‘I WAS DRAWN TO THE DUALITY OF THE STORY’

From talking about adapting a book for her film, to shooting in Kashmir, to the selection of her cast, director Meghna Gulzar shares it all with Box Office India as she discusses her upcoming film Raazi

Of all the books out there, what was it about Calling Sehmat that prompted you to adapt it into a movie?

Movies made on books are not a new phenomenon. The one thing that got me was that it is very powerful. It talks about immense sacrifice and selflessness. We don’t live like that any more. Our narrative to the patriotism for the country is different today than what it is in the story, which was a very big draw for me.

Also, there is an inherent duality in the story and character. It shows that you are doing things for your country on account of patriotism but they may not always be right. I found the complexity of it very attractive. Why do you say adaptations are not a new phenomenon?

We have been dipping into our literature from the beginning, the Ramayana and the Mahabharat. Devdas has also been made. We have been dipping into our folklore for the longest time and I think it is very good. We think it is a recent phenomenon because we are adapting contemporary writers and their works.

I don’t agree with unauthorised adaptations. I would be very offended if somebody took a piece of my work and did an unauthorised adaptation of it. The world has become a smaller place due to the Internet.

Never mind producers, the audience is now aware. There was a time when you could go into foreign films, pick up whatever you wanted and make whatever you wanted.

But, today the audience is aware. They will make the connect, arre yeh

toh yeh film hai. So, it is a damn good thing. It has shaken filmmakers out of their laziness. They now have to create original content or do it the right way and give that person’s creative content the respect it deserves.

What was the process to get the film rights to Calling Sehmat?

Junglee Pictures tried to acquire the rights to this book but didn’t get it. Then there was another production house that approached me for the same book but that deal also didn’t close. By then, there was a rapport between me and the writer of Calling Sehmat, Harinder Sikka. He was very sure that regardless of who produces the film, only I would direct it. I told him that if he trusts me with the material, to let me just develop a story outline and take it to a studio. I had an understanding with the author; we had a commitment between us. I developed the story and

took it to Junglee Pictures. After that, Junglee negotiated with the author and closed the deal. How did you find your leading lady Alia Bhatt for this movie?

When the other production house had approached me for this movie, I had already met Alia then. I had asked her if I could write the script with her in mind because, at that point, I didn’t even have a script. Still, she said yes. So, when it looked like it was being finalised and I knew that Alia would be playing this part, I got her on board, and with her came Dharma Productions too.

Not many would have visualised Alia in this particular character.

The reason I chose Alia for this role is because I was not looking at her image. I was looking at her physicality. There is a fragility to her, a sort of delicateness which I wanted in my character, no matter what she is doing. Whether she is spying, fighting, doing espionage, I wanted fragility. This is the duality I was talking about. It is in the story, character and journey.

Actually, all the actors came in very organically. Even at the story level, we knew that this film would need immense performance capabilities and that made it very clear as to which way one was looking at the casting. Ever since Talvar, I did not want to have frequently seen faces because then the connect between an actor and a character seems a little distant.

For example, for the role of Iqbal, which is Vicky Kaushal’s character, he was the only name that came to mind and I work on instinct. Luckily for me, the producers were okay with it and Vicky agreed to be a part of this film. On the face of it, one might wonder what he has to do in this film. But, truthfully, he is the anchor of my story. If he is not

there, then Sehmat doesn’t have anyone to marry and go across the border to. What was it like to shoot in Kashmir for a sensitive subject like this?

It was beautiful shooting there. I went to Kashmir four times last year. And the irony of it really makes me sad. Now, a few people know me there because of the shoot. But, when I made my first or second trip, the drivers and the hotel people would keep asking me, ‘Aapko theek lag raha hai na yahan? Aisa nahin lag raha na ki kuch khatra

hai?’ And I replied saying no, there is nothing like that. They are so conscious of all these things now, they are almost apologetic about it. It is really unfair.

If you look at it, Srinagar, Pahalgam or Gulmarg, you will see that this is not where the trouble is. The trouble is in other areas but then again, that kind of trouble is present all over our country. In the South, East and West. But, we spotlight this and elevate it because historically it is a long-running issue. But, so are a lot of other issues. I feel it’s unfair.

We didn’t have any trouble shooting at all. In fact, the locals went out of their way to help us. When we were shooting the wedding sequence, you need people, you need a crowd.

They don’t have an industry there, no junior artistes’ association or anything. The local unit helped us by calling their friends, family members and relatives to come and be a part of this.

They didn’t need to do that. What was in it for them? But, that’s the Kashmiri people for you. As a filmmaker, you have never really been concerned with box office numbers.

Look at my history! Do you think I would be following box office numbers? The box office is a very unfamiliar animal to me. But, yes, it is very important because people’s money is involved. If somebody has invested their money and faith in you, you do want it to get redeemed, both literally and figuratively. It should be every filmmaker’s responsibility to work towards safeguarding the investment.

That is actually a priority and why I would even look at the box office numbers. But, do I sit and track them? No, I don’t. Whatever information I get from my producers and distributors, I am happy with that. After one point, you can never predict or control what a film can do. All you can do is control how you spend that money or execute the money that the producer has put into your film. What are your expectations for the film?

Everyone has worked very hard on this film. We have obsessed over details and yet shot this film in 48 days. I want that hard work to pay off in the sense that I want that hard work to be appreciated.

I chose Alia for this role because I was not looking at her image. I was looking at her physicality. There is a fragility to her, a sort of delicateness which I wanted in my character, no matter what she is doing