JOIN USExploring fresh pastures
Tarun Mansukhani is a South Mumbai denizen who’s now been a part of the late Yash’s and Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for over a decade. Hooked on to dramatics since school and college, Tarun had films ‘somewhere’ on his mind even as he worked with ad agency Equinox and acted in Aanand Mahendroo’s Dekh Bhai Dekh when he was just 15.
“When I assisted Karan on Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, everyone was double my age!” he says, as we chat in his office. Tarun felt good when Karan told him that he would produce a film if he had a good story and script. “But I took such a long time because I needed to mature before taking the plunge and also I had to be careful since I would be using someone else’s money to make my film!” smiles the cool and casual writer-director.
His stint at boarding school made Tarun opt for a story on friendship. But just another story on dosti was anathema to him. “When I homed in on the gay theme, I was considered nuts to think that such a story would work! But I wanted my message movie to be a fun film. I kept the humour subtle and non-preachy.”
Tarun had never been a Hindi film buff, so he learnt valuable lessons from Karan and Aditya Chopra. “I had to understand what a Hindi film and an audience was. It was a learning process. Adi told me, for example, that movie theatres are the schools in which we grow as filmmakers.”
If things went smoothly for his maiden film, there were areas of hiccups as well — Saif Ali Khan, Tarun’s choice for Abhishek Bachchan’s role, could not adjust the dates, so Abhishek was shifted to his role and John Abraham replaced Abhishek. The music took eight long months.
Released last November, Dostana proved a winning proposition. “To me however, the respect I have earned from the industry meant much more,” says Tarun. “My producer is happy, unknown people compliment me on Facebook and e-mail and even Saif Ali Khan called up to say that he loved my film. The best thing was that the audiences went to see an Abhishek, John and Priyanka Chopra film and came back involved and entertained by the lives of Sam, Kunal and Neha.”
Perhaps this is the reason why Tarun cannot envisage a film that is written by someone else. “I have this block that no one else should know my characters better than I do. If Abhishek wants to ask something about his character Sam, I’d hate someone else answering him from behind me. Besides, badly-written characters can ruin even a good plot,” says the young director.
What about news reports that he is planning a sequel to it? “Honestly, I know as much about this sequel as you do,” he smiles. “They have even told me my cast, storyline and even locations, so it has now become one of the possibilities open to me. But I’d prefer a step forward and a new challenge!”
Tarun’s mantra is to take taboo or risky subjects and treat them lightly. “I want to make people think I am nuts all over again. Or I would love to make someone cry while dealing with what is normally a laughing matter. The word ‘safe’ goes against a writer. I may make an action film, another comedy or a drama-based film. Right now, I am bored to death and would prefer to let things take their course.”
But Tarun isn’t idle, being neck-deep in directing Karan’s animation version of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, titled Kootchie Kootchie Hota Hai. Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji, three of the four lead artistes of the original, will be doing the voiceovers.
“Animation takes forever, so I do not know when we will finish,” he says. “Only after work ends will be figure out the post-production but we should hit theatres in early 2010,” he feels.
How is an animation film different from a regular feature for him? “My interaction with my actors in an animation film is 24/7,” he says. “The characters will do whatever I want but if they want to move a hand from here to two feet higher, they will take two weeks. There is no cinematographer or production designer around to help me decide details on my sets like wall colour, a lamp’s power and so on. I have to plan every single detail!”
A complete ‘masala’ entertainer, Kootchie... however has definite deviations from the original by way of new characters ‘played’ by Riteish Deshmukh, Simi Garewal, Sajid Khan and Anupam Kher, who does a role different from the original. “The story had to be altered. Otherwise why would someone who loved KKHH and owns its DVD want to go watch an animated version?” he reasons.
For Tarun, fresh pastures are clearly vital. “Even if on small scales, unconventional stuff is finding takers. I want to do newer things and aim for as wide an audience as possible!” concludes the young filmmaker.