What prompted you to stage a comeback with Ek Tho Chance?
Rajat Kapoor comes and meets me and coaxes me to come back.
It’s a subject about Mumbai with all kinds of narratives running through it. When Rajat Kapoor beckoned me to return to filmmaking, I narrated the story, he loved it right away and convinced me to get back to Mumbai and make the film. So I worked out the script in my head first, re-wrote the draft and shot the film with some known actors and mostly newcomers from television, Marathi and English theatre.
What is Ek Tho Chance about?
It’s about the city basically–there’s a love story, an aspirational story of a migrant worker, a thief, a cop and what have you — it’s a mosaic of wonderful stories. All the stories are interwoven.
Ek Tho Chance refers to that one chance in this city to break free to state that ‘I am someone’. There is wisdom, humour and non-sense in the film. It all comes together. It’s a holistic vision of the city and its people and their lives.
Mumbai is like a machine, we are all cogs in this big wheel – we are all inter-linked to one another.
Isn’t the film primarily about migrant workers from the northern Indian states?
Migrant workers is only one strand of the fabric of Ek Tho Chance. They come here to realise big dreams in their hearts and souls. People who live here – middle class, upper-middle class, karigars and thieves – it’s about all of Mumbaikars.
There is an idealistic streak in you that is evident in all your films – Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro, Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho!, Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Ata Hai and Naseem. Does that echo in Ek Tho Chance too?
I like to dream an impossible dream. I am sometimes the prophet of doom. But Ek Tho Chance is a celebratory film. Hopefully, people will see the movie and identify themselves with the characters in it.
You always find the most amazing authentic locations for your films, where all have you shot Ek Tho Chance?
It’s been shot on locations all across the city – the streets, Worli sea face, slums of Mahim and mixed them all in– like a huge colourful carpet which is my city. I was born in this city and I know it well.
How about the motley cast of the film? When is Ek Tho Chance releasing?
Star cast is a mix of actors - Rajat Kapoor, Vijay Raaz, Saurabh Shukla, Amrita Arora, Pawan Malhotra, and lots of incredible cameos like that by Ashwini Kalsekar and Vasant Sonawane. Vinay Pathak has a walk-on role in it. The film will be ready by June end.
Where have you been travelling over the past 14 years? Which destinations in India would you recommend to us?
I love life. I love travelling. I travelled across India - covering 45,000 kms in six months by road, I set off with my wife and driver. I knock off three months on the road. Go to the North East - Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Tripura. I also travelled to Central Asia, North Africa.
How would you describe our country?
Our country, India is an incredible experiment. There is no country like this in the world. So many languages, dresses, cuisine and religions – look at the incredible salad it is! I just hope it works. India can set an example before the world and become a beacon of possibility of a dream, We are just 60 years old so we are roughing it out right now. But eventually it should work out.
Lastly, who are the most promising new directors on the horizons?
Thigmanshu Dhulia has a great understanding of powerplay in the North, Anurag Kashyap’s Dev.D is so good. Pankaj Advani is very good, his films are yet to release. I like Dibakar Bannerjee’s work. Their work gives some hope.