Aamir is a non-interfering actor
Brushing all controversies aside, Reema Kagti talks about ‘Talaash’, among other things.
Reema Kagti did not choose Aamir Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor for her film ‘Talaash’ on her own. “It was the other way round; they chose me to direct them. I worked as an assistant to Aamir Khan for ‘Lagaan’, ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and since then I have had a great rapport with him. However, I could not tell Aamir during the ‘Lagaan’ days that I would like to do a film with him. Our busy schedules did not permit me to take this idea to him,” says Reema.
She adds, “The idea is Zoya’s and we both jointly scripted it. We have a similar thought process. Unquestionably, Aamir, too, participates in every aspect of filmmaking. The others may get tired but he is one actor who sits until the idea becomes worthwhile. Definitely, it is not easy to convince him. I wanted to make the film with him, but it didn’t seem to work. We had decided to opt for someone else, but that too didn’t work out. Finally, after two and a half years, while I was away enjoying Parkour at Goa, I was informed that Aamir had some dates available and then we went with the script to him. To my surprise, he liked the storyline instantly and then later on we worked on his dates. Once Aamir was finalised, half the work was done.”
However, Rani and Kareena too were Reema’s first choice. “Rani plays Aamir’s wife while Kareena is the other lead in the film. Whether Aamir gets attracted to Kareena while visiting Kamathipura or not can be seen once the film releases. I can assure you that both Kareena and Rani are fantastic actors. While Rani likes to get into the minutest details and keeps inquiring about every twist and turn, Kareena believes in just being spontaneous after reading the script. Both actors are meticulous. Rani is like a front-bencher — intense and serious. While Kareena can be compared to the back-bencher students. Yet, she is perfect and effective with all situations and at the right time. They are both very fine actors,” Reema says, refusing to divulge much about Rani’s character.
“Whether Rani’s character portrays a wife in desperation who is being cheated on by her husband or not is something you will have to wait and watch,” she adds.
Updating the story a bit, Reema confesses, “‘Talaash’ is a suspense drama. It is an emotional saga with innumerable layers. The tale is coated with an intriguing man-woman relationship with certain sensibilities.”
Working with Aamir, she says, she has understood who he really is, “Yeah! Aamir propagates a serious air around him but to tell the truth, he is a real prankster. He stands up like a school boy and always does something
which you wouldn’t believe he would
be capable of.”
Reema agrees that there has been no pressure on her with respect to direction from any of the actors. “Aamir did discuss the scenes before we started the shoot. He did follow me, the director, as he did what was needed for the scenes. All the discussions go into the advantageous stage of filmmaking with Aamir around. His worthwhile discussions do help in every aspect of filmmaking. Aamir’s focus on the script empowers it inadvertently. I do not know whether he blindly followed me as the director, you need to ask him that. On the whole Aamir is a non-interfering actor on the sets,” she says.
Reema feels filmmaking is a business and the creative people must get a free hand. “Comparisons and restrictions jeopardise the product. Also, music in Indian films plays an integral part. Without music our films will lose charm. Nonetheless, addition of unnecessary item numbers should not be the need of a good cinema,” opines Kagti.
Life on the personal front is quite interesting. “I do not belong to the boys’ gang at all,” she says, laughing. “But yes I am adventurous by nature. I was very naughty during my childhood. I remember, while dad was posted in Digboy, a small town, I just wanted to pluck some tasty guavas. Not knowing that the branches of the tree near my house were stooping low towards a ditch. I climbed the tree and being unable to alight it I had to keep hanging by it for more than two hours. People from around my locality gathered together and tried to save me. Since then whenever I go there they remember me as that same tom boy who kept hanging to the branches of the guava tree,” she says and adds, “I love to read, listen to some good music while I am holidaying. I also love to cook and relish my cooking.”
Being a cinema buff, Reema has watched most of the Hindi films ever since she grew up. “I was diehard fan of Amitabh Bachchan. When I worked for ‘Lakshya’ with him it was unbelievable for me to be so close to him. He has a mesmerising persona. But, I did not get any chance to converse with him. It would be like a dream come true for me if anything viable comes across and I am able to direct him,” says the director in her without mincing words.
Lastly, Reema mentions about her next venture before concluding the interview, “I am planning a comedy next, the details are yet to be worked out.”
Lipika Varma
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