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Tigmanshu Dhulia Curated
Indian Film Director
CURATED BY :
Thank you for coming on our show.
Mumbai can make you dishonest.
Are you self-critical?
How are you feeling now?
How do you stay connected with your roots as there is a chance of getting disconnected in a city like Mumbai?
But do you think there should be a social responsibility on them? Because our daughters might see these …
We see excessive violence in web series. What do you think about that?
Cinema has changed and there is scope to tell different kind of stories. Do you think there are many new voices coming in?
There was a time when there was a demand for particular films particular kind of actors. Would you see a future for yourself then?
So, I should keep gargling often … Maybe this holds true for actors.
What do you think about story tellers? For how long will we survive?
Are you scared of losing? Because every artist comes with a shelf life?
Are you religious?
How is he as a person?
Tell me something about Irfan?
What was your journey like after Dil Se?
Did you meet any dacoits? What was their thought process?
Bandit Queen, which was an unusual theme for that time. It had an unexpected casting. Dil se was based on terrorism. These are real, news-y issues. Did you always have an inclination to make these kinds of movies? That world fascinates you? The complexities of Chambal?
What was your big moment after you started making films?
After you moved to Mumbai, were the initial days full of struggle?
Tell me about your daughter.
Were you not ambitious to take up music as a profession?
What kind of an experience was that?
You also mentioned about your musical journey …
What kind of films did you like?
Did something change?
Your father had passed away by the time you got married. He missed seeing you married. How were you as a son?
So, then how did you convince your respective families?
Was Allahabad not that cosmopolitan back then that girls and boys could meet and have a cup of tea?
Were you good at writing love letters?
Did you fall in love while you were in Allahabad?
Unlike what people might think …
After he passed away, did you become more attached to your mother?
How did this affect you?
How old were you then?
He respected that …
You did theatres in Allahabad?
What kind of films?
Were you pampered?
What was the age gap between you and your brothers?
Were you a part of any band?
So, you were talking about your father.
So, how was your childhood like, in Allahabad?
You are a fake pahari!
Where were you born?
What’s the meaning of your name?
What’s going on in your mind?
Which is the most difficult genre to write dialogues for?
Have dialogue lost their potential in today's bollywood cinemas?
How important are dialogue writing in films
Do you consciously select political subjects for you films?
You are a director turn producer. Why this shift?
How important is the marketing and release of a film as a creative person?
Do you think it is difficult to survive in bollywood without big stars?
Which movie do you think was a turning point of your life?
What do you think makes a cinema work?
Do you think online platforms are going to help cinema?
After making 2-3 films you chose to do television, was it a conscious decision?
You have an interesting story with director Ketan Mehta
How do you process a character while explaining it to the actor?
You emphasize very much on detailing in your cinema
As an actor, which types of acting do you prefer?
What do you feel about the '100Cr Cinema Club'?
Now after being a successful director in bollywood, how do you feel about the journey?
How do you feel about the changing course of bollywood cinema?
Where do you think bollywood is lacking?
Do you feel frustrated, when a good idea has to struggle it's way out in main stream bollywood cinema?
You took a long time to make your first film, how was it?
After coming to Mumbai, did you ever get disillusioned by films?
After completing NSD, did you feel that you should now go to Mumbai?
Do you think that NSD os not working properly? Do they need to change?
Why did you not pursue drama as a career?
How did you find your way to National School of Drama?
How was the life before joining National School of Drama?
How do you take criticism from critics?
What tips would you like to give to the budding filmmakers?
What is your take on censorship and censor board of India?
Do you think OTT has changed the content style of commercial cinema?
What kind of films do you like to watch?
You love action films a lot, are you a Bachchan fan?
Whom do you aspire to work with in bollywood?
How do you interpret so called International Cinema in your movies? Does it have any effect on your films?
How do you distinguish between good or bad acting?
When you introspect your movies do you feel that you lack something in your style of filmmaking?
How do you write scripts for your films?
What are your insecurities as a filmmaker? How do you deal with it?
Do you believe in improvisation of story on set?
You work with crowd a lot, how do you manage the crowd on set?
You have a Govinda connection, tell us something about it.
Did you second guess the success of Gangs of Wasseypur?
How did Gangs of Wasseypur happen?
How was it working with Mani Ratnam?
Do you ever run out of new ideas?
You assisted Shekhar Kapur, what would you say makes him great?
Does living in Mumbai bothers you? Do you feel missing oit on many different experiences?
What will you say about your friend Anurag Kashyap and his style of direction?
What is that thing of bollywood that irritates you, and you are not able to change?
How do you keep your creativity active?
You started your career as an actor, how was the journey and experience in that field?
How was your childhood and growing up in Allahabad?
How one should take care of both commercial imperatives and creative ambition in today's time of filmmaking?
I think after 1960's the respect for a content writer went down significantly and that must change now.
You had a challenging time releasing ‘Paan Singh Tomar’ and then silenced cynics when it emerged as a profitable and acclaimed film.
Yes, it was a painful experience. I was really happy in the beginning when I found a visionary producer who funded my research. I had wanted Paan Singh to be my first film. Everything was fine till a point and then I hit a roadblock for almost 18 months. It was traumatic, especially as I knew the piece would work. It was frustrating and I learnt never to trust corporates. Their loyalty is to no one.
With the surfeit of sequels these days, is there more to the trend than a profit motive?
It’s very subjective. Of course profit is an element but for me, if the subject is not motivating me or pushing me into a corner when I am writing, then I am not interested in making it. For me art comes before money. I am not in awe of film-making. When I feel I have said all I have to say as a film-maker and reached saturation point, I will leave the industry and join politics.
You seem to have a preference for guns, action and testosterone-fuelled films. Are those also the kind of films you watch?
I like to watch and make films with guns, bullets, action, but it’s much more than that. I also explore social layers, politics and relationships in my films. Even Bullet Raja, which I am shooting right now (Saif Ali Khan, Sonakshi Sinha) is layered with references to caste politics, relationships, etc. It’s not a Rowdy Rathore. I explore different themes, whether it’s a biopic like Paan Singh Tomar, a buddy macho film like Bullet Raja or a drama like Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster. I like watching all kinds of films except social dramas, mythologies, melodramas and romcoms. I could never make a wonderful film like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai because I have not fed myself with that cinema.
You worked with Shekhar Kapur in Bandit Queen. Was he instrumental in bringing you to Mumbai?
Yes. When Bandit Queen was completed, Shekhar Kapur asked us to shift to Mumbai. But, soon, he got an offer for Elizabeth and went away, leaving us stranded. We had come here on his suggestion, but our initiation into the industry had not happened fully. And when he left, we did not have anything to show for our time here.
