I READ 33 SCRIPTS BEFORE I SAID YES TO SHAMITABH
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After Raanjhanaa, Dhanush
read 33 scripts before saying yes to Shamitabh. During a recent
visit to Delhi, we spoke to him over breakfast, where he was not eating
South Indian food as we were expecting, but was happily enjoying aloo
paratha with dahi. Excerpts:
Your doing a Hindi film generated quite some buzz the first time around,
and your second choice in this unfamiliar language was sure to be
keenly analysed. What was it about Shamitabh that you chose this film to
be your second Hindi project after Raanjhanaa?
It's definitely not about moving to another language or establishing myself somewhere else. After Raanjhanaa, there were many scripts -33, to be precise -in a period of about eight-and-a-half months. But then I felt it is not for me, some scripts I felt were not good enough -none of them, actually . Then I thought, should I do a film just to do a film? Maybe not.I didn't mind waiting. I'm very happy I waited. After eight-and-a-half months, I got a call from R Balki, who called me over to his office. He narrated the script, and when he was done, I knew, this is it, this is my second Hindi film. The script was really new. These days, you can't really say that you have a new story because every story has already been told. It's all about how gripping your screenplay is. But when this man had a new story to tell, it really fascinated me.He has come up with a very fresh concept. He also told me that Amitji is there in the film, so then I said, `Okay'.
Was the film's name given after you and Amitabh Bachchan joined the movie, since the title is derived from your names?
I think the name was already there. I think it's a coincidence that `Sh' from my name and Amitabh' from Amitji's name ` made up the title. But the title has some other significance.Nobody other than Balki can think of a weird title like this.I am not called Dhanush in the film, that I can tell you.
Who is the guy you play in the film?
This guy is an aspiring actor from a village, who is mute. He needs a voice, and Amitji gives him his voice. Akshara plays the part of bringing these two talents together, and then begins the clash of the egos.
Given your devotion to Ilaiyaraaja's music, how does it feel to have him compose for your Hindi film?
Forget Shamitabh, any film that I do, any shot that I give, is inspired by his music. His music is everything for me, my heart and soul. I was not brought up to be an actor -I derive my pain, love, joy and happiness from his music.That's how much he means to me. Shamitabh is blessed with Ilaiyaraaja sir's music. He doesn't make songs just to make an album. He tells his version of the story through his songs. Watch out for the background score of Shamitabh, it's going to be phenomenal.
You have earlier said that you are slightly unaccustomed to giving so many interviews while promoting a film.
This is really tough, I don't know how everybody does it. I think I give about three-four interviews per film down South. It's not like I'm having a tough time, it's just that I am not used to it. There are fourfive common questions for every film. Those tire you out.
There is a scene in the trailer where you are dragging Bachchan by the collar. How difficult was it for you to do such a scene?
I would like to correct that.The character in the film was pulling another character by the collar. If I think `Oh no, I am pulling Amitji by the collar,' then I won't be able to do justice to the character. So I went there without any hesitation. I didn't have any kind of reservations. For all of us who have worked in the film, the film is bigger than everything else. I give major credit to Amitji because if not for him and his generosity and the way he made us comfortable, we probably couldn't have done it. He was kind and patient.
It's difficult for the film audience of Hindi cinema to understand how stars are revered in the South we don't understand, for instance, how there can be temples of an actor!
Trust me, nobody in the South also understands this.
But is there still a difference between the way fans look at actors in North India and fans in South India look at stars there?
Yesterday , we went to a mall in Delhi and you should have seen the kind of crowd that had gathered to see Amitji it's pretty much the same down South also. If Rajini sir goes to a public place, that is what would have happened.
The only difference that I have seen is in the first-day-first show celebrations. You should see it for yourself, there is no way for me to explain that. It's a celebration that they have for the films of the top five-six stars. There's Diwali, there's Pongal, and there's a Rajini film. Diwali and Pongal come every year, but we have to real ly wait for a Rajini film, so it becomes bigger. It's a festival for us.
What about younger stars, people of your generation do you feel like stars?
They definitely make us feel like stars. The unconditional love from the fans and their support, the way they make us feel special, we are grateful and honoured. It's nothing to that extent though, probably one or two per cent of what a demigod is.
You have said you're painfully shy and have stage fright. Doesn't confidence come with fame?
Probably that (the love of fans) gave me confidence in front of the camera. I come from a very humble family -my father used to walk 7 km to save a rupee to feed us. And we are four children, he could feed us only one meal a day till I was about seven or eight.From there, he has brought us till here. I've seen every stage till I reached here, so that's why probably I am confident now, because I have seen how that life is.
What is Balki like?
Balki is a weird man. I don't know where his thoughts come from. When he narrated the story , I thought, how does this man come up with all these things? He is a great craftsman and a sound technician. He knows exactly what he wants. He is one of the finest filmmakers in the country, and a very weird man! Without his guidance, I don't know how I would have done this character. I'm very thankful to Balki for giving me Shamitabh and for believing that I could carry off Amitji's voice. That kind of majestic voice in this tiny frame is something no one could have imagined. I don't know with what confidence he approached me.
Amitji said that he suggest ed your name to Balki...
It's a great honour for me that he knew me and my work. If I am not wrong, Balki asked Amitji who this film could be done with in the South, and he said Rajini sir and Dhanush, and then Amitji said why not Dhanush here also. That's very generous of him.
It's definitely not about moving to another language or establishing myself somewhere else. After Raanjhanaa, there were many scripts -33, to be precise -in a period of about eight-and-a-half months. But then I felt it is not for me, some scripts I felt were not good enough -none of them, actually . Then I thought, should I do a film just to do a film? Maybe not.I didn't mind waiting. I'm very happy I waited. After eight-and-a-half months, I got a call from R Balki, who called me over to his office. He narrated the script, and when he was done, I knew, this is it, this is my second Hindi film. The script was really new. These days, you can't really say that you have a new story because every story has already been told. It's all about how gripping your screenplay is. But when this man had a new story to tell, it really fascinated me.He has come up with a very fresh concept. He also told me that Amitji is there in the film, so then I said, `Okay'.
Was the film's name given after you and Amitabh Bachchan joined the movie, since the title is derived from your names?
I think the name was already there. I think it's a coincidence that `Sh' from my name and Amitabh' from Amitji's name ` made up the title. But the title has some other significance.Nobody other than Balki can think of a weird title like this.I am not called Dhanush in the film, that I can tell you.
Who is the guy you play in the film?
This guy is an aspiring actor from a village, who is mute. He needs a voice, and Amitji gives him his voice. Akshara plays the part of bringing these two talents together, and then begins the clash of the egos.
Given your devotion to Ilaiyaraaja's music, how does it feel to have him compose for your Hindi film?
Forget Shamitabh, any film that I do, any shot that I give, is inspired by his music. His music is everything for me, my heart and soul. I was not brought up to be an actor -I derive my pain, love, joy and happiness from his music.That's how much he means to me. Shamitabh is blessed with Ilaiyaraaja sir's music. He doesn't make songs just to make an album. He tells his version of the story through his songs. Watch out for the background score of Shamitabh, it's going to be phenomenal.
You have earlier said that you are slightly unaccustomed to giving so many interviews while promoting a film.
This is really tough, I don't know how everybody does it. I think I give about three-four interviews per film down South. It's not like I'm having a tough time, it's just that I am not used to it. There are fourfive common questions for every film. Those tire you out.
There is a scene in the trailer where you are dragging Bachchan by the collar. How difficult was it for you to do such a scene?
I would like to correct that.The character in the film was pulling another character by the collar. If I think `Oh no, I am pulling Amitji by the collar,' then I won't be able to do justice to the character. So I went there without any hesitation. I didn't have any kind of reservations. For all of us who have worked in the film, the film is bigger than everything else. I give major credit to Amitji because if not for him and his generosity and the way he made us comfortable, we probably couldn't have done it. He was kind and patient.
It's difficult for the film audience of Hindi cinema to understand how stars are revered in the South we don't understand, for instance, how there can be temples of an actor!
Trust me, nobody in the South also understands this.
But is there still a difference between the way fans look at actors in North India and fans in South India look at stars there?
Yesterday , we went to a mall in Delhi and you should have seen the kind of crowd that had gathered to see Amitji it's pretty much the same down South also. If Rajini sir goes to a public place, that is what would have happened.
The only difference that I have seen is in the first-day-first show celebrations. You should see it for yourself, there is no way for me to explain that. It's a celebration that they have for the films of the top five-six stars. There's Diwali, there's Pongal, and there's a Rajini film. Diwali and Pongal come every year, but we have to real ly wait for a Rajini film, so it becomes bigger. It's a festival for us.
What about younger stars, people of your generation do you feel like stars?
They definitely make us feel like stars. The unconditional love from the fans and their support, the way they make us feel special, we are grateful and honoured. It's nothing to that extent though, probably one or two per cent of what a demigod is.
You have said you're painfully shy and have stage fright. Doesn't confidence come with fame?
Probably that (the love of fans) gave me confidence in front of the camera. I come from a very humble family -my father used to walk 7 km to save a rupee to feed us. And we are four children, he could feed us only one meal a day till I was about seven or eight.From there, he has brought us till here. I've seen every stage till I reached here, so that's why probably I am confident now, because I have seen how that life is.
What is Balki like?
Balki is a weird man. I don't know where his thoughts come from. When he narrated the story , I thought, how does this man come up with all these things? He is a great craftsman and a sound technician. He knows exactly what he wants. He is one of the finest filmmakers in the country, and a very weird man! Without his guidance, I don't know how I would have done this character. I'm very thankful to Balki for giving me Shamitabh and for believing that I could carry off Amitji's voice. That kind of majestic voice in this tiny frame is something no one could have imagined. I don't know with what confidence he approached me.
Amitji said that he suggest ed your name to Balki...
It's a great honour for me that he knew me and my work. If I am not wrong, Balki asked Amitji who this film could be done with in the South, and he said Rajini sir and Dhanush, and then Amitji said why not Dhanush here also. That's very generous of him.
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