‘I’m not here to prove anything’
Film-maker Aanand L Rai says his initial rejections only gave him the confidence to become a fearless storyteller
Back in 2007, he didn’t have a dream start as a film-maker when he made his first major movies, Strangers and Thodi Life Thoda Magic (2008). But Aanand L Rai says those were the “rejections that actually taught him his film-making”. However, the film-maker soon came back with Tanu Weds Manu (2011), and there’s been no looking back since then, with hits such as the Raanjhanaa (2013) and Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015). His productions have been successful as well, the latest being Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (SMS). However, the film-maker has still managed to retain his simplicity and cool attitude, which he feels makes him “real”. You pay for rollercoaster rides and enjoy them, right? I have enjoyed the journey, and I feel these are all chapters and I have learnt from them. An important lesson has been that you should not get hurt. Even in my initial days of making films, I never got hurt searching for producers. I was rejected so many times, but it never affected me in a negative way. Rejections only gave me confidence, which enabled me to become fearless enough that I decided that I had to make Tanu Weds Manu fearlessly. So, all those chapters brought me success. Those were the rejections that actually taught me my filmmaking. I wasn’t like, ‘Oh now, I will make a hit film’. I just understood what went wrong and what were the points that I had to work on to make things right and to tell a story. My biggest lesson from those chapters was the realisation that I was trying to impress the audience and that I knew direction. But that was not my job; my job was to tell a story. That’s the biggest lesson of my life, as I am here not to prove anything; I am here to tell a story; that’s it. Then, Tanu Weds Manu happened and I told a story in it. Since then, I am trying to hold on to the fact that I am here to tell a story. I feel exactly the same the way I felt when I was making my first film. So, a film excites me as much as it used to. No film is a small film for me, as it’s made with same amount of passion and hard work by an entire team. A film takes away almost one-and-a-half years of yours. So when you invest that kind of time and love, it’s like having a new baby (laughs). You always develop a sense of attachment for your films, so, before its release, you feel a bit sad, as you know that it will go away from you.
By now, has a new film’s release and all the feelings around it become a part-and-parcel of your life… With few years of experience, I have become used to it. It doesn’t mean that I don’t go through nervous pangs. It’s like bungee jumping; while it’s a completely different feeling the first time around, you enjoy it the second time too. But, then you become experienced enough to experience what’s happening. So, you have fun. Over the years, you have retained your simplicity and sanity in an industry, which is considered ruthless by many… I am smart enough to understand that I am nothing without that. My profession is about that simplicity. Tomorrow, if you take that away from me, I will be a very mediocre man. That ‘simplicity’ makes me real and helps me stay alive in my craft. Deep down, I know that I can afford to lose anything but that. Somewhere, I feel that my basic nature is that I need very little to stay happy. When you are calm, cool and happy, you work in a positive atmosphere. And, somewhere, it reflects on your work too. Be it as a director or producer, when you take up films such as Tanu Weds Manu (TWM) series, Raanjhanaa, Nil Battey Sannata (NBS), SMS or Newton, what make you believe that it will be accepted or you go by your gut instinct? Every film teaches you something. Also, with a new film, you learn to connect with your audience. You can’t see that [connect], but can feel it. It’s like being in a relationship. With my films too, I am in a relationship but I can’t see the other person. But, there are feelings and a sense of them being there. With every film, that feeling grows stronger, and, for that I need to be extra honest and extra sensitive to know them to see if I’m feeling the same heart-beat that they want me to. I don’t want to lose on that and that gives me confidence. In that sense, do you feel you have forged a strong connect with the masses… When I decide to make films like NBS, Raanjhanaa and TWM, and see the response, it gives me confidence that my sensibilities and my audience’s sensibilities are matching. But, at the same time, being a director, it is my responsibility to push the envelope and bring out new stories. You can’t just thrive on something which you have done before as you need to contribute to the industry, so that people gets something new. Whether it is a story or a relationship, what bores you after a point is repetition. Any kind of repetition will bring stagnancy. But, when audiences resonate with your sensibilities, don’t you also feel pressured? When I say that I have a ‘relationship [with the audience], it’s not one sided. They do resonate with my thinking. It can also be the other way around. There have been instances when I resonate with them and generate a story accordingly. So, it does not put any pressure on me or scare me as I keep things very basic. If you are in love, the one thing that you have to keep away from the relationship is any kind of fear, as it makes you insecure. I don’t want to get insecure in my relationship with my audience. So, can we say that now there’s a lot of security in that ‘relationship’? If you are loyal, dedicated, hard-working and honest, why will you fear? When I say it, it doesn’t mean that every film I do, will be a success. But a success or failure will not change the relationship. If there is no fear, relationship won’t change. You get angry with your mother too, but the relationship never changes. That’s something I am trying to hold on to. I am enjoying my bonding and the love story with my audience. Do you feel that the initial failures prepared you for the kind of success you are seeing now? I have seen both the sides including the roller coaster rides. The best thing is to stay in the positive frame of mind and not get affected. When I was taking those blows, it was not affecting me. Even when Tanu Weds Manu happened, I told myself, ‘this is life. If you didn’t get knocked down by that, don’t fly with this’. What gave me the balance is that you can fail while telling a story, but are you attempting to tell a story? That’s important. After 10 years, what is your definition of success and failure? Has it changed over the years? Nothing has changed for me as I was a happy person back then, and I am a very happy person even now. The only thing these 10 years have taught me is that my job is to entertain, and I can do that only with a story. I don’t take the director inside me seriously. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t take my films seriously. But yes, I respect the person more than the director. I enjoy the process of making films as I bond very well with people. I discover new love stories and fall in love with lots of people at the same time every time I make a film. It makes me happy and that state of mind helps me make films that resonate with people. Do you feel content when you also back other films? I won’t say that I back them, but I honestly feel happy, fortunate and proud that I have been a part of films such as NBS, Happy Bhag Jayegi, SMS and now Newton. They have given me an extra journey, an extra life and an extended family. I never feel I am giving anything to these films as I believe I am getting a lot from them. So, when Newton gets appreciation, I feel happy for myself and whoever is a part of the film.