Redefi ning the Indian family - Sosin Classes · His mantra: “To each his own.” Although...
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Mid-conversation, while describ- ing himself filmmaker Sooraj Bar- jatya suddenly gives up, proclaim- ing, “Apne baare mein what to speak,” needlessly adding, “I think I am shy.” In an era of chest- thumping and mic-drops, Barja- tya is not famous for his extrover- sion. “From the very beginning, I have been shy or not comforta- ble,” proving his words as he spoke them. For Barjatya, “work” is what is the most important. He prefers to spend his time observ- ing and talking to people, and he’s at, “every marriage and func- tion” doing just that. He’s also a self-professed avid reader. All of this, for him, is a director’s “main homework.” In a modest fashion he confess- es, “I am trying to learn. Growing with every film.” In recent years, the shy filmmaker has at least been doing the mandatory pre-re- lease interviews. The last such oc- casion was for a film that he had directed and scripted himself, the Salman Khan sleeper-hit, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) which made 194 crores at the box of- fice, but was widely panned by critics. Today at 54, Barjatya has learnt to be more accepting of criticism, which in his younger days would upset him. “Today, I take it in my stride,” he says. His mantra: “To each his own.” Although Barja- tya’s own oeuvre has been res- tricted to Salman Khan starrers and sanskari family dramas, as a studio, Rajshri Productions has always delved into a diverse pool of genres, directors and sub- jects. But box-oce success has largely been restricted to their trademark family film. Sign of the times Since 2010, apart from Prem Ra- tan Dhan Paayo, the studio has been primarily busy making TV shows in Hindi. With Hum Chaar, slated to release this weekend, Barjatya is up to something pro- misingly different. The filmmaker turns producer for the upcoming film, which centres not on family but friends, and is written and di- rected by debutant filmmaker Abhishek Dixit. Barjatya explains, “I have been hunting for a subject where we could tell our little va- lues from a young[er] point of view, which is dicult for me. I know my audience is 35+ and when a youngster comes, it is to show his grandparents a film he knows they will enjoy.” Yet, with Hum Chaar, Barjatya wants to en- gage not just the grandparents but the accompanying “young- sters”. “How can I say something [in my films] like Raju [Rajkumar Hirani] or Gauri [Shinde] says,” he asked himself, and the answer fortuitously came when Dixit nar- rated his story. Still, the question remained — how could Dixit fit the film into Rajshri’s family-oriented frame- work? Dixit said to him confident- ly, “You make family films but friends are also family” and Barja- tya was intrigued enough to give him a shot. The film is inspired by Dixit’s own life experiences as a migrant from Lucknow in Mum- bai where he is now based. Living far from home, he could seldom go back, and friends became a support system. When you are away there is a formality that builds up even between family members, but to your friend, you can say “Abbe char-sau de na (just lend me some money, ya),” explains the filmmaker. “I am making a real film,” he claims. Set and shot in Noida and Kanpur, Hum Chaar is about a group of four friends, medical students from different places in Uttar Pradesh and North India, who have a fight but ultimately realise that all they have is each other. By Rajshri standards, Hum Chaar is a “small film” with a new director and first-time music di- rector. The filmmaker emphasis- es, the film still has the “marm”, the sensitivity and sensibility of a Rajshri film that is perfect for the studio’s existing audience and yet reaches beyond with its unique voice. “It doesn’t have my stamp,” he says with pride, but also adds, “friendship is also a beautiful rishta”. Ramayana prism This year, Hum Saath Saath Hai, a film with tremendous cross-gen- erational recall, completes 25 years, while Maine Pyaar Kia which launched Khan is three de- cades old. Barjatya’s films are not simply a celebration of family life but also expressive of deep nos- talgia and longing for it. Barjatya says, “You can’t just start staying together again,” but one should take efforts to nourish and main- tain whatever ties that remain — “jitna rishta rakhte hai we should celebrate it. We should meet in Di- wali, marriages, birthdays, anni- versaries — forget and forgive — at least talk. We can’t say we want to live like Ramayan, but if you take one step so will the other.” Through his films, Barjatya urges us to at least try to “trust” each other. Today, across genera- tions, people are increasingly faced with loneliness and depres- sion and the only thing one has is family — which Barjatya defines liberally to include friends, in- laws, spouses, and extended fa- mily, anyone worthy of the title. In a way, this is Rajshri’s core es- sence which has “always worked for us right from 1962”. Barjatya’s other appeal is to be honest with oneself, “everything is about niyat” because of which “over these 30 years, I have seen miracles happen, we have made 58 films. My father launched Rak- hee [Gulzar], Jaya [Bachchan], Mithun [Chakraborty], Naseerud- din Shah, Madhuri [Dixit], Bha- gyashree, Salman”. The filmmak- er warns us that faking appearances “will not take you anywhere, just be yourself … your work and your honesty will make you stand out”, and not just in ci- nema but in any field and sphere of life. What’s next for Barjatya, after his stint as producer? A film with Khan of course, which he will begin scripting this summer. Redefining the Indian family An introvert at heart, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya on producing ‘younger films’ with the Rajshri touch :: Rutwij Nakhwa Family man: Filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya; (below) The cast of Hum Chaar * DINESH PARAB; SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Transcript of Redefi ning the Indian family - Sosin Classes · His mantra: “To each his own.” Although...
Mid-conversation, while describ-ing himself fi��lmmaker Sooraj Bar-jatya suddenly gives up, proclaim-ing, “Apne baare mein what tospeak,” needlessly adding, “Ithink I am shy.” In an era of chest-thumping and mic-drops, Barja-tya is not famous for his extrover-sion. “From the very beginning, Ihave been shy or not comforta-ble,” proving his words as hespoke them. For Barjatya, “work”is what is the most important. Heprefers to spend his time observ-ing and talking to people, andhe’s at, “every marriage and func-tion” doing just that. He’s also aself-professed avid reader. All ofthis, for him, is a director’s “mainhomework.”
In a modest fashion he confess-es, “I am trying to learn. Growingwith every fi��lm.” In recent years,the shy fi��lmmaker has at leastbeen doing the mandatory pre-re-lease interviews. The last such oc-casion was for a fi��lm that he haddirected and scripted himself, theSalman Khan sleeper-hit, PremRatan Dhan Payo (2015) whichmade ₹��194 crores at the box of-fi��ce, but was widely panned bycritics.
Today at 54, Barjatya has learntto be more accepting of criticism,which in his younger days wouldupset him. “Today, I take it in mystride,” he says. His mantra: “Toeach his own.” Although Barja-tya’s own oeuvre has been res-tricted to Salman Khan starrersand sanskari family dramas, as astudio, Rajshri Productions hasalways delved into a diverse poolof genres, directors and sub-jects. But box-offi��ce success haslargely been restricted to theirtrademark family fi��lm.
Sign of the timesSince 2010, apart from Prem Ra-tan Dhan Paayo, the studio hasbeen primarily busy making TVshows in Hindi. With Hum Chaar,slated to release this weekend,Barjatya is up to something pro-misingly diff��erent. The fi��lmmakerturns producer for the upcoming
fi��lm, which centres not on familybut friends, and is written and di-rected by debutant fi��lmmakerAbhishek Dixit. Barjatya explains,“I have been hunting for a subjectwhere we could tell our little va-lues from a young[er] point ofview, which is diffi��cult for me. Iknow my audience is 35+ andwhen a youngster comes, it is toshow his grandparents a fi��lm heknows they will enjoy.” Yet, withHum Chaar, Barjatya wants to en-gage not just the grandparentsbut the accompanying “young-sters”. “How can I say something[in my fi��lms] like Raju [RajkumarHirani] or Gauri [Shinde] says,”he asked himself, and the answerfortuitously came when Dixit nar-rated his story.
Still, the question remained —how could Dixit fi��t the fi��lm intoRajshri’s family-oriented frame-work? Dixit said to him confi��dent-ly, “You make family fi��lms butfriends are also family” and Barja-tya was intrigued enough to give
him a shot. The fi��lm is inspired byDixit’s own life experiences as amigrant from Lucknow in Mum-bai where he is now based. Livingfar from home, he could seldomgo back, and friends became asupport system. When you areaway there is a formality thatbuilds up even between familymembers, but to your friend, youcan say “Abbe char-sau de na( just lend me some money, ya),”explains the fi��lmmaker.
“I am making a real fi��lm,” heclaims. Set and shot in Noida andKanpur, Hum Chaar is about agroup of four friends, medicalstudents from diff��erent places inUttar Pradesh and North India,who have a fi��ght but ultimatelyrealise that all they have is eachother. By Rajshri standards, HumChaar is a “small fi��lm” with a newdirector and fi��rst-time music di-rector. The fi��lmmaker emphasis-es, the fi��lm still has the “marm”,the sensitivity and sensibility of aRajshri fi��lm that is perfect for the
studio’s existing audience and yetreaches beyond with its uniquevoice. “It doesn’t have my stamp,”he says with pride, but also adds,“friendship is also a beautifulrishta”.
Ramayana prismThis year, Hum Saath Saath Hai,a fi��lm with tremendous cross-gen-erational recall, completes 25years, while Maine Pyaar Kiawhich launched Khan is three de-cades old. Barjatya’s fi��lms are notsimply a celebration of family lifebut also expressive of deep nos-talgia and longing for it. Barjatyasays, “You can’t just start stayingtogether again,” but one shouldtake eff��orts to nourish and main-tain whatever ties that remain —“jitna rishta rakhte hai we shouldcelebrate it. We should meet in Di-wali, marriages, birthdays, anni-versaries — forget and forgive — atleast talk. We can’t say we want tolive like Ramayan, but if you takeone step so will the other.”
Through his fi��lms, Barjatyaurges us to at least try to “trust”each other. Today, across genera-tions, people are increasinglyfaced with loneliness and depres-sion and the only thing one has isfamily — which Barjatya defi��nesliberally to include friends, in-laws, spouses, and extended fa-mily, anyone worthy of the title.In a way, this is Rajshri’s core es-sence which has “always workedfor us right from 1962”.
Barjatya’s other appeal is to behonest with oneself, “everythingis about niyat” because of which“over these 30 years, I have seenmiracles happen, we have made58 fi��lms. My father launched Rak-hee [Gulzar], Jaya [Bachchan],Mithun [Chakraborty], Naseerud-din Shah, Madhuri [Dixit], Bha-gyashree, Salman”. The fi��lmmak-er warns us that fakingappearances “will not take youanywhere, just be yourself … yourwork and your honesty will makeyou stand out”, and not just in ci-nema but in any fi��eld and sphereof life. What’s next for Barjatya,after his stint as producer? A fi��lmwith Khan of course, which hewill begin scripting this summer.
Redefi��ning theIndian family
An introvert at heart,fi��lmmaker SoorajBarjatya onproducing ‘youngerfi��lms’ with the Rajshritouch
:: Rutwij Nakhwa Family man: Filmmaker SoorajBarjatya; (below) The cast of HumChaar * DINESH PARAB; SPECIALARRANGEMENT
