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Goldie calls the shots again

Mrudula Rajyadhyaksha

Vijay Anand. Click for bigger pic!

In his blue-striped loose off-white T-shirt, Vijay Anand can pass for the uncle next door. And the way he casually roams the sets of Jaane Na Dil Se Door he might even not be working there.

Vijay Anand is returning to film-making after 15 years, after a forgettable Rajput. And he doesn't appear to have changed much, bar a few more white hair, a few more wrinkles. Right now, he's settled in a chair and overseeing the place where the hero and heroine are to meet comedian Dinesh Hingoo for the first time.

That's Jaganlaxmi bungalow at Jogeshwari actually, the first floor of which has been converted into what could pass for a publisher's office.

By now, the director's all business-like, instructing the artists about their various moves. The heroine in a skimpy orange skirt and a suitably tight top is to walk into the office. The comedian is to try and cozy up to the woman and the irked hero is to haul him off and move in himself.

The camera begins whirring and the first bit goes without a hitch. The girl walks in, the comedian makes his move but the hero waits too long before grabbing him by the hand and pulling him off. Cut!

Vijay Anand speaks quietly, inoffensively, "Cut him short. His lines aren't important. Don't wait for him to finish his lines"

With Dev Anand. Click for bigger pic!

The newcomer, Rajeshwar, catches on, but it takes a few more takes before 'Goldiesaab' is satisfied and sets them free before the next shot is set up.

The senior PR, B K Verma, uses this opportunity to push us forward into his presence.

No starry nakhras, no aristocratic exhaustion, just plain Goldie smiling affably at us.

"Please sit down," he says, shifting some chairs for us.

How does it feel to back after so many years, we ask.

"Nothing different. If you don't ride a bicycle for 10, 15 years, you don't forget cycling. I don't find it very different probably because I'm working with the very same unit. The years in between did not exist once I started the film."

He has already completed a third of the film in 20 days of shooting and hopes to release it by the end of the year, at the latest. So is that why he didn't go for top actors who could be too busy?

"My story is based on a father-daughter relationship. I was sure Devsaab would play the father. Yes, for second lead, we wanted to avoid ego hassles and date problems with busy actors. Also our budget isn't very large... Then I saw Rajeshwar, a Delhi boy, in my office. I signed him on because of his dreamy eyes." But what about the girl, Indrani, we ask. She isn't a newcomer.

The brothers with Rajeshwar and Indrani. Click for bigger pic!

"We needed a girl who looks both 60 and 16 at the same time. We saw Indrani's pix. She has experience since she has done a few films earlier."

Hadn't he even tried the lead heroines who always claim they are open to strong, meaningful roles?

He laughs. "I spoke to Madhuri, Juhi and some others... One actress only wanted to play the daughter's role, not the mother's. But my story was about a father rediscovering love in his daughter, who looks like his wife. So a double role was necessary." A few actresses promised to call him back later -- and didn't.

"Maybe they didn't have the courage to say no," he says. "Or they couldn't make up their minds."

It's surprising that anyone could turn down a director of his calibre, who has given us films like Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Tere Mere Sapne and Guide. We ask him if that hurts him.

"It shouldn't," he smiles. "They think I'm an outdated director and they didn't want a role opposite Devsaab. It's okay with me. They have their images, their choices are different, but they weren't rude to me. They co-operated. Whenever I called them over, some of them came for story sessions and kept in touch with me. So what if they didn't do the film?"

Click for bigger pic!

We are still full of questions but the PR comes over to tell him. "TVwale upar wait kar rahe hai,, please." He then gracefully takes us over to Rajeshwar, the same one of the dreamy eyes. No problem, no problem, we are eager to inspect them at close range.

We find them hidden behind a rising curtain of pale smoke, rising from a drooping Benson and Hedges and curling through tousled hair. The AC room reeks of cigarette belch. There's a small cot over which is spread a few sheets of dialogue, a few coats and a small suitcase. Still leaves us plenty of place to sit. We greet Hingoo and another unit member who are also in the room.

We look Vijay Anand's new find over, Sorry, but it's thumbs down for the new man -- he really isn't our type. We ask him to tell us in his own words how he bagged the role?

"I'd gone over to Goldiesaab's office with an actor friend. While Goldiesaab was narrating the script, I got so engrossed that my face started expressing my feelings. Goldiesaab must have seen that and asked me if I was interested in acting. If I wanted, he said, he would make me the hero. I told him I'd have to think about it." He didn't spend a lifetime over the decision; a few days later, there he was, a hero!

Click for bigger pic!

"To be honest, I wasn't really interested in the family business. I always wanted to be in the film line." He didn't know which department he could fit in but he doesn't mind being a hero.

He's under contract, so he can't sign any other films till this one is done. Rajeshwar doesn't mind that either.

After chatting awhile with him, we muse that perhaps his face resembles that of the young Sanjay Dutt, especially when we look at him at a particular angle. Rajeshwar isn't bucked about the idea.

"Some people say I look like Chandrachur, some say like Ajay Devgun. Now, you say, like Sanjay Dutt,' he says a little sourly. "Anyway, what matters in the film is your work more than looks, isn't it." We agree and leave without bruising his ego further. We have yet to catch up with the heroine.

Click for bigger pic!

Luckily, we run on her soon enough and ask the usual questions. And find her with the usual answers.

"I am in this dream project of Navketan Films. What more can I ask for? Besides the film's story is such that I have a very challenging role to play." And then we notice that, despite the trite and time-worn lines, she is indeed excited by the role. Oh well, good for her.

Even better, she says, is the fact that despite having to play an old lady at times, she still gets to run around the trees. As an old woman or a young lady, we inquire. For that would mean seeing an old but young Dev Anand dancing with a young but old Indrani -- if you catch our gist.

No, she assures you, all the song and dance will be reserved for Dreamy Eyes alone.

Very good, but how has she found the role so far?

"Tough, but I'm not worried because I know Goldiesaab is a perfectionist. He will take the best out of me and won't say 'take' till he finds I'm really good. I knew I was in good hands."