For director Abhishek Kapoor, making Kai Po Che! was not easy.
Mumbai:
Adapting Chetan Bhagat's novel "The 3 Mistakes of My Life" into a full-fledged film Kai Po Che! was never going to be easy. And director Abhishek Kapoor kept his other project - sequel of Rock On!! - waiting to concentrate on this big screen adaptation. Sitting in his Khar residence, he chats about his Sushant Singh Rajput-Amit Sadh-Rajkumar Yadav starrer and his equation with Farhan Akhtar.
Question: You had two films at the same time. Why did you choose Kai Po Che! and not Rock On!! 2?
Abhishek Kapoor: When I took on this book to adapt it into a screenplay, I realised that it was not going to be easy. I had only worked on original screenplays before. There are different rules to the game when you are making a film but ultimately we cracked it. I can't deny the fact that it is an adaptation but we have also added a lot of value to the script.
Question: After Rock On!! you had the luxury to work with stars. Why newcomers?
Abhishek Kapoor: The film got me acclaim and I thought why not make my next one with stars? I had done my best work. But I realised that if I get one star then the other two would look like flunkies, which I did not want. After all Kai Po Che! is a story of three friends. I firmly believe that every film has a destiny of its own and that is what has happened. If I can't make a film now that I really want to, then I should not be in this business at all.
Question: How have you dealt with the many riot portions in the novel? Were they tricky?
Abhishek Kapoor: See, Kai Po Che! is not about the riots and I know that they can sometimes turn out to be provocative and controversial. They are there in the film but in the right measure. Also I am not qualified enough to understand who is right or who is wrong. I am qualified to understand human relations and the film is about friendship and emotions. I don't lie to be preachy.
Question: Initially Farhan Akhtar was part of this project. How are things between him and you now?
Abhishek Kapoor: I love that boy! Sometimes you do not agree with everything. For me it was very important to make this film as I had committed myself to this book and most importantly I believed in the story. There is nothing personal and my relationship with him is fine.
Question: You had two films at the same time. Why did you choose Kai Po Che! and not Rock On!! 2?
Abhishek Kapoor: When I took on this book to adapt it into a screenplay, I realised that it was not going to be easy. I had only worked on original screenplays before. There are different rules to the game when you are making a film but ultimately we cracked it. I can't deny the fact that it is an adaptation but we have also added a lot of value to the script.
Question: After Rock On!! you had the luxury to work with stars. Why newcomers?
Abhishek Kapoor: The film got me acclaim and I thought why not make my next one with stars? I had done my best work. But I realised that if I get one star then the other two would look like flunkies, which I did not want. After all Kai Po Che! is a story of three friends. I firmly believe that every film has a destiny of its own and that is what has happened. If I can't make a film now that I really want to, then I should not be in this business at all.
Question: How have you dealt with the many riot portions in the novel? Were they tricky?
Abhishek Kapoor: See, Kai Po Che! is not about the riots and I know that they can sometimes turn out to be provocative and controversial. They are there in the film but in the right measure. Also I am not qualified enough to understand who is right or who is wrong. I am qualified to understand human relations and the film is about friendship and emotions. I don't lie to be preachy.
Question: Initially Farhan Akhtar was part of this project. How are things between him and you now?
Abhishek Kapoor: I love that boy! Sometimes you do not agree with everything. For me it was very important to make this film as I had committed myself to this book and most importantly I believed in the story. There is nothing personal and my relationship with him is fine.
