Amol Palekar on Paheli

“May I tell you what I want to say?” enquires Amol Palekar in a tone that is firm but not rude right at the beginning of the interview. He is responding to a question on his latest film Paheli, and whether it is a film adaptation of Duvidha - a story penned by the renowned Rajasthani author Vijay Dan Detha. “I don’t know where these journalists are getting the information from. They are giving out the story of the film, they are saying all kinds of things but nobody has spoken to me till date. You are the first person who has called to find out. Neither I nor Shahrukh Khan (the male lead and the producer of the film) have said anything on this. We will discuss the film’s plot and story at a later date but not right now. There are other things one can talk about in the meanwhile.”

Meanwhile, other things it is. For instance, Palekar is very happy to have Shahrukh on board. “When Sandhya (his second wife and collaborator on films. She’d worked on Anahaat as well) and I had gone there to narrate the film to him, we only had him in mind as an actor. When we finished narrating the script to him, there was a pause. Over what must have been his ninth cigarette, he looked up and asked whether he could produce the film. From that day on and till date, he has been completely involved. The man’s passion is amazing.”

But despite having been forewarned, the journalistic tendencies rear their head and one ends up asking if Amitabh Bachchan is playing a cameo in the film. “We can discuss this later too,” Palekar is at his inflexible best! But the field’s open on the next one. Is Farah Khan choreographing for the film? She has mentioned in an interview that she is re-training herself for the classical dance and music you may using in Paheli. “That is very sweet of her. She knows what she is doing and is free to say what she wants. And I say this with utmost sincerity.” But is she on the film? “Yes,” and that’s honestly is all he’s willing to part with – for now. Grin and bear it friends.

But Palekar is certainly more forthcoming on the music by MM Kreem. No, he isn’t willing to talk about the ‘kind’ of music it is, but on the music maker himself. “He is a most fascinating music director. There are very few music directors today who have the capacity to recreate the kind of melody which would remind you of the early 70s and the 80s. Composers like Madan Mohan, SD Burman they gave us enchanting music. Kreem too has the same ability.”

Palekar whose repertoire includes acting in theatre and cinema as well (“I am very proud of the work I have done as an actor but nonetheless it is a phase of my life which I’d like to put behind me now because it’s past”) has made several successful films till date. Among them are included landmarks like Akriet (1981), Ankahee (1984), Daayra (1997), Kairee (1999) and lately Anahaat (2003).

How bothered is he by the fact that his films (made primarily in Marathi though he works in Hindi too) are not as big or successful as some of the Hindi films? Incidentally Paheli is in Hindi and will be Palekar’s most high-profile film till date given that it has the superstar Khan’s presence. “I neither agree with what you’re saying nor bothered by the fact that they aren’t as big (at the box-office). My idea of making a film is very clear. If a subject fascinates me I want to share it with my audience. For me, the creative focus is dominant. I don’t start with a proposal or with a star cast in mind. (The work on the script comes first). So I don’t expect those yardsticks of success to apply to me. My last film Anahaat (apart from being critically acclaimed and awarded at national and international festivals) ran for 60 weeks in a Pune multiplex. Now, some people would say, ‘oh well, a single multiplex in Pune, and not elsewhere and all that…’ really, you decide whether you want to call that a commercial success or not? The film made enormous amount of money and was critically acclaimed. Perhaps people need to look at what they are talking about when mentioning commercial success.”

Palekar who likes to work on the research and the script of a film before going ahead with his shoot has spent three years on Paheli. He has scouted around for locations in Rajasthan and is currently in the middle of a hectic shooting schedule. “We started in the middle of February and will shoot at a stretch till the end of March.” How is Shahrukh juggling the dual role of the actor as well as the producer? “Shahrukh as an actor is another revelation for me. In spite of his success and superstardom he surrenders to the director completely. It has to be seen to be believed. After he finished reading the script over, we went through the script together, discussed it - the subtleties, the nuances and what his character’s graph would be. But even today, when he comes he rehearses, checks with me and works on whatever it is I suggest or point out. He is such a disciplined actor. He is perfectly capable of doing ten things simultaneously and yet remain absolutely focused.”

Well, like actor like director. The combination looks like a winning one. May the quietude before the storm pay off – in a big way.