'I always have a child in my movies'

Sai Kabir, the director of the critically acclaimed and well-received film, Revolver Rani, has spent a good amount of his college days in Bangalore so it wasn’t a surprise when he decided to come back to shoot for his next film, Jawaani. 

He took some time off to share his sentiments about the City and experiences in Bollywood with Metrolife. 

“I studied engineering in Dayananda Sagar and showcased my debut play at Alliance Francaise, as a playwright and director. I started my active art and theatre career here so it feels very nostalgic and great coming back,” he says.

Currently basking in the success of his film, he is geared up and ready to work hard on his next projects. “‘Divine Lovers’, my next film, is in collaboration with the French producer, Leonard Glowinski, who was the ex-head of two leading French studios.

And Jawaani is a youth love story and is set in a modern, urban set up.” About the reception of Revolver Rani, he says, “It’s a strong, woman-centric film. Since I have a strong interest in politics and this movie has a lot of political sub-plots and cross-references. The message is a social one and the film is pretty tricky. Nobody was expecting a film like this.” 

Talking about the shoot, he says, “It was very difficult shooting in Chambal. People kept saying we shouldn’t shoot there but we managed. It was also very hot and the crowd was violent but, ultimately, they let me shoot instead of shooting me.”

The film, known for its sly and dark humour and racy dialogues, starred Kangana Ranaut and Vir Das. “Kangana is a champ and it was like working with my best friend. I was lucky with the cast.” 

 He adds, “It’s a great time for the young to enter, as there are different opportunities open for youngsters to hone their talent. I owe it to directors like Dibakar Bannerjee and Anurag Basu for creating such venues. A film can either be good or bad. I don’t understand distinctions like art, middle or commercial cinema.”

Keeping certain critical aspects while shooting, the pedantic director says, “I always have a child in my movies because for me, they represent hope. I also prefer shooting in real locations rather than on set.

 The tragedy in Bollywood is that, a lot of times, people are dependent on the set. If a set is used, it should be used in such a way that it should look real. I also believe that script writing is very fundamental to a movie as it binds the film together.”