Ram Gopal Varma
Children of a scary god
I dislike children. And this is because of two reasons. One, because when those pesky little things are around no one pays me any attention which makes me jealous. And second, because they remind me of my age. The moment I see a kid comes the wake-up call that I have advanced in years, that I am an adult.
Fear is the key
For all the gymming that we do, and for all the psyching that we do to ourselves — that I am strong, I can survive as an individual, that I will never be a coward — there is an underlying uncertainty
Idea Ideals
Nothing could be more true than the line from an ad campaign which says, “An idea can change your life.” My entire life and career are a testimony of that, both in positive and negative ways.
Behind closed doors
I remember the day when I went to meet Mr Amitabh Bachchan in his office, after making an appointment. He arrived a little late and told me that he was tied up with some work to do with a film called Cheeni Kum.
Everybody is a nobody
Far too frequently, I have been credited for innovative ideas and also for discovering actors and technicians. But has it occurred to anyone what I might have thought about those ideas and the talents at a certain point of time?
The reason I took Anurag Kashyap on board for Satya had nothing to do with my perception of his talent.
I will love my haters more
Not very long ago, someone forwarded a website review of one of my films. I was thrilled on going through the venom spewed at me. I couldn’t believe the amount of hatred the writer nursed against me. Interestingly, he saw the film with much more intensity and seriousness than I had. He saw it with the sole purpose of raping it.
Similarly, on a visit to Pune Film Institute, I was amazed to hear the abusive, violent comments of one of the students against my work. I was amused but also felt sad for him.
Actors die but stars live on
On being told to see a particular film, most people ask, “Who is in it?” That’s how a star is born. The audience cannot predict how a film may be but they feel that they can at least depend on the star whom they are accustomed to.
My fascination continues
Now I am told she is making a comeback to the movies. Her photos are also seen much more frequently in the entertainment supplements of newspapers.
What’s in a title?
I have always been fascinated with movie titles. The first one I remember consciously is that of a western called Bad Day at Black Rock. It promises a highly emotional action flick shot at an exotic location. I say ‘emotional’ because we associated ‘bad day’ with what happens to a good guy whom we empathise with immediately. As for ‘Black Rock’, the location sounds dark and forbidding.
‘I’m allergic to awards’
For me awards and their corresponding events are at best entertaining events. At worse, they are worthless ,not vis-a-vis who is given which award but in terms of their structure itself.
