Talktime : Prateik babbar
Prateik Babbar has not had quite the run his mother Smita Patil had at the box office. But he is now back with Issaq, which he has been promoting through TV soaps in a bid to get some eyeballs. He chats with DEEBASHREE MOHANTY to tell you how he has done so far
How was it playing Rahul in IssaqIJ
Rahul is an innocent guy next door from Banaras who is a big believer in faith. He also believes that his perfect someone is waiting somewhere for him. Rahul is a desperate lover who falls for the very girl he was not supposed to. Their love story is doomed from the very start but Rahul is not the types to give up. It is not a regular filmy role that heroes get to play these days. Issaq is a love story set in a thrilling background. Varanasi adds to the flavour of this film.
How was it shooting in VaranasiIJ
That was the big reason why I said yes to this script. I love this place and have always wanted to shoot for a film there. The cinematography of this film will be a huge challenge but I feel Rakesh Mehra has surpassed all expectations with this one. Personally, I don’t think any filmmaker has shown Varanasi in such a brilliant way. Each and every ghat of the place has been picturised to perfection. Even the sand mafia settings have been done well. They look natural yet daunting.
So is this a love story or an action filmIJ
It is a violent and bloody romantic film. The movie is an adaptation of William Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet but we have added a lot of Indian tadka to make the film believable. Apart from the intensity of the love the film is quite unlike the legendary play. In our film the characters don’t die in the end.
You have said earlier that you will do only films that make you want to read the script again and again...
I must have read the script of Issaq atleast 10 times. That is how much the film interested me. In Bollywood there are a dozen films being planned daily. If I was dying to do just any film, I would have already had signed on 25 films. But I didn’t want that to happen. I wanted to be remembered as a good actor and not just as any other actor. I may not have done a lot of films till now but I have always believed in slow and steady wins the race.
The music of the film is quite upbeat...
That is the strongest part in the film. The makers were adamant that music accha hona chahiye. It’s a love story bhai, if you have lousy music and background score you are not getting anywhere. The music duo have taken into consideration that the film is set up in Varanasi so the songs are soulfully melodious. They grow on you.
Tell us more about your co-star. It’s her debut she must have been nervousIJ
Oh no. She made us all very nervous. Amyra Dastur is a natural. She loves the camera and so does the camera love her. From the very beginning she has got everything right. Of course in the film industry there is no end to learning but I think Amyra is here to stay and thrive. She has got that fresh but intelligent look that will take her places.
Is there a dream role that you would like to doIJ
There are many roles that I would love to do. I will always lean towards socially impactful cinema so juvenile stuff goes out of the window. I admire the kind of movies that Aamir Khan does. He has the knack of coming up with something out of nothing. I loved the role he played in Taare Zameen Par and in Dil Chahta Hai. If given a chance, I would also like to do a sequel of Zakhm. For me Ajay Devgn should just do character roles. It suits him much better than comedy and action. He is an actor par excellence.