Even the most ardent Bollywood fans will hesitantly agree that, 100 years on, the bright lights of India’s busiest film industry hasn’t had quite the strength to enamour non Hindi-speaking audiences. As the world’s largest filmmaking entity, with approximately 1,000 films produced annually, that’s quite a shame.
Serious attempts have been made, however. Not in a world cinema-baiting way, but in the way interesting and believable stories are told in interesting and believable ways – films you wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to a Bollywood outsider.
Director Nikhil Advani, who made his debut in 2003 with the super hit Kal Ho Naa Ho, is the latest one to make this attempt. His ambitious espionage thriller, D-Day, releasing today in the UAE, follows a group of Indian spies as they travel to Pakistan to hunt down and bring home their country’s most wanted man.
For this, Advani has assembled an impressive cast, led by India’s hottest international export Irrfan Khan, actor Arjun Rampal and the always dependable Rishi Kapoor. They are supported by offbeat films favourite Huma Qureshi and actress Shruti Hassan. Khan, Rampal and Qureshi play RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agents tasked with hunting down a criminal called Goldman, played by Kapoor.
While a work of fiction, something Advani has taken pains to stress, the premise isn’t. Kapoor’s character in the film bears an uncanny resemblance to India’s most wanted man Dawood Ibrahim, the Indian-born leader of organised crime syndicate called D-Company, now believed to be in Pakistan.
It was this realistic setting that attracted the Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi star Khan to the film.
“The reality is a strong point for me, and the credibility of the subject,” says Khan, last seen in the Cannes film festival favourite The Lunchbox (Dabba). “It’s a really well-researched subject. I think it’s the first Bollywood spy thriller with so much detailing and told in a way that will still appeal to mainstream cinema audiences.”
Khan plays Wali Khan, a RAW agent sent to Karachi, Pakistan, to infiltrate Goldman’s camp. There, he falls in love with Suraiya and starts a family. Nine years later, when the other agents arrive to carry out the final mission to capture Goldman, Khan finds himself torn between the life he has made and his mission, putting everyone’s life is jeopardy.
“It’s the nuances of the characters that drew me,” says Khan. “You don’t see a lot of it in Bollywood today.”
Rampal agrees. Having made his transition from chocolate hero to playing a range of strong, intense characters, the actor, who won a National Award, India’s most revered, in 2009 for his role in Rock On!!, says D-Day was exactly what he needed as an actor.
“I like playing strong characters that allow me to really get into them. There is no bigger pleasure when you get that,” he says. “That’s why I do the kind of films I’m doing now. Before I take on a project, I always ask myself: ‘Is this film going to entertain? Will I go watch this in the theatre?’
“I want people to come watch my films with their whole anatomy intact, and not leave their brains at home.”
Rampal, who performed his own stunts in the film, had to train for more than two months before the filming began. He says the process of working with Hollywood stunt director Tom Struthers, whose credit includes The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception among others, was not like anything he’s done before.
“What Tom wanted to achieve with D-Day was very simple: When the audience watches you, they should be totally involved and while they should enjoy it, they should have the impression that it’s a professional performing,” he explains.
“He wanted to get the moves into our muscle memory, so it looks like a natural reflex. So everything from punching, dismantling a gun, firing, dislodging it etc had to look real. He’d say things like, ‘You don’t have arms, this guy is going to pick a pair of scissors and attack you, and these are your moves’.
“It was totally different from any action film I’ve done. I think it’s something really, really unique that’s not come out of this industry yet.”
Khan, whose body of work in Bollywood is as impressive as his Hollywood projects, says there’s no real method to the way he picks his films.
“It always changes. Sometimes the director, the story or the character. For instance for Life of Pi, it was Ang Lee, the director. The same with Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire, although I was not gung ho about the character. For The Amazing Spider-Man, it was the franchise. And then for a film like Paan Singh Tomar, it was the story.”
Khan, who played Indian athlete-turned-bandit in the biographical film Paan Singh Tomer, says he hasn’t seen Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (Run Milkha Run), based on the life of legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh, which released last week.
“I’ve heard mixed reactions to it. Maybe once I finish the promotion for this film, I can watch it,” he says.
To achieve an impressive CV like his, he says you need luck and a lot of hard work.
“Yes, luck plays an major role,” says Khan, who began his career in television. “But you can’t undermine hard work. There are actors who survive on their energy and dedication alone.”
For Rampal, who will next be seen in Satyagraha – Democracy Under Fire, it’s those two and lots of love.
“You need to be passionate about what you do and completely submit to it,” he says. “The perseverance to see yourself through only comes out of the love you have for your work. So love is the most important.”
*D-Day releases in the UAE on July 18
Five minutes with Thomas Struthers, stunt director of D-Day
Struthers, whose Hollywood credits include The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, John Carter, The Dark Knight and Blood Diamond, brings unprecedented action sequences to a Bollywood film. Excerpts from an interview:
Q: How was it to work in a Bollywood film?
A: As a newcomer to Bollywood film making, I honestly had no idea how the experience would be. I can say that I was fantastically surprised. The communication was excellent; the infrastructure the same as you would expect on any Hollywood film and the crew and cast were amazing! I didn’t have any particular ambition to work on a ‘Bollywood’ film – but now I wouldn’t hesitate if the opportunity presented itself again!
Q: What difference did you see in Hindi action?
A: From what I have seen, the action in Hindi films tends to be heightened. By this I mean that the action, whilst well executed, is not necessarily rooted in reality. I believe that the traditional, heroic Bollywood action film has a well-deserved place, but I also believe that there is room alongside for the type of film which Nikhil Advani wanted to make, with its ‘real’ and ‘gritty’ action.
Q: How was it to train actors like Arjun Rampal and Irrfan?
A: It can be a tough job to train actors, but Arjun and Irrfan made my life easy! They work hard and listen to direction.
Q: What made you say yes to D-Day?
A: Nikhil. He is a persuasive, passionate and talented man. He also had an interesting script to present so the answer was easy!
Q: What exactly is the role of a stunt coordinator/director in a film?
A: The stunt coordinator and director have in common the fact that they are entrusted with bringing a movie to life through the process of its journey from script to screen. However the primary vision is that of the director and so it is the stunt coordinators/second unit director’s job to serve and support that vision and give it clarity. It is my job to create great action in the director’s style.
Q: How was the experience working with Chris Nolan?
A: Chris Nolan is a wonderfully creative, original and intelligent talent – and knows exactly what he wants. I have been fortunate to work with Chris on all three of the Batman films as well as Inception. Chris works quickly and economically; he holds the edit in his head and therefore knows if a ‘take’ has captured what he needs. His vision extends to every facet of the film and the action/stunts are no exception.
(Interview with Thomas Struthers supplied by Dar Motion Pictures)
