‘I did not interfere in Raaghav’s work’

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Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhan-sali rubbishes claims that he made life tough for debutant director Raaghav Dar during the making of My Friend Pinto.
“I did not interfere in Raaghav Dar’s direction. Everything in the film has been

done by him. He is a very talented boy and has assisted me in several projects. I drew a line between him and me and did not cross that line. I wanted him to put in all his creativity without any interference. I never forced him to change any scene. I was just there as a creative editor,” says Bhansali.
Having taken on the mantle of producer of late, Bhansali says he is busy preparing for his next movie as a director. “I did not disappear as a director. People asked me this question as if I have not made movies for a decade. I last directed Guzaarish and after that I started working on my next project. I will announce my next directorial movie next month and it will go on the floors by June,” he says.
Other than My Friend Pinto, he is busy producing Rowdy Rathore. “I am producing movies instead of directing them because I want to give a chance to fresh talent. I liked some scripts a lot and felt it would be fair for them to direct,” he says.
What attracts Bhansali to produce a movie? “The first thing that attracts me is the screenplay. If I like the screenplay, I will surely do it. I want to do different things that I have not done before. The concept should appeal to the audience. I will keep making different films,” he answers.
Talking about My Friend Pinto, he says, “My Friend Pinto is such a subject that it will leave a deep impact on everyone’s mind. The movie is about lost friends. When I heard the script, I remembered many of my friends with whom I lost touch. I used to live in a chawl and remember the people around me.
“Those people want nothing from me. They do not want any money or any role in my movies. They just want me to stay in touch with them or sometimes just speak to them. They want to know how I am doing and I try to keep in touch with all of them as much as I can.”
Bhansali has been working only with A-list stars like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. In Pinto, the film-maker has brought relative newbies Prateik, Kalki Koechlin and Arjun Mathur together. “For me, any good actor is A-list. You do not need to be a big brand to get this tag. For me, the guy who fits in the role is the biggest star. Prateik is a superstar. He is a long-run superstar and will rule the industry for a long time. Prateik is a very punctual actor; people have spread rumours that he is not punctual but I want to clarify that he comes on time and is very dedicated,” says Bhansali.
The filmmaker is quite candid about his box office failures, “I am happy with my work whether it works or not. Yes, sometimes you do feel bad when your hard work is not appreciated. You feel depressed. I give my hundred per cent, so I do not feel guilty for myself. With movies like Guzaarish I felt extremely happy with my work. It might not have been a huge success like Dabangg but it had the impact of changing the thought of a person. The same thing happened with Khamoshi: The Musical (1996). People tore the seat covers of theatres and the movie was appreciated only after 10 years.
“So I do not think about appreciation. I just make movies that I feel are unique and then give my best,” he finishes.