The director is all set to launch Ahan Shetty with his next
Tadap/PR image
The director of Ahan Shetty’s debut opposite Tara Sutaria opens up about how he prepared the young actor for comparisons with dad Suniel Shetty, the differences between his film and RX 100, why he waited for a theatrical release and more.
What are the reactions you have been receiving for the Tadap trailer?
It’s not easy for a new actor to get this kind of response in a three minute showcase. We were nervous and cut several trailers to figure out how to present the characters best. We are happy with the response and there’s acceptance which is the first step in any actor’s career or any film’s journey.
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How did you decide to pair Ahan and Tara opposite each other?
The first surprise was when Sajid (Nadiadwala) called me and asked ‘Would you like to direct this boy?’ It was unexpected. I said I will, but I said I would like to meet, test him and see how much weight he can carry. I wasn’t interested in doing a college romance or just a boy meets girl story. I met him and found him to be quite intense, different from just a youngster wanting to make a mark. He’s focused and told me, ‘Sir I want to work with you because I like the blend that your movies have of entertainment and aesthetics.’ I thought that’s great, at least we were speaking the same language. I also tested Ahan and Tara together to see their chemistry, that's not something you can force or fabricate. I made them perform a scene from The Dirty Picture that Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan had originally performed. They were both so good that I was super charged and we could tell they would be perfect. I feel Tara has not got her due, she’s far more talented than the work she has done. It’s almost like Tara’s debut as well, the film gives her a lot of scope to perform. She’s pretty, talented, experienced and comes across nice in the movie.
Considering the original RX100 was a big hit, how different is your version?
There’s a basic approach in the film, which we kept in mind because the basic pillars of the film shouldn’t change, that’s the reason why we bought the film. We gave a lot of respect to that fact. We wanted a pan India appeal rather than an adult appeal. We worked towards that and moulded the romance differently. Pritam (music director) came into our life and brought about a huge change because the film started shaping up as a musical. We looked for locations that would be rugged as well as romantic and we found them around Mussoorie and Landour. So, the changes happened organically without fiddling with the story and characters. Our run time is shorter, they were at 2 hours 4 minutes we are at 2 hours.
When a star kid is launched the perception is usually its because of the family he belongs to, how did you prepare Ahan to deal with that?
The only thing I told Ahan is to be himself. There is only one Ahan Shetty in the world and you don’t have to be your father’s son, leave all the baggage behind. I showed him a few tricks of the trade and how to be his best. He is a talented actor that makes a lot difference. Otherwise you are trying to pad up around someone who isn’t ready for his job. He is a disciplined actor with no quirks or tantrums. He knew what he had to do and asked clear questions about what he didn’t understand. No phone calls, partying, tantrums, nothing. A director’s job is tough and if you get up thinking every morning he’s the son of XYZ it’s not going to help you. The audience is not impressed with lineage they want to see a good actor in a good product. The litmus test is the audience not perceptions.
You’ll waited for theatres for open rather than release the film on OTT…
It was not easy to take that decision. More than me because I felt it would be unfair for me to push my producers to wait because only they know the pressure they go through. Sajid and the team at Fox were supportive. They said the film has been designed for the big screen, though it was difficult to hold on they wanted it to be a big screen experience. I’m still working on the film because we couldn’t get into post production studios during the pandemic. The most difficult wait would have been for Ahan it’s his first film, one can imagine what could go through his mind. He’s shown remarkable character and we are glad we waited.
Also Read: Ahan Shetty and Tara Sutaria busy promoting their film Tadap
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