FRESH ON THE BLOCK! NEW MOVIE PAIRINGS

Several Bollywood films have top actors joining forces with certain directors for the first time

There’s a slew of Bollywood films this year that’ll see fresh pairings between top actors and directors who range from newcomers to established names.

One of the latest such pairings is that of actor Ranveer Singh and director Kabir Khan. The other ventures are: Shahid Kapoor and Shree Narayan Singh; Saif Ali Khan and Raja Krishna Menon; Alia Bhatt and Meghna Gulzar; Varun Dhawan and Shoojit Sircar; Akshay Kumar and Reema Kagti; and Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vishal Bhardwaj.

Working with a new director requires patience and understanding, says actor Saif Ali Khan, who has worked with Menon in next Friday’s release Chef. Saif says, “There’s something fresh about Raja’s approach. You’ve got to try and understand the director and all directors are different. So the idea is not to be too fixed. You’ve got to be fluid in your own thoughts... because [the director] has to feel comfortable and also bring out the best in you. Normally, we function at 50-60 per cent [as actors] but a good director can turn your work delivery into 80-90 per cent.”

Kabir has got Ranveer on board to play Kapil Dev in a movie based on India’s 1983 cricket world cup win. In that match, Kapil Dev took the catch that saw Viv Richards of West Indies being sent back to the pavilion. The director says, “It’s great to have Ranveer come on board, because honestly, I could see no one else for the role, ever since I started finalising the script.” There had been rumours that actor Arjun Kapoor might play Kapil.

Talking from the perspective of a director, Shree Narayan Singh feels that an actor needs to have a good understanding of the character. “When working with a new actor, the first thought is to understand them,” says Singh, who worked for the first time with Akshay Kumar for the film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, and scored a big hit. “And then I give them the chance to react to the story their way. An actor looks at a character from a 360 degree angle, but a director comes with a set way. So, it’s very important to give space to an actor.”

A new collaboration translates into decent box office collections, feels trade analyst Atul Mohan. He says, “The audience understands that an actor and a director are coming together for the first time, and every director brings out a different side in an actor — it shows on the screen in the performances, which eventually translates into box office numbers.”

It’s great to have Ranveer [Singh] come on board, because honestly, I could see no one else for the role KABIR KHAN, FILMMAKER You’ve got to try and understand the director and all directors are different. So the idea is not to be too fixed SAIF ALI KHAN, ACTOR

Shahid Kapoor (left) is working for the first time with director Shree Narayan Singh Akshay Kumar (above) has teamed up with Reema Kagti for her forthcoming film Nawazuddin Siddiqui (left) and Vishal Bhardwaj are doing a film together