After a tumultuous stint of shooting for what promises to be his most controversial film to date, Karan Johar lets
off steam.
You could make a film on the things that happened during your Los Angeles schedule of My Name Is Khan.
Tell me about it. Besides normal problems, there were unforeseen problems. Thank God for my fabulous technical team. Without them I could never make my film the way I want to. Yes, there was stress.
There were visa problems for some Muslim members of your cast?
Yes, there were problems. We had certain legal issues. We had to make some changes to accommodate the developments. They were sorted out. I believe in completely going by the law of every land. That's what we did in LA when troubles arose.
Was Aamir Bashir replaced by Jimmy Sheirgil after a great deal of deliberation and pain?
I wouldn't say it was painful. Yes, we did have to do some serious re-thinking. I spoke to my casting director Shanu Sharma for immediate release. I was very happy to have Jimmy Sheirgil on board. I had done his clothes for Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein. So I know him from his debut. It was unfortunate that things didn't work out with Aamir Bashir. Like Jimmy he was terrific in A Wednesday. I look forward to working with him some other time.
Were you pissed off with Bashir for going to press about the visa problem?
I don't blame anyone for the situation. I don't see why the issue had to be reported so prominently in the Indian media. It complicated things for me. If creating hurdles for a filmmaker on a difficult foreign location makes news, so be it. It constantly kept creating stress for me.
Was it a painful experience to shoot in LA?
In all my 11 years as a filmmaker I've never felt the experience to be so different. Content- wise My Name Is Khan is diametrically opposite to whatever I've done in the past. You know, on the very first day of shooting my cameraman Ravi Chandran looked at me and said, 'I don't think you've ever shot something like this.' This is the first time I'm directing a screenplay I haven't written myself. This gives me a level of detachment from the proceedings and yet a lot of attachment. It has released a whole plethora of unexplored emotions in my head. This time I'm being creative in a different way. And Shah Rukh plays a completely different human being I've never directed that person before. It took a few days for all of us to get into the groove. How this exploration of a new territory will turn out, no one knows.
My Name Is Khan has no lip-sync songs.
No, none. The songs are all in the background. Even Rakeysh Mehra's Rang De Basanti didn't have lip-sync songs. But did we ever feel any loss? In LA we had fans coming to us to ask if there was any track like Suraj hua madhyam in My Name Is Khan. Little did they know. Music is an integral but seamless part of My Name Is Khan, like Rang De Basanti. This time there's no It's the time to disco and Where's the party tonight. But there's guts, soul and heart in the music. I've a huge comfort zone with my composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. That's the only way good work can be done. I wish more filmmakers would learn to have fun on the job. The day you start taking yourself too seriously is the beginning of the end.
Apparently Javed Saab refused to share lyrical credits with Niranjan Iyer?
Javed Saab is a father figure. And our rapport goes way beyond work. Niranjan has written the dialogues. Niranjan wrote two songs in My Name Is Khan. Javed Saab was gracious enough to offer to let Nirajan write the rest of the songs. And when I insisted Javed Saab had to write one song that only he could he very kindly agreed. He's also written the lyrics of my production Wake Up, Sid.
You're very generous about other people's work?
I come from a space where I believe the only way to be brilliant is to acknowledge brilliance. Of course I suffer from normal human failings like jealousy, insecurity and anxiety. But that doesn't stop me from acknowledging other people's good work. Of course you feel great sometimes when someone fails.
How was it directing Shah Rukh and Kajol again?
I am blessed to have them in my film. I don't know what it's about them. It's just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. They instinctively understand each other's acting. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol I know I'm doing my best work. These two characters in My Name Is Khan HAD to be SRK and Kajol.
You almost didn't get Kajol? Karan Johar More Pics |
You could make a film on the things that happened during your Los Angeles schedule of My Name Is Khan.
Tell me about it. Besides normal problems, there were unforeseen problems. Thank God for my fabulous technical team. Without them I could never make my film the way I want to. Yes, there was stress.
There were visa problems for some Muslim members of your cast?
Yes, there were problems. We had certain legal issues. We had to make some changes to accommodate the developments. They were sorted out. I believe in completely going by the law of every land. That's what we did in LA when troubles arose.
Was Aamir Bashir replaced by Jimmy Sheirgil after a great deal of deliberation and pain?
I wouldn't say it was painful. Yes, we did have to do some serious re-thinking. I spoke to my casting director Shanu Sharma for immediate release. I was very happy to have Jimmy Sheirgil on board. I had done his clothes for Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein. So I know him from his debut. It was unfortunate that things didn't work out with Aamir Bashir. Like Jimmy he was terrific in A Wednesday. I look forward to working with him some other time.
Were you pissed off with Bashir for going to press about the visa problem?
I don't blame anyone for the situation. I don't see why the issue had to be reported so prominently in the Indian media. It complicated things for me. If creating hurdles for a filmmaker on a difficult foreign location makes news, so be it. It constantly kept creating stress for me.
Was it a painful experience to shoot in LA?
In all my 11 years as a filmmaker I've never felt the experience to be so different. Content- wise My Name Is Khan is diametrically opposite to whatever I've done in the past. You know, on the very first day of shooting my cameraman Ravi Chandran looked at me and said, 'I don't think you've ever shot something like this.' This is the first time I'm directing a screenplay I haven't written myself. This gives me a level of detachment from the proceedings and yet a lot of attachment. It has released a whole plethora of unexplored emotions in my head. This time I'm being creative in a different way. And Shah Rukh plays a completely different human being I've never directed that person before. It took a few days for all of us to get into the groove. How this exploration of a new territory will turn out, no one knows.
My Name Is Khan has no lip-sync songs.
No, none. The songs are all in the background. Even Rakeysh Mehra's Rang De Basanti didn't have lip-sync songs. But did we ever feel any loss? In LA we had fans coming to us to ask if there was any track like Suraj hua madhyam in My Name Is Khan. Little did they know. Music is an integral but seamless part of My Name Is Khan, like Rang De Basanti. This time there's no It's the time to disco and Where's the party tonight. But there's guts, soul and heart in the music. I've a huge comfort zone with my composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. That's the only way good work can be done. I wish more filmmakers would learn to have fun on the job. The day you start taking yourself too seriously is the beginning of the end.
Apparently Javed Saab refused to share lyrical credits with Niranjan Iyer?
Javed Saab is a father figure. And our rapport goes way beyond work. Niranjan has written the dialogues. Niranjan wrote two songs in My Name Is Khan. Javed Saab was gracious enough to offer to let Nirajan write the rest of the songs. And when I insisted Javed Saab had to write one song that only he could he very kindly agreed. He's also written the lyrics of my production Wake Up, Sid.
You're very generous about other people's work?
I come from a space where I believe the only way to be brilliant is to acknowledge brilliance. Of course I suffer from normal human failings like jealousy, insecurity and anxiety. But that doesn't stop me from acknowledging other people's good work. Of course you feel great sometimes when someone fails.
How was it directing Shah Rukh and Kajol again?
I am blessed to have them in my film. I don't know what it's about them. It's just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. They instinctively understand each other's acting. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol I know I'm doing my best work. These two characters in My Name Is Khan HAD to be SRK and Kajol.
She had to read the script. That was it. She said yes. I wouldn't want any actor to say yes to my film just because he or she is a friend. I want my actors to really do the role. I've great friendships. But I don't want any actor to compromise on his or her basic tenets on cinema.
Was Kajol weighed down on location by her motherly duties?
Not at all. I've worked with Kajol in various stages of her life. I'm working her again eight years later. When we worked the last time she didn't have a daughter. So of course she's a different person. Today I find her calmer, more focused on her work than ever before. Of course she has a really cute daughter to look after. But Kajol manages to be fantastic wife-mother and actress. I find Shah Rukh and Kajol alike in their attitude to work and family. They're both so much into their spouses and kids. When the shot is over they rush to their respective family. On location in LA between shots they spoke to each other about their respective families.
How was Shah Rukh?
Time and again I'm blown away by Shah Rukh. How can he think of so many things about his character when he has so much on his plate? He has done monumental research on his autistic character. I was zapped by how much he knew on the subject. And he brought all the knowledge on the sets without any strain. He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character. And to him it was no big deal for him. He's ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it. His understanding of human nature and emotions can never be matched by me.
How was it shooting with Ravi Chandran for the first time?
I told him very frankly that I'm not technically savvy. I left it all to him. I've only contributed to the emotional energy of the film.
Are you satisfied with what you've shot so far?
I can't be satisfied. I just need to get the job done. I'm just anxious to move on to the next schedule.
Source: TOI
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