Into the underworld sans songs

In ``Company'' Ram Gopal Varma wants to show how widespread and deep-rooted crime has become. SUBHASH K. JHA meets the director.

IF WE are to single out the most influential, path-breaking and saleable director in Mumbai, it shall have to be Ram Gopal Varma. From his first Hindi film ``Shiva'' in the early 1990s to ``Satya'', and now the third part of a sort of the trilogy on the human side of the underworld, Varma has never stopped to catch his breath.

He does so now, to clear the misconceptions about his new underworld epic, ``Company''.

You took quite a long time to put together your next film after ``Jungle''.

Yes, in fact for the first time in my career I allowed such a long gap between two films. It was not as if I suddenly decided to take a holiday. ``Company'' requires a tremendous amount of research. It deals with complex issues.

I had to constantly check and counter-check my facts to make sure that my film was authentic. I've been talking to cops, gang-men, crime reporters and even politicians.

It took me a while to gather all the information and apply my own perceptions to it. Actually the idea for ``Company'' came to me when my last film ``Jungle'' was on the verge of release.

No songs in ``Company'' then?

Only in the background. None of my characters is going to be singing on screen. I was trying to play it safe in ``Jungle''. Inserting songs and romance in a grim thriller was counter- productive.

They cut into the tensions of the narrative. At least in ``Satya'' a couple of songs like ``Goli maar bheje mein'' and ``Sapne mein milti hai'' were in character.

In a certain kind of cinema, songs come as a relief, probably because the story gets boring. I remember during college days we would go to films only for the songs.

However, if the narrative is gritty and authentic, creating space for the songs in the screenplay diminishes the impact.

So are you going to make songless films from now on?

It all depends on the subject. But if I had my way I'd have started ``Jungle'' with the kidnapping and not give the audience a chance to sit back and relax. I think the attitude of Jungle mein jaane se pehle teen gaane lagaa do is wrong. I want to get away from that. ``Company'' will have only a background score. My characters won't sing on screen.

How much further do you intend to go into the underworld after ``Satya''?

``Company'' is going to offer a macro view of the underworld. It will look at the various layers of deception involved in the matter, about what happens when someone whom you thought to be an honest and upright citizen turns out to be so involved with the underworld.

It is about the way the underworld uses loopholes in the legal system to its own advantage. Eventually, what I want to say in ``Company'' is, those big-time dons can be smokescreens for far greater powers which stand hidden behind them.

I plan to shoot the film in Australia, Malaysia and maybe Thailand. Yes, it is a high-budget film.

So ``Company'' takes us behind the headlines about the underworld...

Absolutely. My first Hindi film ``Shiva'' was about street gangs in the city. ``Satya'' went a little deeper into the theme of city crime.

``Satya'' was noticed because of the shock value of the camera angles, the casual nature of violence, etc.

``Company'' shows how widespread and deep-seated crime has become. At the core it will have two friends who are underworld dons.

Are you going to show the nexus between the cinema and the underworld?

It will be a small part of my film. The nexus was a very small offshoot of the underworld's activities. It got highlighted because of the glamour in the film industry.

I don't want to take sides in ``Company''. I want to show the activities and reach of the underworld in the most authentic way possible.

I don't want audiences to clap their hands in ``Company''. They never did that for Bhiku Mhatre in ``Satya''. Some critics accused me of glamorising crime in ``Satya''.

All ``Satya'' was guilty of was, it didn't go beyond the characters to the issues involved in the underworld.

Are you prompted to make ``Company'' because of the way the film industry has been implicated in the underworld?

I think the media magnified these links. International crime is present in all large industries. Because the film industry is glamorous the links get more attention.

Have things quietened down in the film industry vis-a-vis the underworld?

See, the threats and the counter-moves come in cycles. It keeps coming and going away in degrees of intensity.

Some people in the industry might not be getting calls from Dubai any longer. But another group of industry folks might be getting those calls now.

You've gotten away from the Ram Gopal Varma team to work with Ajay Devgan and Mohanlal for the first time in ``Company''.

What do you mean the Ram Gopal Varma team? I've worked with other actors before and I'll work with other actors in the future. I don't have a camp or team.

I just work with whoever suits my subject. I narrated my script to Ajay Devgan and he was interested.

As for Mohanlal everyone knows he's a great actor and a good person. I thought of him because he suited the role. He plays a cop from the South.

Mani Ratnam says ``Satya'' is the best Hindi film he has seen in recent times.

Well, he never liked any of my films since I turned director. So I take that as a big compliment.

Your two productions, ``Pyar Tune Kya Kiya'' and ``Jackpot,'' directed by your former assistants are almost ready. Are you going to let more of your assistants run your company?

There are no hard and fast rules about my film-making plans. If I like a subject that someone else narrates to me, I'd produce it.

If I really like a subject I'd like to direct it myself. When Rajat Mukherjee narrated ``Pyar Tune Kya Kiya'' I wanted to direct it.

But he insisted on directing it. I had the confidence in his abilities, so I let him.

Your former assistant, E. Niwas, is directing several films although his first film ``Shool'' didn't do well.

I don't think the box office performance of a film determines the merit of a director. In ``Shool'', Niwas showed he understood the medium. In any case, Niwas or anyone who works for me is on his own.

I don't give a chance to talented people. I take chances. There's a lot of difference between the two. Why should I give anyone a chance?

I don't owe anyone anything. If I feel an actor or technician has it in him, I want to exploit his talent to my own advantage.

Everyone wants to know why Rinke Khanna and not Urmila Matondkar stars in ``Company''.

What do you mean, why Rinke? She's perfect for the role that she's doing in ``Company'', that's why. I've shot with her for five days and I'm convinced more than ever before that she's the right choice.

There was a certain kind of look that the character required. And Rinke fits the bill. As for Urmila, when she started in most of my films everyone wanted to know why I was working only with her and not with other actresses.

Now when I'm finally working with another actress I'm being asked why Urmila isn't in ``Company''. Crazy? By the way, Sandesh Shandilya and Ismail Durbar are doing the music for my two productions which I'm co-producing with Nitin Manmohan and Boney Kapoor.

I hope people do not ask me why Sandeep Chowta isn't doing the music in these films.

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