Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; February 5, 2014)

While Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap may come from different worlds of cinema, they have a lot in common as human beings. They may have so far collaborated three times, but have become friends for life. They first came together in directing short films for Bombay Talkies, then co-produced The Lunchbox and now are co-producing their upcoming romantic comedy, Hasee Toh Phasee. As Karan said, “The film has a bit of both. It’s quirky, so it has Anurag Kashyap and it has a song like Zehnaseeb, so it has me.” Vinil Mathew, the director of the film, told us that to his surprise, even though Karan and Anurag watched the film separately, they cried and laughed at the same places. For the first time, Bombay Times brings both the filmmakers to talk about each other. Before starting the interview, Karan said, “See, he has come wearing a jacket today as he knows that Karan Johar jacket pehenke aayega.” Due to the length of the interview, we will carry it over two days, starting with the conversation with Karan Johar today. Excerpts:
 
From not talking to each other, how did you become friends?
Anurag wrote a blog saying nasty things about me, post which we had a verbal spat in Mumbai Mirror. I wondered why he was being nasty when he didn’t even know me. I had seen his Black Friday and absolutely loved it. But I saw him venting to death about me thinking I am this rich, glamorous, glorious person without any struggle and I frankly hadn’t struggled even though I’d pretend to. Once in an interview, I actually said I grew up in a really small two-bedroom flat in Malabar Hill and used to travel to Goregaon in a taxi. Farah Khan called me and said, ‘Is this your idea of struggle?’ I came from simple parenting, but my parents always made me believe that I was Mukesh Ambani’s son. Even though my father had made a series of unsuccessful films and didn’t have the money, I still had the habits. They may not have gone on holidays, but they sent me. But I still could not match up to Anurag Kashyap’s angst story na? High level of decadence because of high level of depression. I didn’t have those problems, so what to do? To me, Anurag represented the Ram Gopal Varma school of filmmaking. RGV’s problem with me was that Satya did not win an award. What can I do if I won? Maybe Satya deserved every award versus Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, but he didn’t win it. Too bad. Maybe, I was just better looking than him. So when Anurag took off on me, I decided that he needs a hug and decided to do that when I met him at a restaurant in Bandra. Hundred heads turned at me when I moved towards him as if rich studio was entering the Hindi space. Anurag, who is the poster boy of that movement, said, ‘Baat kar leni chahiye.’ I said, ‘Hug kar lena chahiye.’ So we hugged like yeh bandhan toh pyaar ka bandhan hai and imagined a round trolley going around us and that was it. And from there, the friendship of two people began, whom I believe are the same people.
 
What was your reason for making Bombay Talkies?
I am dying to be that intense director, who is above media and the trappings of the industry. Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Kashyap look like directors. I have become a mockery of myself, dancing in a reality show, judging, hosting. Barring reaching the opening of an envelope, I have reached everywhere else. And I am unapologetically this. My perception by the director community is very flawed. Rajkumar Hirani looks distant, quiet, intelligent, Anurag looks like a mad genius, Imtiaz looks like he is sorted with a sufiist vibe. I look like a third row dancer. I reacted to movies as an audience. To me, The Lunchbox was a love story that would make money. I did Bombay Talkies as I wanted my name along with Anurag, Zoya and Dibakar. I felt that critics, who otherwise think I am murdering cinema, may still have an opinion, but at least they will come and see it. That’s why I insisted they put my film first so that no one walks out after seeing the other three films. Dibakar told me after the film, ‘This is your debut film.’ I have admired his work and earlier walked up to him and said, ‘I am your big fan.’ He said, ‘Thank you’ and walked off. I felt that even if he did not want to say nice things about my films, at least he could have complimented me on my shoes or looks. Directors just don’t compliment me. Lagaan is amongst my top five favourite films. Ashutosh Gowariker saw Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and called me after the trial. I thought he must be calling to say nice things, but he said, ‘Just saw your movie. I didn’t like it at all.’ I said, ‘Oh!’ But it was wonderfully gracious of him a month later to call and compliment me as it had commercially worked. I am obsessed with directors even though they are not obsessed by me. Anurag, please tell her how much I begged you for the role in Bombay Velvet. Naseeruddin Shah criticised Farhan Akhtar’s performance in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Imagine what he will do to me? I love Naseer sahab and have the highest regard for his work, but I want to ask him, how can he have a problem with commercial films? Nobody put a gun on his head and asked him to do Tirchi Topiwale. In some way, his bungalow must be the result of commercial films. I am sure Tirchi Topiwale must be responsible for many things in his life. He was a part of an item song. My input to the most talented filmmakers has been fashion and I am proud of it. Instead of giving creative tips, during Bombay Talkies, I was teaching Zoya, Dibakar and Anurag how to walk the ramp. My big input to Dibakar and Anurag was hair gel and shine spray. Zoya was telling me, ‘What are you making us do?’ And I said, ‘You are walking the ramp, so do it properly. While in Rome do what the Romans do.’
 
You make us laugh in person, but your films make us cry.
I love crying and to me, cinema crying is very cathartic. I remember when I watched The Namesake with Mr Bachchan. All my pent-up emotions of losing my dad came out, even though, thematically, it had nothing to do with losing a parent. But something triggered an emotion and I just remember weeping. The second time I cried was while watching Taare Zameen Par as I was in boarding school for four days, that too, in the same one shown in the film. I remember my parents leaving me behind there. Seeing the film, I think Niagara Falls had begun and I wept and wept and I called Aamir after the show. The first film I cried was in Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se. I was eight years old and was bawling at the end of it. My mother kept explaining to me how that was not real, but that didn’t stop me from crying.
 
What do you like about Anurag?
At heart, we are the same people. Both of us have a certain sense of acknowledging other people’s brilliance. We have an inherent mentor in us and want to create and nurture resources and put them out in the creative world. We have a sense of impulse and take decisions more from the heart and I identify with him as a human being. I have to eternally be grateful to him for giving me a part in his film, as I got to see how he works and felt so enriched technically.
 
How different are you as directors?
He is raw, I am not. I love his projection of women, mine are more stereotypical, based on value systems that I believe in. He has led the life. I have led a very sheltered life till the age of 25 and became a man only at 32, when my dad died. My people observation is still on the surface, but he has been on the road, drunk at times, and taken home, he has seen failure and rejections, seen heartbreaks and failed relationships. He has lived the life. I am still living it. Nothing fails like success. And nothing succeeds like failure. My biggest failing has been my success. I have not been in a long-term relationship, but have been in unrequited love, so whenever I show that, I get it correct. But when I try and show something I have not experienced, I am caught. You put actors together, they don’t know how to have fun, but you put directors together, they feed off each others’ energies.
 
Your advice to Anurag?
You have to not only control your film, but also the environment without getting sucked into it. Somewhere, the director in me has taken a beating because of the producer in me. Never go there, but understand your business. He represents a certain brand of brilliance, which can be platformed at another level if he does that.
 
Were you always this secure as a person?
A conversation with my father changed my view of the world. I was the blue-eyed boy after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam came in 1999, which I loved, but it bothered me to no end. I was getting jealous and I was tracking its box office. My father saw it. My father asked me, ‘How did you like the film?’ I said, ‘I loved it.’ He said, ‘What is bothering you?’ I said, ‘It is making me feel inferior.’ He said, ‘You will never grow. Go and call Sanjay Leela Bhansali and tell him how mad you are about the film and see how good you feel.’ I did that and felt relieved. He said, ‘How will you grow if you don’t acknowledge?’

Conversation with Anurag Kashyap to appear tomorrow.