‘Casting the Bachchans NOT as father and son was the toughest and the easiest part.’
IMAGE: Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji in Bunty Aur Babli.
It’s been 20 years since Bunty Aur Babli released in theatres on May 27, 2005.
The film saw a casting coup with Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan starring together for the first time, Rani Mukerji joining in.
It got even better when Aishwarya Rai joined in for a blockbuster item number, Kajra Re, which became the anthem of the year. Aishwarya and Abhishek weren’t married at the time; they got married two years later.
Director Shaad Ali looks back at his film and tells Subhash K Jha, “I would do another Bunty Aur Babli in a heartbeat.”
Although you made other popular films, Bunty Aur Babli remains your signature creation. How do you explain its popularity?
I think Bunty Aur Babli is an experience very close to home and heart.
We took a lot of time, care and experience to write the characters and the screenplay, then the lyrics and the music.
I treated it like my first film and put all my love into it.
It had all the madness of my life then. And the cast projected the plot on to the screen.
The film exploded in the theatres. The impact was so potent that it has lasted for a long time. I think it will last forever!
IMAGE: Rani Mukerji in Bunty Aur Babli.
Was it as much fun to shoot as it is to watch?
It was a huge challenge to shoot. No one has shot so extensively in small town India with such a commercial cast and scale.
I was extremely adamant and confident of doing it the way it was done.
But it wasn’t easy.
It was a huge responsibility to the studio (Yash Raj Films) and the cast and crew.
But we had a blast shooting the film and that translated on screen.
IMAGE: Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan in Bunty Aur Babli.
The casting was beyond wow. Was it tough convincing the two Bachchans — Amitabh and Abhishek — to work together?
Casting the Bachchans NOT as father and son was the toughest and the easiest part. Tough for us to approach, and made very easy by them in performance.
The rest of the cast was also bang on.
The casting was thought out and clinical.
It had to represent the milieu and at the same time, be a little retro and nostalgic. That’s why Rameshwari, Raj Babbar, Puneet Issar, Kiran Juneja, Ranjeet, Joginder and Prem Chopra (were cast).
IMAGE: Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan in the Kajra Re song in Bunty Aur Babli.
Did you ever think the song Kajra Re would become so iconic?
I was extremely confident of Kajra Re. That’s what pushed me into putting my full weight behind it.
It was an eight-second riff that (composer-singer) Shankar Mahadevan sang to me at a traffic signal. I said this is mine and didn’t look back.
The song was made with a lot of love and care by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, a lot of fights with Gulzarsaab and an immediate nod from Aishwarya (Rai). Choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant gave it her best.
Aditya Chopra always knew this was a big one and stood behind me right through.
IMAGE: Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji in Bunty Aur Babli.
Was it tough shooting in Kanpur?
Shooting in Kanpur was integral. That’s the reason the film was born.
And now, even if I never make a film again, it doesn’t matter because Kanpur and my name are in the history books forever with an iconic film that’s ingrained in our pop culture.
I would do another Bunty Aur Babli in a heartbeat.
A sequel is a very tough beast. It’s like making two-three films at the same time. You have to be mindful of the first part, then the current one and then sow enough for the next.
What are you working on now?
I have wrapped up a personal documentary. I am starting work on a film that will take me back to my roots. Again.
