JAB KAJOL, IMTIAZ, STOLE THE SHOW

From talking about the need to snub body shamers to tips for budding directors and how the struggle is equally tough for Bollywood star kids, Rockstar director Imtiaz Ali and actor Kajol mesmerised the audience with their charisma at the Hindustan Shikhar Samagam held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in the state capital on Saturday.

“Today, I can stand confidently in front of the mirror and appreciate my beauty. But I didn’t feel the same when I was 16. I used to feel that I was not beautiful. For me, beauty was a combination of perfect features — a straight nose, high cheek bones and fair complexion and because of this perception, I was unable to see my beauty. But now I feel we need to correct our opinion about ourselves. Others will say something or the other… just stop listening!” said the DDLJ actor.

As a piece of advice for aspiring film makers the charismatic Rockstar director said, “The formula of coming to Mumbai and struggling to make a film is redundant now. You can make a film from wherever you live. When I started, I didn’t have the opportunity. We had to come to Mumbai to make a film. But today, you have a mobile phone in your hand and you can make a film using it. Make good content and put it on the internet which is a very transparent medium..”

‘TV WAS MY FILM SCHOOL’

Talking about his directorial debut ‘Socha Na Tha’ Imtiaz said, “Getting a chance to make a film was a big opportunity for me. The fact that I got to fulfil my dream and people liked the film was more than enough.”

About this journey from Jamshedpur to the tinsel town he said, “There was a cinema next to my uncle’s house. I had free access to it and that helped me build a bond with films. After doing theatre I worked in TV which was like a film school for me. I made a lot of mistakes and learnt from them, which did not reflect in my films.”

The DDLJ actor who made a debut with Bekhudi says that reviews don’t matter to her. “There was no social media at that time. I did get good reviews, but it did not make any difference as long as I felt fabulous about it,” she says.

Talking about her true calling she says, “Abhi tak mujhe nahi lagta ki mera mukam cinema hain. When I started I was not bothered about becoming an actor but I liked the process so much that I have been around for 26 years.”

Kajol further said that she does not want to get into direction. “I don’t have the patience of handling so much pain, ego and tantrums.”

About playing a psychokiller in Gupt she said, “I am a psycho! We all are both ‘sant’ and ‘shaitain’. I have an amazing imagination and good that I played my ‘shaitani’ part on the screen.”

Sharing the stage with Kajol, the ‘Jab We Met’ director said he has worked with her and maybe this was a signal for the future.

The formula of coming to Mumbai and struggling to make a film is redundant now. You can make a film from wherever you are placed

IMTIAZ ALI DIRECTOR

Abhi tak mujhe nahi lagta ki mera mukam cinema hain. When I started I was not bothered if I will become an actor or not but I liked the process so much that I have been around for 26 years

KAJOL, ACTOR

HT PHOTOS