15 years of ruling hearts

Dor may have been the third film of her career, but for Gul Panag, the film, which released on this day 15 years ago, remains important as it was a proof of her appetite for qualitative cinema. The actor essayed the part of Zeenat, who takes on the task of saving the life of her husband, who is on trial for murder.

“I didn’t realise that it’s been 15 years already! It’s (the film) a milestone. It set the space I would work in, going forward. Dor was a reaffirmation that my choices were correct,” says Panag.

It wasn’t the usual film that many female actors would do at that time. The 42-year-old says she wanted to steer clear from the run-of-the-mill projects and is proud to have Dor on her resume. “Everybody said that being an exMiss India, I should choose conventional parts. But Dor set the tone for the kind of roles I would do later. It’s an incredible film, but there was temptation to do other films too, movies that would make me a recognisable face quickly,” she says.

Some films find their way to actors, that’s how Dor happened to Shreyas Talpade. Reminiscing about his part and collaborating with filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor after Iqbal (2005), Talpade, who plays the role of Bahuroopiya, says, “It’s been 15 years already? This is unreal!” He further shares, “I consider it my favourite. With Dor ,I saw a different Nagesh

Kukunoor. I wasn’t the first choice for my character.”

The 46-year-old reveals that the director wanted a senior actor. “I’d formed a rapport with Nagesh after Iqbal and I was like, ‘How can I not be part of the film?’ He wanted me to play one of the husbands of the two female characters. After a week, he offered Bahuroopiya. to me. He said since I do a lot of mimicry, I might as well use it in the film,” the actor says.

BOMAN IRANI

This film holds a special place in my heart. To play a Punjabi character was a leap of faith for me. Jaideep Sahni (writer) wanted to cast me, but I wasn’t keen on playing the role, as it was a daunting task. Today, I am grateful to him for having faith in me. Dibakar Banerjee (director) and Jaideep hand-held me through the dubbing process. Anupam Kher saab was a huge support. When we saw the film for the first time, he was excited about my entry, which was unbelievable. The film helped people cast me in roles outside my comfort zone without trepidation. It had a huge impact on my career.

PARVIN DABAS

What struck me was the simplicity of the script. It was not your regular film. I remember meeting Dibakar Banerjee for the role, but he was cocky for a first-time director and wanted me to audition immediately. I told him, ‘Do you want a good audition or a quick audition?’ I came the next day and improvised on scenes and when I was done, he offered me the role. The film faced hurdles, but was a hit when it released.

TARA SHARMA

The film cuts across all age groups. It created awareness about loopholes while dealing with property-related matters. It doesn’t feel like 15 years; I feel it was just yesterday that we were shooting for it. We made some wonderful friends. As it was a small-budget film, we shared the same vanity van and played many games.

PHOTO: SUJIT JAISWAL/AFP Gul Panag (inset) a still from