Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Film Director & SRCC Alumnus, in conversation with Puja Verma and Medha Choudhary.
He was pressed for time and was only in Delhi for a few hours, so we travelled with him in the car all the way to Gurgaon, all the while having this interview.
Q. You have done your higher education from Shri Ram College of commerce, how do you remember those days? Do you think things have changed now?
A. I remember my college days vividly. Those three years were the best years of my life. I was a B.com student and at that time, there was no scope for higher education in SRCC itself. Had it been possible, I would have spent some more time in SRCC. I have some of the fondest memories from those days. Those three years were the most impressionable years of my life. The basis, the very foundation of whatever I am doing was laid in those three years.
Q. What were your favourite hangouts? Any memorable experiences which you would like to share with us?
A. I was the swimming captain of the college so most of the times we used to hangout outside the National stadium or near the college pool. Then there was also the badminton court and the canteen of course. I clearly remember the first day of college; I was very excited because it was the first time we were actually out to study, first time when we were not wearing uniforms.And then suddenly I felt 100 years old! I entered the college only to find it deserted... it was not buzzing with people as I had expected. Then I realized that everyone was in the library!!!... (Laughs)
Q.You were born and brought up in Delhi. Genrally people form an unbreakable bond with the city and keep coming back to it. Was Delhi -6 inspired by you days here?
A. Delhi-6 is the pin code of Old Delhi. I was born and brought up in Delhi. Both my paternal and maternal families live here. I spent my childhood, the most impressionable years in Delhi and that has left an indelible mark on my psyche. I did a lot of research before I began working on Delhi 6 and realized that though there were more mobile phones, TV antennas, malls, etc but the basic mindset of people had not changed. By changing the mindset I mean leaving the comfort zone and trying to fly to areas where you are scared to go... away from your family! I realized that there are the same problems—Hindu –Muslim tussles, dowry, and marriage of a daughter that still persist.
Q.Did you ever feel that having a commerce background has made if difficult for you to pursue film making, at least in the beginning?
A. Not really! A lot of people have asked me the same question and my answer to them is, movie making is actually very close to life. It’s about telling a story, it’s about emotions. Studying commerce and economics does not make you cut off from politics, society, family, relationships etc. For instance if a doctor makes a movie, he will probably make it on organ transplant or.... ill health. Studying commerce and economics is very important, it actually helped me during movie making like the movie budgets, the debits and credits, inflows and outflows etc.
Q.Rang De basanti is considered a cult classic among the youth. The audiences directly connected to the depiction of the university in the movie. Was it inspired from your personal days at college?
A. Rang De Basanti was inspired by my college days. We were a bunch of four friends just like in RDB. One of them was me obviously! We frequently used to visit India Gate and Suraj Kund. We had a desire to do a lot of things, change a lot of things! Some of my friends who have comfortable jobs have lost the most precious years of their youth. When we are in college, we have to take a decision; we can’t go after a career all the time. Life is more than just a career. I feel happiness is more important.
I nearly flunked all my campus recruitment interviews. I could not satisfy my interviewers because I asked them “what will you want me to do? Is there room for imagination? Will you give me the chance to spread my wings and fly?” They would get really puzzled and not take a chance.
The pressure on the youth today is tremendous. I am surprised why they don’t have grey hair already!! (Laughs) There is fear of everything. I think these needs to be addressed very fast. Youth today are intelligent but it feels they think like old people. They should go out and take the risk. If they break their bones, they will mend.It’s a young age. Life should be enjoyed!!
Q.Right from garment fabrication to advertisements, you’ve always followed your heart. Did the possibilities of failure never discourage you?
A. (Laughs).... I believe stories of failure are never told because nobody’s interested in them!! I believe failures are the recipe to success.If you put more and more failures in a jar, success will come out. I invested in a lot of failures and that has leaded me to find my success. One of the ideologies that I really believe in is ‘NEVER FEAR’. Fear is something which will turn you into a mutant. Why fear? Once you accept loss at the onset, then everything will be fine. For example, if you have your final exam—ask yourself-“zyaada se zyaada kya hoga? 90% nahi ayenge!” Always be guided by your conscience, not fear!!
Q. You were doing excellent in your career as an advertisement professional. Right from making MTV appealing to Indian Audiences to da award winning documentry for Amul your experience in this field is immense. What made you switch to movies then?
A. I had this desire to tell a story. In advertising, you are just selling, working under the oral umbrella of marketing. As I grew, I realized that my life is not meant to sell a hero Honda or soap.... it can’t be that! I believe that in one lifetime you can only do one thing like Dr. Kureian (his mentor) who founded AMUL (Anand Milk Union Limited).
I’ll give you another example. When I talk to Aryan Murthy (we work together in the advisory committee of the NGO-Janagraha) I feel he has just started his life.His dream is to see that the entire country votes one day! They have a lot to say and comment about but when it comes to exercising their rights they back out. That is why the country is lead by corrupt politicians. The idea behind JAAGTE RAHO was make the entire country vote, make their voting card, inform them about candidate’s bio data.
I believe the area of public service is very interesting and dynamic. It’s more vibrant and satisfying than anything else.
Q. Out of all the movies that you have made, which one is the closest to your heart and why?
A. Delhi 6 is the closest to my heart. It’s a more difficult story to tell. The one you people saw was a different one. The actual one was very dark, it’s a dead boy telling a story with an unhappy ending unlike the Indian version. I am receiving a national award for it today and also one at the Venice film festival for the same.
Q. The climax of your movie Rang De Basanti was rather controversial...it seemed that the appropriate solution to the problem in the system is resorting to violent killing of the ill-doer...don’t you think it gives a wrong message to all the youth that was so influenced by your movie?
A. (Shuffles) You are talking about the sentiment, not wisdom!!These kinds of questions are frivolous. Nobody bought a gun and killed the defence minister after seeing my movie. Instead there were candle marches for Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Matoo. Movies are not meant to be politically correct, my job is not that. In the movie, the boys, after killing the defence minister realize what they have done is a mistake hence they give themselves up, but not before telling the world about it. In Australia, this movie is a part of the curriculum of class 4th and 6th; they would not do that if they thought it would lead to a wrong impression on the students.
Q. With so many successful movies, can you give us a glimpse into some of your future projects? Any plans of another rang de basanti in our very own SRCC? ;)
A. I am producing for young directors. I am supporting youngsters in their exciting and vibrant ideas. I am also making a movie called Bhaag Milkha Bhaag which is based on the life of milkha singh. It has been shot in North Campus.
It’s based on the true life of milkha singh. His parents died when he was 12 and lost all his family members during partition. He fled from Pakistan, he had no education, no house, he was left on the streets, and he grew up to be a convict, was in Tihar jail for many years but always wanted izzat ki roti. He was the one who made the world record! When you pass out of SRCC, you will not be readymade economic policymakers; it has to come from within. Run the world from here, you are a good as anyone, with equal opportunity.
I am also doing an animated movie called BLUE BOY, then a movie called PAANCH KAURAV (name undecided)—which is about search of lost roots of lord Krishna; then there is MIRZA GHALIB which is a musical.
One thing which really irritates me nowadays is heroes and heroines singing in movies. Now the times have changed, you can’t have a gangster and a police officer singing on the roadside at the same time! ;) Hence my movies don’t work that much because change is not accepted.
Q. We've heard you enjoy cooking? Do you get time to pursue such simple hobbies given the busy schedule you have? Any other hobbies you would like to share with us?
A. Yes, I love to cook. I cook at least one meal in a day, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s like my Timeout, my therapy! I generally get up early in the morning and prepare lunch boxes for my kids.
Other than that I like deep sea diving.I do that twice a year. Also, once a year I go to Ladakh or Leh for trekking.
In college days, we used to catch a bus from ISBT every other weekend and go to Manali for trekking! God! Those were the days!
RAPID FIRE
Q. TAGLINES:
One person or incident that you recall relating to these proverbs:
- All that glitters is not gold-PROGRESS OF INDIA
- A burnt child dreads fire-INDIAN HOCKEY TEAM
- Great talkers are little doers – LALU PRASAD YADAV
- Call a spade a spade- SONIA GANDHI
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket- BE A VEGETARIAN..... NAA RAHEGA AANDA... NAA RAHEGI BASKET!!
Q. WORDS:
First thing that comes to your mind when I say the following words:
Indian politics- NON GOVERNANCE
Srcc then and now- COOL AND UPTIGHT
Rang de basanti- PART OF LIFE
Critics-TALKERS NOT DOERS
Commonwealth games- OPPORTUNITY IN DISGUISE
Bollywood at IPL-WHAT’S BOLLYWOOD??!!
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