Very few filmmakers decide to swim against the tide and go for unconventional subjects; Goldie Behl is one of them.
His second directorial venture Drona is a fantasy adventure (a genre rarely attempted in Bollywood) complete with never before seen special effects and some mind-blowing action.
Starring Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles, this film is among the most looked forward to films of this year. Close on the heels of the release of Drona, we caught up with Goldie and got chatting with him on his experiences filming Drona, his equation with AB Jr. and much more.
Goldie, you are back with your second film Drona which is releasing 7 years after your directorial debut Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai. First things first…why such a long gap?
Well…couple of reasons. One of them being I had taken failure to my heart, which I have learnt not to (laughs). I hope not to take success to my head as well. Most importantly my sister and I both thought that we first needed to get a strong hold into production which we did when we started our television software.
I think we are a reasonably established name as far television goes. Then we decided to shift our focus towards films. However, the time when we made our first movie 7 years back, we felt that we were misfits in this industry (ironical as we are from a filmy family) and we felt that we didn't know the ways of working.
But today the atmosphere is different, the working system is different. Today a producer and director can just do what they are supposed to be doing and not worry about distribution, finance and exhibition which is not really our area of expertise. So these were some of the reasons why it took so long for my second film.
However, the most important reason is that I didn't get the right kind of subject to inspire me to go against all odds and make it.
There has been a lot of speculation about Drona. Some people say Drona is a superhero film, some say it's a supernatural film, some say it's a fantasy film, while some say it's an adventure drama. Why don't you clear the air once and for all on what the film is all about?
The movie is a coming of age drama and it is made and presented in a larger than life format. However, if you want to label it in any one particular genre you could say it's a fantasy adventure. But in the soul of it, it is a very simple story of a boy realizing his destiny and his true calling so to speak.
You had said in an interview that Abhishek and you had this fake swordfight during your childhood days and that's when you decided you would make an action film with Abhishek when you grow up. Is that where the idea of making Drona come from?
Yeah…that was part of where the idea came from (laughs). We were young kids then and we decided that when we would grow up, we would make an action-oriented film. I would direct it and Abhishek would act in it. Now we have grown up and I even have a son but we still decided to re-visit that side of ours and make a film on that.
Everybody knows that Abhishek and you are best buddies. Is that, why you cast him in the lead role in Drona?
I have been really fortunate enough to know him very closely. It's but natural for anyone to discuss an idea with their close friends first and that's what I did too when the idea of making Drona came up. I discussed the idea with Abhishek and am glad that something in the story inspired him to say yes to this film. He is truly a great actor.
Could you tell us a little more about Abhishek's character in the film? Is he a super-hero? Does he have super-natural powers?
Well…he's completely human and has got all the weaknesses of a human being (be it emotional or physical weaknesses). That's the fun part of it because you have all these defects and still you emerge as a strong hero (smiles).
What role does Priyanka Chopra play in the film?
Priyanka plays a royal guard, and her duty is to serve and be by the side of the King of the Vir Bhadra Dynasty (the dynasty to which Abhishek's character belongs).
The film also has Kay Kay playing the menacing villain Ritz Raizada. He is touted to be the most expensive villain ever. Is it true?
Yes, he is indeed evil and menacing. He plays a wizard in the movie and is absolutely unpredictable. He has all the trappings of an evil wizard.
As for him being the most expensive villain ever seen on the Hindi film scene, I don't know about the exact figures. That you will have to ask the producers (laughs). But jokes apart, we have put in a lot of effort to try and create the world in which he lives.
Drona also has Jaya Bachchan in a pivotal role? How easy or difficult was it convincing her to act in this film?
I think getting Jayaji on board was the simplest. I just told her that I'm making a movie and I would like you to be in it and she immediately said yes. I was taken aback and asked “Don't you want to hear the script and know what your role is?”
She replied “No need… you are my son and it's your responsibility to take care of me.” It just put more pressure on me to live up to her expectations.
Could you share any funny/ interesting / unforgettable moments which took place during the shoot?
We had hailstorms in Bikaner which is quite unheard of. It made me run out of my actor dates and gave me quite a scare. We also had a dust storm in Namibia while shooting on a train for 13 days. We had snow in Prague. We shot through all of that. So there have been a lot of unforgettable moments like these (laughs).
The audio release sparked off a controversy over some statements made by Jayaji…Do you think what happened was uncalled for?
Whatever happened was absolutely uncalled for and I am glad that it's over now (smiles).
Drona clashes with yet another biggie - Kidnap on Oct 2. Would you have opted for a solo week or do these things really don't matter?
To be honest it's not really my call. It's the producers and the distributors who decide on a suitable release date. My job is to finish the film on time and deliver the quality that I promised.
On a parting note, give us 3 good reasons to watch Drona.
It's got great performances; you will see the same actors but in a very different kind of world and environment.
It's got never before seen stunts and visual effects And what is really the surprise factor, is that the film is very emotional and will make you cry. Abhishek is simply brilliant in this movie.
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