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By Sanjay Shah (Tubur Media World) Š2002 Bollyvista.com |
From ads, award-winning documentaries like Teenage Parents and New York Taxi Drivers, Rahul Dholakia has come a long way in a fairly fast span. And that also includes the geographical distance. For, until now, his life's focal point was the US of A. He is a non-resident Indian and at the age of 35, he is making foray in the Bollywood. Kehtaa Hai Dil Baar Baar (inspired by Meet The Parents) is his first full-length film and also the first Hindi film shot entirely in America. Presently, Rahul is in Mumbai overseeing his film's release. Bollyvista.com met the young maker at his Mumbai residence to know more about his film and future plans. Excerpts from an interview...
What motivated you to make a Hindi film?
I had a script and wanted to make a bilingual film in Hindi and English that required both Indian and American artistes. When I spoke about this to my producers, they suggested that, as we would be making a movie for the first time, better go for a subject that demands low budget. They asked if we could make a movie from this subject (of Meet the Parents) and I felt positive. And about making a Hindi film, though I was far away from India and Bollywood, they are never away from NRIs as they naturally miss India and our culture. I had contacts with Indian film personalities and all So, making a Hindi film was not an out of the way thing for me.
How did you shape up things?
Once the subject was selected, we started detailing the narrative. It was easy for us to create the character of Roger Patel (a motel owner Patel, played by Paresh Rawal) because we have many people like him in our surrounding in the US. I came to India in November 2000 and met my writer Raman Bhardwaj through my friend Jatin Rajguru. For two months, we worked day and night on the script before the first draft was ready. Then we started approaching people. I knew Paresh and when I narrated him the character, he immediately agreed to play it. After that, Jimmy Shergill, Kim Sharma and others were signed.
What about the music? How Jatin-Lalit were roped in?
As we were making a soft love story, we needed to go safe. Jatin introduced me to them. I was a bit nervous when we went to meet them. After all, they are in the industry since years. But my nervousness was evaporated the moment they welcomed me in their home. They agreed to compose the music and Sameer was signed afterwards. Interestingly, Jatin-Lalit have done even the background score for the movie, which they rarely do.
You started your shooting on September 9, two days before the attack on WTC...
Yeah. That day, we were shooting in Brooklyn at Mike Tyson's erstwhile house and someone came and said that a plane has pierced into the WTC. Initially, we did not know the gravity of it but once we saw on the television what has happened, we were all shocked. Some of us had their friends and relatives working there in the vicinity. Our morale was totally down and nobody wanted to work. But I ordered to keep the shooting on for the simple reason that there was no chance of stopping and going anywhere out. Also, I believe that involvement in the work always reduces tension. Nobody liked my say initially but then, things settled and people even complimented me for taking the right decision.
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