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'Don't give me so much importance'

He's just two films old -- rather, he will be, when Rockford releases next month. But Nagesh Kukunoor is already a well-known name in India. Hyderabad Blues, which he directed and acted in, won the hearts of film buffs, and he is once again ready to do the same with his second.

And while the world awaits the release of Rockford, he has already plunged into his third project, titled Bollywood Calling.

An Indian by origin, with international standards -- that's what he claims to be.

In this interview with Kanchana Suggu, Kukunoor speaks about his journey from Hyderabad Blues to the present.

When and how did you decide to go for a career switch?

Although the thought of making a film constantly lingered in my sub-conscience, I was unable to put it into practice for a long time. I was very good in Maths and Science, so like many others, I too was conditioned to believe I must pursue a career in Engineering or any other related field.

And I did. After having done my Masters, I worked for around three years as an environment consultant. Suddenly the thought of living in a suburb with two kids and a dog started looming large and it was only around '94 that I realised that it was just not my cup of tea.

So you decided to join the Warehouse Actor's Theatre in Atlanta?

Yeah. And I still go there. I had realised that an actor had so much to do with a film being liked or not. The Warehouse Actor's Theatre has helped me hone my skills, it has actually sharpened my abilities to a large extent. My technical knowledge became sound there. And believe me, I studied real hard doing everything that was required of me.

Do you think your success will encourage more and more directors to make your kind of movies?

People have tested these waters earlier, but I guess they met with limited success. My films are between the so-called commercial and art cinema. Films like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Kalyug and Ardh Satya also fall in that category.

But what is characteristic of my films is that they are all low-budget. Another thing is that I have successfully tapped the Hinglish audience. I don't think too many people were able to do that earlier.

Coming to Rockford, what was the most difficult part about making the film?

There were times when chaos ruled. You know we were dealing with real kids who had real school schedules. We had to communicate with their parents to let them know what was happening. I guess that was the most challenging part.

To add to all that, I met with an accident. I was constantly on painkillers. I would have to fight these bouts of light-headedness. There were times when we would start shooting at 6 am and continue non-stop till 12.30 the following afternoon.

But nothing could stop us from completing Rockford in 32 days.

At the end of all that, what was most satisfying?

The movie itself. I think I did the best that I could, given the time frame and the budget.

But wasn't it a little easier to get finances this time, following the success of Hyderabad Blues?

During the making of Hyderabad Blues, we would approach producers, expecting them to reject us. If someone agreed, it would come as a shock.

But during Rockford, we thought we were in a better position and that people would come forward with finances. But when that didn't happen, it was really frustrating. The sad part is that people considered the success of Hyderabad Blues a fluke.

How did you get Tutu Sharma to produce the film?

A friend of ours, Jack Bundra, was casually speaking to Tutu, saying that we were making a film. Tutu has always been interested in different kind of cinema. We approached him like thorough professionals. We had all the schedules, the budget, locations, screenplay everything on paper. I guess that's what impressed him so much. Today, I think Tutu is a very happy person.

Did his experience help you?

I think his experience will come into the picture now, at the distribution stage. I must say it was really nice to have him as our producer. We had complete freedom. He never once interfered with anything. We got our much needed space.

Were you surprised when the film got a U/A certificate?

Shocked -- that's more like what I felt. But I guess we can call ourselves lucky because we got away with some very minor cuts. It could definitely have been worse.

Which are the festivals Rockford has been screened at?

Rockford went to Cinefan in New Delhi, the Trivandrum Film Festival, Hyderabad Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival.

The Delhi film festival was special. It was amazing. The audience empathy was so strong. They got every single line. They didn't miss a thing. That's what made it so special.

In Trivandrum, the audience was a little more guarded. The problem with Hyderabad was that the hangover of Hyderabad Blues was too strong. People expected something similar, I think.

Was the casting of Nandita Das in Rockford prompted by a business sense -- to cash in on her star status?

Nandita Das is a good friend. Then again, we needed a really attractive person, a woman the entire school would fall in love with, at first sight. And who else would be more convincing than Nandita?

I don't think we have used her star status at all. In fact, people came up to us and said, 'You have Nandita Das in your film and all you're making her say is good morning!'

What next? Will you now work with big names in Bollywood?

I can only do short and sweet low-budget films. With Bollywood stars, you face the perennial date problems and I wouldn't really want to break my schedule. I usually do things at one go. For me, it's a normal practice to finish anything and everything that I take up, without any break.

Oh yes, I'd like to add that I would love to work with Aamir Khan sometime in future. I think he's an exceptional actor.

Your first film had a budget of around Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 15 lakhs. Rockford was made on a budget of Rs 1 crore. Where do you go from here?

May be, a little higher. When you make a film for the international market, you need to have a lot of money. A Hyderabad Blues doesn't work all the time. Since one is judged by the films that one makes, I believe it is extremely important to put a good deal of money into your films.

What do you expect from Rockford?

I have no clue. Actually, I don't believe in having any kind of expectations. In my view, it's all false. Of course, I can always give the Bajaj ki lehren answer -- 'it's different' and all that stuff, but liking or disliking a film is something so subjective, so intangible. According to me it's like saying whether you like my emotion or not.

What’s Bollywood Calling all about?

It's about a white American cast in Bollywood. It's a behind-the-scenes look at commercial cinema.

And do you feature in the movie?

No, I don't.

What do you enjoy more-- directing or acting?

For me, directing is the best job. In a director's seat, you are so much in control. Sometimes, you can't be too harsh on an actor, but the best part is that when it comes to the editing stage, it's still my baby. I can do whatever I want then.

Did you ever consider anyone else for the role of Johnny Matthews in Rockford?

Actually, I did. But when I thought about it, I realised that the whole exercise was quite unnecessary. Firstly, I would have to pay another actor, which I didn't really want to do. But that was just a minor issue.

The real reason was that I was scared that Johnny Matthews would stand out. Believe me, I was petrified by that thought. I felt that probably the actor would get a little carried away by the 'gym teacher with a troubled past' bit. That wouldn't be correct as the movie is basically about three boys, or at a lower level, it is about Rajesh Naidu. That's how I decided against casting another actor.

You once said that in future you will be making films with American themes...

I think I meant universal themes. My films are always based on universal themes. Hyderabad Blues was all about coming home, Rockford is about growing up. So you see, my films are the kind that everybody in the world can identify with. I only use my Indianness for the world market.

Finally, are you enjoying all this fame and popularity?

To tell you the truth, just when Hyderabad Blues was picking up momentum, we got into Rockford and now I'm already on to Bollywood Calling. So practically, I haven't had a day off since then. Of course, it feels nice to be recognised. I am not denying that.

But I don't think I can ever get carried away with fame and fortune, because I got into this line with a very specific intent. Fame is not my driving force. It's just a good kick. I will never have starry airs. I believe these things only breed out of insecurity. Today, I am as arrogant and as confident as I was one-and-a-half years ago. I always need my space.

It's just that now people sit and analyse every move of yours. All of a sudden people take you seriously and watch everything you do. Don't give me so much importance. I am just another film-maker and that is my only claim to fame.

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