just listen to him. Having spoken to strongest. Given the fact that Sanju is a With an all-star cast of Manisha
him for all these days, I realised that significant film that will again prove his Koirala as Nargis Dutt, Paresh Raw-
my life is just a dwarf compared to his. stand as performer par excellence, Ran- al as Sunil Dutt, Dia Mirza as wife
He has experienced so much and gone bir seems both nervous and confident Maanyata, Anushka Sharma as a
through so much.” about this role. He has spent two years biographer, Vicky Kaushal as a close
Hirani’s research material for the playing Dutt over a lifetime, adding friend, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja as his first
film began with the first hand conver- muscular bulk in one portion and los- wife, Sanju holds a big draw for the
sations with Dutt. Abhijat and he went ing tons of weight in another to resem- audience. Will the film hold up to an
on to read old magazines, news reports ble the star. Kapoor reiterates that the objective fact check? One hopes so.
to get their facts right, and set about film is a lesson of sorts, for all to learn For this biopic to set a benchmark
writing the story. Both admitted that from the mistakes that Dutt has made in the genre in Hindi cinema, Sanju
while writing this film, the biggest chal- through a lifetime, a strong hint that will need to go beyond authentic -
lenge was of omitting facts; what would the film might finally reveal what made ity, drama and an entertaining story. It
one keep and what would one leave out a leading superstar choose to mix with will need to reflect the reality of a
in an eventful, dramatic life of a promi- the dreaded underworld and mafia. controversial but much-loved celebrity
nent celebrity. Vidhu Vinod Chopra, co-producer of our generation.
Casting Ranbir Kapoor was a natural of Sanju, has spoken time and again
choice for both the filmmaker and writ- about the brilliance of Ranbir Kapoor’s letters@tehelka.com

tehelka / 30 june 2018 63 www.tehelka.com

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