I want my films to work in London and Ludhiana
Anees Bazmee has created a niche in Bollywood for himself in the genre of comedies with films like No Entry (2005), Welcome (2007), Singh is King (2008) Ready (2011) and Mubarakan (2017). However, the writer-director still finds it to be the toughest genre of filmmaking.
Turning 57, today, Bazmee says that he hasn’t yet discovered the recipe of a hit comedy. “I still haven’t found a formula to make comedies in an easier way. There are different styles in comedy — my style of comedy is a bit different, which is why it’s difficult, too. For instance, there might be good comedy films but you won’t be able to recollect the characters in it. But you will recognise Majnu Bhai, Uday Shetty and RDX (All characters from the Welcome series). My characters are loveable. Whenever I work on a character, I don’t make it for a limited audience. I want it to work in Ludhiana as well as in London,” explains Bazmee.
The maker of family entertainers is a family man himself, who spends all his birthdays with his family. “I have no plans. I celebrate it in a simple way. I have a house in Lonavala. I go there every year with my family. I make sure that I spend an entire day with them. That’s very important for me,” he says.
Bazmee has avoided double meaning jokes in his films. Ask him if that’s a conscious decision and he says, “I have no problem with the people who do it, but personally, I feel it’s an easy way out. I think if you are a writer, you should work a bit hard and not take such short cuts. I keep telling my actors, ‘Don’t try to do comedy. The situation will be funny in itself.’ I want my
There might be good comedy films but you won’t recollect the characters in it. But you will recognise Majnu Bhai, Uday Shetty and RDX.
ANEES BAZMEE
WRITER-DIRECTOR
films to be thorough family entertainers.” Bazmee’s comedies have all done well at the box office, but he gives more importance to audience reactions than the BO figures. “I will be happy if my film gives great numbers, but at the same time, I’ll be sad if people don’t like it. Numbers are important in commercial cinema. But, I want my audience to be entertained, too. They should leave the theatres saying that my films are paisa vasool,” he says.