Anne Seibel, Oscar nominated production designer on 'Befikre' set in Paris, had also worked in 'Midnight In Paris'
Aditya Chopra and Woody Allen
That no one does romance like the Yash Raj camp is well known in filmi circles. And in the opinion of Oscar-nominated art director Anne Seibel, who has worked with Woody Allen for 'Midnight In Paris' (2011), director Aditya Chopra has romanced Paris like none ever has.
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"Aditya told me right at the start that he wanted to do something different from usual… something like When Harry Met Sally (1989), but closer to A Bout de Souffle (1960), which is intrinsically more European. Aditya knows what he wants and it's a pleasure to have a director who has the film inside out in his head. Though he is mostly flexible, he could be quite a taskmaster when needed," says Seibel.
Vaani Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in Befikre
For someone who has worked with Woody and Clint Eastwood, how different was fashioning a Bollywood set? "I have been recreating France in many European countries for Hollywood. For instance, we recreated Paris in Budapest for Munich, Prague for GI Joe and also period Paris and France for Woody. But, Befikre was novel for me and so was doing a contemporary romance comedy set in Paris, Picardy and South of France with Bollywood song and dance.
It made me rediscover the city from a fresh perspective. Moreover, this could be my first work project with Bollywood, but I have watched a lot of Hindi movies and I love them. On set, it felt like working with family amid laughter and spicy Indian food," she says.
A still from Midnight In Paris
Though Paris' romance angle has been explored several times on celluloid, Seibel feels Befikre takes it beyond touristy versions reflected on postcards. "We have covered all iconic locations, right from Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Notre Dame and Buttes Chaumont, but shown them from an insider's eyes. There are long romantic walks on cobbled roads, quaint cafes, even gorgeous long shots of rooftops. Yes, it has all been used and re-used, but Aditya's imagination made even Parisians like me see the city differently. Befikre is a love letter to Paris and the city's character and personality quite naturally gelled with the story."
Anne Seibel
Personally, Seibel would like to create a world that doesn't exist. "I would love to design something like a Tim Burton movie, or a fantasy world. I have two projects where I might be able to create that kind of world," she signs off.
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