Abhay Deol says he was about to give up his kind of cinema but thankfully found a television show, Connected Hum Tum, which deals with real stories of six women. He also spills beans about his live-in relationship with actor Preeti Desai. By Karan Bhardwaj
With critically-commercially acclaimed movies like Dev D, Oye lucky! lucky Oye!, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Shanghai and others, Abhay Deol has successfully created his niche in Bollywood over the last few years. He unapologetically dissociates himself with cinema that serves no purpose but brainless entertainment. Television was something he never intended to do. But now, he has found a reason to oblige the small screen with Zee TV’s latest reality showConnected Hum Tum. Read excerpts…
On television
I was apprehensive about doing TV. I was always fascinated by films and therefore, there was no urge to do it. I could never imagine doing shows like Big Boss. I don’t follow daily soaps and what’s happening on TV. Whenever I get time, I watch channels like Discovery or National Geographic. For sometime I was not getting good projects. So I was thinking of accepting offers of mainstream cinema instead of sitting idle. Then my manager told me about this offer which I initially rejected, without even listening to him. But at his persistence, I looked into it and I liked the concept. It just took one night to convince me.
On Connected Hum Tum’
We are living in an age full of issues, be it personal, professional or financial. The violence against women is at its peak. If we seriously address this, we have to understand their perspectives and lives. This show lets you empathise, understand and realise what a woman goes through in the 21st century. Six women narrate their real stories which they have captured on cameras for last six months.
I will host it and link their stories together. A few women I would like to give cameras to shoot their lives include my mother, sisters and Sonia Gandhi.
On women
I can never claim to understand women. They are the biggest mystery. Sometimes, they say and mean exact opposite things. What I have understood from my experience, is that they are emotionally stronger and more forgiving than men.
On cinema
I was never attracted to films unnecessarily backed by clichéd formula or big banners. The content matters to me. I believe in cinema which is true, real and impacts the audience lives.
On public image
I keep a low profile. Perhaps that’s because of my upbringing. I come from a traditional family. Deols are already public figures, so I choose to stay away from glitterati.
At the same time, I believe that reaching out to people and explaining my cinema will connect me to a wider audience. So this is one thing I would like to do.
live-in relationship
Preeti (Desai) and I are living together. We are like a regular couple, face ups and downs but want to stay hooked. My family had initial objections but they settled down. They took sometime to accept it. The best thing about them is that they don’t judge me. I don’t judge them either.
Upcoming
I completed shooting for One By Two with Preeti Desai. It is backed by my production company, IE Films. It’s a romantic comedy about two strangers meeting and falling in love. Then there is an international opera called Bollywood Carmen with Preeya Kalidas, to celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema. It is an hour-long live musical extravaganza, which will take place at City Park in Bradford on June 9, and will broadcast on BBC.
(Connected Hum Tum will air Monday-Friday, 10pm June 3 onwards on Zee TV)