Chetan Bhagat
39-year-old Bhagat is thrilled as the release of the film based on his book 2 States, nears. He is excited because the film will bring back fond memories of him meeting his wife and wooing her. But the author is also looking forward to see how Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt play the characters on screen. Deebashree Mohanty chats up the author about his Madrasi connection & other things
‘Can’t ask for more than this’
2 States is all set for release. What are your thoughts on the filmIJ
I’ve never felt more excited. If Kai Po Che was a dream come true, 2 States as a film is the icing on the cake. Couldn’t have asked for more. Director Abhishek Varman has a done a fabulous job and so have the two leads. They have raw appeal and chemistry which will strike a chord with the audience.
Alia Bhatt and you have struck quite a friendship...
She is a witty and a chirpy person. Her exuberance will take her a long way. She is capable of making even tough scenes look adorable. We’ve had a lot of fun on Twitter and hope to remain good friends. Arjun is a friendly chap too. He can be quite a talker once he gets going. He is one of the most disciplined actors I’ve met in Bollywood. Arjun and Alia compliment each other in looks and talent.
It’s the story of your marriage. Are you happy sharing itIJ
Yes. I’m lucky to have found love and luck both. And my wedding makes for an interesting tale, so why not tell it to the worldIJ On a serious note, people will enjoy this culturally opposite yet connected-by-soul kind of a movie. There have been some films which have revolved around this North-South dichotomy but 2 States is different — it has underlying satire which I’m hoping the audience will appreciate. I have begun to love madrasis because I feel they are simple people who speak from their heart.
Are you considering a sequel to the bookIJ
I’ve been contemplating it and have even thought of a funny tagline ‘marriage was the easy part’ but I haven’t been able to give it time. I’ve never attempted a sequel to any of my books so there are apprehensions.
Does the film toe or stray from the bookIJ
The film is only inspired by it. Varman has done a stupendous job of maintaining the ethos of my book throughout but has exercised his creative licence to the maximum — much like Abhishek Kapoor did with Three Mistakes Of My life.
The songs are doing well too...
I keep listening to them. To get an unbiased opinion, I asked some friends to comment on the songs and they said they were apt for the script.
Your take on the Rs 100 crore club in the industry...
I’m not a big fan of this club business. lunch Box was a well done film and everyone liked it. No one cared if the film had crossed Rs 100 crore or whether it was below at Rs 50 lakh!
How has the Indian election scene changed since 2009IJ
There are a lot of factors that will now decide which party emerges as a clear winner unlike the earlier lok Sabha elections which was heavily dependent on region and caste-based voting. Overall, there are many things to look forward to in this election. I think we are going to set a trend.