Mohar Basu (BOMBAY TIMES; April 19, 2016)
In his directorial debut Kambakkht Ishq, Sabbir Khan had none other than Hollywood action superstar Sylvester Stallone in a cameo. However, the Akshay Kumar-Kareena Kapoor-starrer didn't create a stir. That experience taught him to follow his heart and free himself from the fear of the box office. In a tête-à-tête with BT, he talks about how these lessons came in handy while he was working on his forthcoming film, Baaghi, and why casting Shraddha Kapoor and Tiger Shroff was a risky business.
No one imagined that Shraddha could show such a flair for action. What prompted you to cast her?
I wanted the perfect blend of innocence and action. Her character, Sia, is a girl-next-door who retaliates when she is cornered. Shraddha had never tried action before, but casting her meant pushing the envelope. Moviegoers are now looking for versatility and this was a good opportunity to ensure that people saw her in a new light.
Tiger must have been an easy choice for you, since you had launched him...
Launch is a strong word. I discovered Tiger and showcased his best qualities on screen. After Heropanti, he had decided not to take up everything that came his way. I knew he suited the part in Baaghi. But I didn't want to impose a film on him. However, he loved the idea and that set the ball rolling.
Since Tiger and Shraddha are childhood friends, did their friendship enhance their on-screen chemistry?
On the contrary, it was risky. There is a big difference between camaraderie and chemistry. I was looking for a spark and had to push them to make them look like a couple.
The film's tagline, 'A rebel for love', can be misunderstood. Were you apprehensive about it?
Rebellion is good when you are trying to take a stand. I have grown up watching movies in single-screen theatres like Gaiety and Chandan, where families come together to enjoy a film. It is not in my DNA to make provocative cinema. I want to cater to grannies and kids alike.
Do you fear that it will face flak from the Censor Board for its heavy-duty action scenes?
I don't believe in adding excessive violence to my films. Moreover, Indian audiences aren't ready for gory films yet. The movie is about martial arts that teaches people not to raise their hand unless they need to defend themselves. When we were choreographing the action sequences, we worked meticulously to create scenes where people fight with bare hands.
Were you disheartened when your previous films didn't win much critical acclaim?
Critical appreciation follows a set pattern. It is easy to gauge the critics' likes and dislikes. Commercial directors are catering to viewers in Malabar Hill as well as Meerut. In trying to make a film that manages to capture such a larger spectrum, we sometimes tend to dumb things down. But more often than not, it seems that critics no longer like classic Indian storytelling. Why should we shy away from what is quintessentially Bollywood? That is our pedigree and that is what we do best.
Most critics have a common complaint that masala films aren't backed by intelligent writing anymore.Do you agree?
Not at all. Every filmmaker in our generation looks up to Rajkumar Hirani. He takes a regular subject, makes it intelligently and his films are entertaining.When I make a movie, I don't need to do something crass to grab eyeballs. When you are directing a film, you are obviously up for judgement but you can meet yourself in the eye only if you don't cheat yourself.
Do you feel the release day pressure?
I have kept myself away from the rat race. I don't believe that I have to make one film every year. I am happy on the Friday when my film releases and the week after that, I will be more than happy watching someone else's movie. I am a secure person.
