Kabir Khan and Harshaali on the sets of Bajrangi Bhaijaan. (Image courtesy: SKF YouTube)
Mumbai:
As Salman Khan's eighth-in-a-row blockbuster continues its parallel career of shattering box office records, Bajrangi Bhaijaan director Kabir Khan spoke to NDTV about a possible third collaboration with his lead star, the pint-sized Harshaali Malhotra who has won hearts as the voiceless Munni, and the original of Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Pakistani journalist.
On Harshaali Malhotra, the film's child star:
Kabir Khan: With each show, she is becoming bigger and bigger. The way people are reacting to her is out of control. The last time people felt this way about a child star was with Jugal Hansraj. We really worked hard to get the appropriate character. Casting director Mukesh Chhabria auditioned over a 1000 girls, even all the way in Kabul and Tehran. Harshaali is from Delhi, now living in Mumbai. She was one of 10 we selected for a workshop where she stood out not just because she looked like an angel, but for her inner drive. She wanted to do the film, she wanted to act, to perform - that makes a difference. Never seen a 6-year-old so happy to be part of the film.
On directing a 6-year-old:
Kabir Khan: The biggest challenge was also the biggest joy. When you direct a grown up, you give context and they dig deep and use craft etc. When you tell a 6-year-old, she says 'how do I do that?' and you sit with her, you work with her, make suggestions and then you start shooting and your heart is breaking watching this little girl crying onscreen. And then you say cut, and she's beaming, and that's amazing as a director - creating her from scratch, she's so magical onscreen. I'm thrilled with the response.
On Harshaali holding her own against Salman:
Kabir Khan: Always thought she would. I knew how he was going to be and the only way it would work was the balance between the superstar and the girl. From the workshop, I knew she would never get lost in the proceedings.
On the real Chand Nawab, who inspired Nawazuddin's Pakistani journalist:
Kabir Khan: The scene with Nawaz is an exact replication of Chand Nawab's viral video. Ever since I saw it, I fell off my seat laughing and thought I had to do this in a film. He's now a big hero back home. I'm thrilled about that. From the video, I thought him very endearing and cute, and he is. I spoke to him and he thought it was an example of failure, a bad PTC (piece to camera, for those new to journalistic parlance) and today one of the biggest Hindi films has based a character on him and it's such a validation. He's getting advertisement offers and is being called on chat shows. His only regret is his wife - he was in a hurry to wrap up the infamous PTC, his wife had asked him to head home fast and that's why he was rushing - his regret is that his wife is no longer alive to see it. Bajrangi Bhaijaan> is a positive film, so I'm happy he's happy. His character is a hero and important in the scheme of things in the film.
Watch the original Chand Nawab and his failed PTC:
On the possibility of a sequel, as 'confirmed' by Salman:
Kabir Khan: Salman has a habit of throwing out lighthearted comments. We've had two successful outings (the first was 2013's Ek Tha Tiger) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan is special. It's different, not expected from a pair that did a blockbuster earlier. It was risky. It's the anti-thesis of Salman, different from what he's being doing so successfully for the last 7-8 years. Now, the expectation is that we will come back with more. And we will - not sure when or where, but it will happen.
On the Hindu-Muslim themes in the film:
Kabir Khan: Salman's sister Alvira went to invite MLAs to watch the film. They wanted to organise a special screening and do it in other parts of the country as well. We want lawmakers to see it, it's an important film and so we are trying to reach out to as many people as possible. It celebrates our composite culture, the shared heritage of both religions. Bajrangbali (Hanuman, of who Salman's character is a devotee) is shared.
On Bajrangi Bhaijaan's upturning of box office trends:
Kabir Khan: There's been tremendous word of mouth. For Monday to match a Friday is virtually unheard of. It's had the largest non-holiday Monday in the history of Bollywood. If there's a 50 percent drop from Friday to Monday, the film is said to be safe and that applies to average openers. Apply that to one of the biggest openers - and you have history in the making.
On the film being made tax free in certain states:
Kabir Khan: That is something that can only be done retrospectively, we can't demand it. Being made tax free helps the film reach a wider audience.
On Harshaali Malhotra, the film's child star:
Kabir Khan: With each show, she is becoming bigger and bigger. The way people are reacting to her is out of control. The last time people felt this way about a child star was with Jugal Hansraj. We really worked hard to get the appropriate character. Casting director Mukesh Chhabria auditioned over a 1000 girls, even all the way in Kabul and Tehran. Harshaali is from Delhi, now living in Mumbai. She was one of 10 we selected for a workshop where she stood out not just because she looked like an angel, but for her inner drive. She wanted to do the film, she wanted to act, to perform - that makes a difference. Never seen a 6-year-old so happy to be part of the film.
On directing a 6-year-old:
Kabir Khan: The biggest challenge was also the biggest joy. When you direct a grown up, you give context and they dig deep and use craft etc. When you tell a 6-year-old, she says 'how do I do that?' and you sit with her, you work with her, make suggestions and then you start shooting and your heart is breaking watching this little girl crying onscreen. And then you say cut, and she's beaming, and that's amazing as a director - creating her from scratch, she's so magical onscreen. I'm thrilled with the response.
On Harshaali holding her own against Salman:
Kabir Khan: Always thought she would. I knew how he was going to be and the only way it would work was the balance between the superstar and the girl. From the workshop, I knew she would never get lost in the proceedings.
On the real Chand Nawab, who inspired Nawazuddin's Pakistani journalist:
Kabir Khan: The scene with Nawaz is an exact replication of Chand Nawab's viral video. Ever since I saw it, I fell off my seat laughing and thought I had to do this in a film. He's now a big hero back home. I'm thrilled about that. From the video, I thought him very endearing and cute, and he is. I spoke to him and he thought it was an example of failure, a bad PTC (piece to camera, for those new to journalistic parlance) and today one of the biggest Hindi films has based a character on him and it's such a validation. He's getting advertisement offers and is being called on chat shows. His only regret is his wife - he was in a hurry to wrap up the infamous PTC, his wife had asked him to head home fast and that's why he was rushing - his regret is that his wife is no longer alive to see it. Bajrangi Bhaijaan> is a positive film, so I'm happy he's happy. His character is a hero and important in the scheme of things in the film.
Watch the original Chand Nawab and his failed PTC:
On the possibility of a sequel, as 'confirmed' by Salman:
Kabir Khan: Salman has a habit of throwing out lighthearted comments. We've had two successful outings (the first was 2013's Ek Tha Tiger) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan is special. It's different, not expected from a pair that did a blockbuster earlier. It was risky. It's the anti-thesis of Salman, different from what he's being doing so successfully for the last 7-8 years. Now, the expectation is that we will come back with more. And we will - not sure when or where, but it will happen.
On the Hindu-Muslim themes in the film:
Kabir Khan: Salman's sister Alvira went to invite MLAs to watch the film. They wanted to organise a special screening and do it in other parts of the country as well. We want lawmakers to see it, it's an important film and so we are trying to reach out to as many people as possible. It celebrates our composite culture, the shared heritage of both religions. Bajrangbali (Hanuman, of who Salman's character is a devotee) is shared.
On Bajrangi Bhaijaan's upturning of box office trends:
Kabir Khan: There's been tremendous word of mouth. For Monday to match a Friday is virtually unheard of. It's had the largest non-holiday Monday in the history of Bollywood. If there's a 50 percent drop from Friday to Monday, the film is said to be safe and that applies to average openers. Apply that to one of the biggest openers - and you have history in the making.
On the film being made tax free in certain states:
Kabir Khan: That is something that can only be done retrospectively, we can't demand it. Being made tax free helps the film reach a wider audience.
