Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Live
TAYLOR SWIFT TO HEADLINE GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL>>P4
Deep Saxena
National award winning ‘Moh moh ke dhagey’ lyricist Varun Grover wears many hats. He is a stand-up comedian, lyricist, screenwriter and author all bundled into one. And, to dabble in various fields he works on a methodology which allows him to shine in each. In Lucknow to perform ‘Aisi Taisi Democracy’ comedy act with Rahul Ram and Sanjay Rajoura, in the Repertwahr Festival, he had a free-wheeling conversation with HT City. Excerpts:
Juhi Chakraborty
Not just with her fashion choices, Kareena Kapoor Khan has also been quite a trendsetter when it comes to her film career. It began right from her first film when despite being a star kid, she chose a nonglamorous debut with cross border romantic film, Refugee (2000), something which was considered to be an unconventional choice. Nineteen years on, she continues to push the boundary with each of her films, and life choices, too.
“I think it’s just always been a conscious decision to at least try to do something different. When I had my son Taimur (born on December 20, 2016), not many people expected that I would take up a film with four girls,” she says referring to Veere Di Wedding (2018), which also starred Sonam K Ahuja, Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania.
The 39-year-old admits that many questioned her decision
How do you manage to do so many things?
I have lot of compartments and I make notes! I have a diary of lyric-writing, in which I pen a good word or line, even if it is out of context. For stand-up comedy, I have a file, in which I write any idea, interesting news which may become joke by adding some punch lines, and for scriptwriting, I write whatever idea, news or story which can be told in a long story form. I keep it as a resource guide. I keep doing it all the time, multiple times a day.
Do things overlap?
Masaan’s story too came from news. The lovers being caught in a hotel room was news that caught the attention of Neeraj’s (‘Ghaywan’ director) attention. It was much later that it was developed into a film.
Was this your habit since the beginning?
My brother, a scientist now, has a habit of noting scientific facts. I used to collect interesting facts, trivia and stories which helped me in school and college too. But, I was more interested in collecting Hindi-English words and using them in to do a female ensemble cast film that marked her return to films after becoming a mother.
“Everyone was like ‘You just had a baby, so why don’t you come back to the screen with a heroine-oriented film where the story would be all about you’. That is the norm here but I don’t think like that. I have a slightly unconventional thinking and that has always been a part of my journey. From Dev, Chameli, Yuva (all 2004) to Omkara (2006), I have always tried to do something different and that gamble has actually paid off well,” shares the actor, who is busy promoting her upcoming release, Good Newwz.
In all these years, Kareena has been a part of several commercial potboilers, and given memorable characters from Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...(2003) to Geet in Jab We Met (2007) .
So, is there anything that is left to be desired at this stage of her career?
“There is so much more to speaking and writings. Later, I developed an interest in etymology of Hindi words. Like, I tell English people, that word candy is made from Sanskrit work ‘khand’ or ‘khandvi’ which means sugar. I want to work on that front too. Words and stories make us creative and help us convey things.
Your comedy act gives you lot of love but haters too, who even threaten. What makes you so daring?
I am able to do as I feel that whatever life has given me is more than what I wanted from it. I don’t fear anything as I have lived a good life, will turn 40 soon which is good enough. I have an obsession towards clarity. Whatever I say should be very clear and people should understand it very lucidly. I say them because I too want to understand them. To make peace with my active mind I need to express things with clarity.
After cracking some jokes do you sometimes regret it?
It happens at times that I say something or express something but then later, I realise it was not right. I try to convince myself first before explore now with lines blurring and great scripts coming to life more than ever before. I am not going to say that especially for women because I have never believed that. I always thought women have had the opportunity to choose. There is a lot left to explore. These are the exciting times. I have done it all — meaningful films or big banner entertainers. Big commercial movies are a part of my DNA and that’s never going to change, I will always be part of those, but I am trying to do something different with each film,” Kareena muses.
The actor has a slew of films lined up next including Angrezi Medium, Laal Singh Chaddha and Takht. But other than films, there is one thing that she wants to try her hands on. “I would love to do theatre but I am really scared. In films, we are used to delayed gratification. But I feel performing on stage is an instant thing and I am very scared of that,” she concludes.
What about overuse of abuses in the comedy act?
I feel in stand-up comedy I have made maximum mistakes in usage of words and speaking. It is a spontaneous act in which we do have pointers which we extend on the spot. In the start, there was lot of use of abuses and wrong words. I once said something in which Ayesha Takia figured which I agree was ‘batameezi’ for speaking something. If I look back at my initial days, now I realise my understanding towards religion and caste have matured. Many things that I said long back I don’t agree with them today.
What’s coming next?
I am writing a film which I can’t talk about now. With Aisi Taisi Democracy, we are doing a 10 city tour in the US next year. Besides, I have written songs for ‘Prithviraj’ which has been directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi and is being produced by Yash Raj Films with music by Shankar-Ehsan and Loy which may release around Diwali. which I am still pointed out. There were some other jokes too I feel were wrong and I have accepted my mistakes. Earlier, I used to freely use abuses but now I don’t and even if I do use one or two in one complete act, they are gender neutral and justified. Also, it (abuses) restricts family audience. As far as views are concerned, I don’t care. They can be different for everyone.
You have turned author too? Last year, I came-up with my first book ‘Paper Chor’ which is for children. These days, I am editing a cinema special magazine ‘Cycle’. We are coming up with its double issue on cinema for children. We can add and attract children towards the world of cinema. It’s not just a children’s book but about making of cinema so that they can understand editing, camera work, sound, acting and different departments. We want to make it a guide book which may later be developed in book and will release in World Book Fair in January.
Actor Shweta Tiwari talks about how the love and support of her family makes her stronger