10 Q for RAJAT KAPOOR

1. Long back you have made a wonderful documentary title TARANA. Why you have left that world?

I was never really interested in documentaries- I never was- but tarana was my first film- then, I was willing to make anything - as long as it was on celluloid- you know 35 mm film- tarana was made for films division really, after that also, i have tried to get myself excited about documentaries, but no- my world is fiction- purely fiction!

2. What happened to your film Private Detective?

Nothing happened to it- it was made, shown at some festivals, some private screenings- that is it! the producers closed the company- never wanted to finish the film, or to release it- for them it was a matter of written off money- for me it was my first film- heartbreaking and bloody depressing!

3. How the idea of Raghu Romeo came to your mind?

I dont really remember what the first germ of the idea was- I think that ideas just float around in the universe- you simply have to stretch out a hand and pluck one- if the time is right you end up with a good one.

4. What you have learned and earned from RR.

I have earned my career out of it- if there was no Raghu Romeo, there would be no mixed doubles, and maybe no next film. so, right now I am making films because of Raghu Romeo. Money wise it was not a very good scenario, I lost a lot of money- but that was absolutely worth it.the film went to - believe it or not, 21 film festivals! That is a lot of prestige - and pleasure of watching your film with a new audience - in different countries.

5. The most striking moment of RR was News for Deaf and Dumb shown in TV. It stayed only few moments in the screen, but makes a permanent place in the mind of viewers. It is my opinion. According to you which moment is closest to your heart?

There are lots- the rap song, the kofta scene when sweety picks the gun and everyone is talking at the same time, the last scene when Raghu says "happy new year" to Sweety... many

6. How you conceived the idea of Mixed Double?

Stretched out and caught an idea. I was in Zurich waiting for my light next morning- the airport was closed so I had to spend the night at the railway station- did not want to spend money on a hole room just for 7 hours. So I decided to stay up, have coffee, and started writing something on a tissue paper- a napkin. that became mixed doubles.

7, There was a Bengali novel written by S K Mukhopadhay, title SAHABASH (Sleeping together). I don’t think that you have gone through that book. Great men think alike – proved again?

It is not an original idea- I mean it is generic, you would find similar stuff by Billy Wilder, Eric Rhomer, Woody Allen - and many other filmmakers I am sure- and writers

8. Once, I read somewhere that Kumar Sahni and Mani Kaul influenced you. Could you share your some interesting moments related to them with our readers?

Influenced? no! I am a student of these two great filmmakers. They taught us at the FTII- when I was studying there from 1985- 88 and after that I worked with Kumar on two films (Khayalgatha and Bhavantaran) and with Mani kaul on one (nazar). i have learnt a lot from these two - almost everything about films and a lot about the world that we live in.

9. If you get a chance to remake a film which one you will choose and why?

Very funny you ask me this- because I never thought about remaking a film- till just 2 weeks back and now I am sure I will make this- Albert Pinto ko gussa kyon aata hai- that is the film I want to remake. The immediate reason is Rang De Basanti- which is actually Albert Pinto gone lowest common denominator commercial

10. Who is closest to your heart – the Director or the Actor?

I see myself as a filmmaker of course- having spent so many years pursuing it but I love acting- I just love it. It gives me great freedom- and I enjoy it tremendously. It is my stress buster. And I love actors