Ekta Kpaoor big Interview

I have to find my own Salman Khan!

Ekta Kapoor on fighting her own demons, facing roadblocks, the star system in Bollywood, caring a hoot about fashion police, and her role models--Jackie Kennedy and Amrita Pritam   

Afsana Ahmed

High achievers spot rich opportunities swiftly, make big decisions quickly and move into action immediately. Clearly Jeetandra’s daughter Ekta Kapoor- the young achiever who startred her career at the young age of twenty--aptly fits this saying. Stepping out of her comfort zone on TV after doing about 70 shows she had successfully changed her medium to cinema but not before proving herself here again. Now ready with her most expensive production to date, the Rs.100 crore Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara, Ekta understandably is tensed and edgy. She doesn’t take kindly to media reports that don’t align with her thoughts. “I don’t read newspapers especially when I have a release coming up. But I’m fed the content and that’s how I react or sometimes overreact”, she admitted.

We met up at the lounge of a suburban hotel. Kapoor was fasting for Ramzan that day. In a flowy black chiffon gown, she looked pretty. And Ekta managed to turn few heads as well she walked towards the table I’d occupied. “It’s my aspiration that gets me the pressure. But in the day of the release I become calm” she says starting the interview.  

The just released Chennai Express, touted as your rival has kicked off in a rather big way. Does that add upto your anxiety?

I’ve learnt one very important lesson from this recent hullaballoo. There are spare rooms for all films. The media scares us a lot by pitting us against each other. You cannot predict the future of a film. There’s no point in getting angry or disturbed. Whatever is going to happen will happen.

 As for Chennai Express’ great opening, I’m happy for them. Infact my nervousness has come down a lot now. Even though we wanted to come on Eid, it didn’t work out as planned and we gave them a clean seven days. Now we can relax and release our film.

Tell us the exact reason why OUATIM Dobaara was postponed?

I know there have been many speculations right from MNS’s involvement to Shah Rukh Khan speaking dad out of it. But I know the real reason. I shifted the dates only for my mom. She was looking after the distribution set up and was awfully stressed out that my decision would affect our business. I was fine with releasing OUTIM Dobaara in few theatres on Eid as only a handful of theatres were available. That was my plan. But mom was thoroughly stressed out and I couldn’t see her in that state anymore. Also, bigger the studio bigger the clout. When I was in Harvard, my CEO called me and conveyed mom’s state. Her happiness is worth more than any professional tussle and I stepped down.

So is OUATIM Dobaara your big ticket ?

While it’s very scary on one hand, I’m emotionally and mentally ready to jump into the big ocean. If OUATIM Dobaara works then I will go ahead to make many more big films else I will go back to make small films. We pray it works. Gangster and Akshay Kumar is a great combination. And he is very naughty in the film. He is playing a bad boy the villain. 

You’ve worked with two very big stars Ajay Devgan and Akshay. What about working with the big daddies (Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan)?

These guys work on a different league. They have got their own relationships with the big studios and they are comfortable in that set up. I will meet them as all of them are very lovely people. But to make a film with them it will take me much longer. For instance to reach Salman today you’ve to make fifty people around him happy. So what’s the point? Anyways, his four coming years are booked. And even if I go to him with the best project he won’t have time. I would rather spend time creatively working on a project and making a film that may become a biggest hit and launch a big star out of it. Therefore I have to find my own Salman Khan.

Sounds interesting? Pull quote

Yes. I have to bet on the younger lot like a Varun (Dhawan) or a Sushant (Singh). Adi (Chopra) had once bet his money on Shah Rukh Khan. I have to cultivate that guts to bet on some one new and create one star. I’m result oriented but not success oriented.

Pg 2

We have seen the worst time when dad lost his stardom!

Or

I’m not one of those who hire clothes and attend parties.

Who amongst the younger lot you feel could become a big star? BOX

Amongst the girls I would say Parineeti (Chopra). She is the classic case of a girl next door yet the fire in her is so palpable. Amongst the guys I can’t really say. I have a soft corner for Sushant (Singh) as I have worked with him before but and I’m now working with Varun and Siddharth (Malhotra). These guys come with lot of energy. Now what will happen to their career depends on the choices they make. You don’t know who’ll be supported by luck. I’m working with all the new kids and none of the big daddies.

But isn’t having big daddies on one’s CV vital in Bollywood?

Why just Bollywood? Big brands always add weight. I’m working with Akshay sir. He is a huge star. Imran Khan and Emran Hashmi are big stars too. I strongly believe that a studio (production) can grow on its content and not on alliances alone. Alliance can run out but the content can’t run out. I agree Bollywood was functioning in a different way earlier. Producers would hang out on sets of films to please the actors.

We all know Ekta is an achiever in every sense of the word, but she’s also quiet hot-tempered and hyper. Right? BOX

I am a type A person. They are the people who get heart attacks very fast. They get tensed easily, are most angry and most hyper. I am also a hypochondriac which very few people know. I also get scared fast and carry my tension to my bed sleep.

But hasn’t the know-hows of the world mellowed you down by now?

Yes, I have calmed down a. I don’t take people for granted anymore, nor do I fire people. I internalize stress which I think is quiet harmful for a person. There is a philosophy that says that you should let it all out. If you let it grow inside you let grow the stress. So I have stopped screaming which is good for the world but bad for me. But having said this, I am not a paragon of virtue. I am spitfire. My anger would come back if I’m pushed to the wall. In the meantime, I have tried to find solutions to my own demons in my head. That’s’ the best way to survive. I also reach out to my dad, because he gives me the right advice.

Your rage has cost you many good associations in the past? BOX

It’s a big myth. People who work with me know it. There is a saying in TV industry that we don’t leave Balaji, we only go on a holiday. People who have worked with me for 9-10 years are in touch with me. They have moved up in life to higher jobs. So when there is a fight for the third person it’s a gossip, but for the people involved, we know how valuable we are to each other. So be it giving them raises, financial help, cushy jobs or even fighting with the HR head of my company for my people, I would always be in the front. So this is incorrect. Most of my core team stays with me. I am working with the same people whom I worked with 15 years back.

How do you justify that Balaji films are high on sexual elemnets?

They have been very edgy too. When I started my career on television, my strategy was to make mass oriented stuff. And in doing so we suppressed the edgy kind of content. You tend to dilute even the normal conversation for the TV audience. So essentially it was all bottled up.

And you found your creative release through movies?

I thought let’s do something edgy and that’s how we channelized our creative freedom.  

There was LSD (Love Sex Aur Dhoka) that talked about youth and the fabric of youth as far sexuality is concerned. There’re revenge sex and MMS happening. Then came The Dirty Picture about a woman and why is she looked down upon if she is okay with her sexuality. Then, there was a sex comedy followed by gangster flicks.

I’m sure, with your brand name, you could have had a bigger and better lineup of films than the ones you started with? BOX

I was from TV background who was famous for making typical television dramas for a certain kind of audience. So I had to face lot of discouragement and distrust in the industry regarding my perceived sensibility. So you see, I was stuck with my own limitations. What could I have done? I didn’t have three Khans ready to work with me. I was the new producer. So I really worked hard and from whatever resources I had I focused on building them. I concentrated on smaller, high concept films and create the right noise about them. Thankfully I had got Ajay Devgn (Once Upon a Time in Mumbai) and I can never forget the fact that he supported me, heard the script and told me that I will work with you because you are very hardworking and I love your script. He saw some spark in me and said I am with you. That meant a lot!

Which Khan refused your offer? box

One of them and I cannot name him. But they were very nice to me. Because of my dad the doors were open but contrary to popular belief, they weren’t open in such a way that I could have put a foot in the door. Entering the room is a completely different story. So it was like, ‘the daughter of well-known producer wants to become a producer. Chalo mil lete hain.’

Do you feel you’re strategy has worked well?

I don’t know, but I certainly hit the road. And now my agenda is to take the big leap.

  

Have you seen all those things? BOX

Yes I have seen those things more than anyone else. Producers would hang out on the sets of Dad’s film set when he was a big star. But I have also seen my dad’s worst phase and how these people disappeared. So I decided when I grow up I shall not hang around on the sets of stars and instead build up my own content and relationship with people who will respect me for my work. I have learnt to internalize my own success and failure. Luckily we all grew up realising that family is above all.  

Your fashion sense has constantly come under attack especially your black platform sandals? How do you see all these? box

Murder me for it but I’m not going to change. I believe in wholesome fashion not the refined sorts. And I’m a producer not an actor! So why am I suddenly measured with the parameters of the actresses? I haven’t changed my room for years now. That’s my comfort zone and that’s what I’m. I buy my clothes and I will repeat them as many times as I want to and attend functions and parties in them. I’m not one of those who hire clothes and attend parties. There’re many who indulge in this cheap stuff.

As for my ugly platform sandals that have been written about so much, let me tell you I’m flat- footed and I don’t want to end up with knee problem so soon in my life. I can’t walk around in those stilettoes. I believe in comfort.   

Anyways, whoever is observing such silly things are too shallow and frivolous. Get a life!

 Which character from history, you think you’re a lot like? BOX

Jackie Kennedy. She’s super multi-tasker. She handled so many things at the same time, yet she played the role of a perfect housewife!  It shows the solidity of the person.  I want to do TV, films, manage friends, family, and be a good sister and an able daughter. I want to be able to wear many more hats.  

I also feel I’m a lot like Amrita Pritam (author) She was bold and creative. She questioned the norm and never followed it.  

k� N u , �� P� CE which had been written and kept with me since 2008. I didn’t work on it as I wasn’t getting the right cast for it. I think it was meant for Shah Rukh.  

Given a choice, would you redo any of your films?

No. I’m extremely happy with the way my films have turned up. I wouldn’t want to touch them. If you’re talking about remaking my own films, I think my films are too young to be remade. And, a caution to all, nobody should think of remaking my film for the coming twenty years.  

Would you like to remake someone else’s film?

If I reveal the name of the film that I may plan to remake at some point in life, people will immediately jump and probably get the rights of  the movie, thinking ‘Yeh movie mein kuch khaas hoga’ (there’s certainly something special about the film). And before I know it, they will announce it as their project. So, it’s better for me to keep quiet.

Owing to your looks and physique, people feel that you can easily become an actor in Bollywood. Has the thought ever tempted you?

Oh no. I’ll be a terrible actor because I’m very conscious before the camera. I’m also bad at emoting. Nobody will come to watch a film that features me.

Who is your favourite heroine from the past and the current lot?

Hema Malini and Nutan were my childhood crushes! I met Hemaji once when dad took me to the set of a film. Both these ladies stole my heart with their beauty and grace. I still remember the song ‘Dil ka bhanwar’ from Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963) that picturised on Dev sahab (Anand) and Nutanji. Her expressions in the song were mind-blowing. From the current lot, I would say Kareena (Kapoor), because I have worked with her and she’s like a family member. I’m quite close to her. Deepika (Padukone) is another actress who has managed to make her place in the industry. She’s matured amazingly as an actor. I really admire Priyanka Chopra as a performer too.

I’ve heard that you’re working with Salman Khan in Karan Johar’s production.

Yes, the film that I’m doing with Karan will be a hardcore commercial film. But, I haven’t finalised the story yet. And, till the time we don’t have the final script, there’s no point in discussing the star.

How will you carry forward your father’s legacy?

There isn’t anything so big for us to carry forward. Yes, I will keep his name alive by working hard with a lot of honesty. Somewhere up there he’s happily watching us.

We heard that there would be two choppers waiting outside the sets always?

Not always, but for sequences which required their assistance, there were two choppers standing by at any given time. That’s a big thing though. That is what I mean by producer Shah Rukh Khan’s generosity. But I would also like to give credit to the team. My cameraman, dialogue writers Sajid-Farhad, story writer, editing team, action directors, stars, music directors, spot boys, drivers and everyone else.