MUMBAI — 2011 was a mixed bag for Abhishek Bachchan: the average success of “Dum Maaro Dum”; the disaster that was “Game,” despite a thoughtful performance; and his success as a producer again after “Paa; plus his father’s “Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap,” in which he also sang the rap portions lip-synched by Amitabh Bachchan in the song “Go Meera Go.”
The balance shifted hugely towards the positive when Abhishek and wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan got their first-born, a daughter yet unnamed, Nov. 16.
And the Bachchans enter the New Year with the highly-anticipated release of “Players,” the first release of 2012, where Abhishek Bachchan plays the mastermind behind a gold heist in a multi-star setup that includes Bobby Deol, Nitin Mukesh, Bipasha Basu and Sonam Kapoor.
India-West chats up Bachchan in a group meeting with the media a month after fatherhood and about a fortnight away from the release of his film. Excerpts from an interview:
Q: How was the experience of your first Abbas-Mustan film?
A: Very few directors have succeeded in creating their own brand of cinema — Abbas-Mustan are offering typical fare in “Players,” even if it is a remake of the 1969 “The Italian Job.” They have Indianized it very well and even added characters. I play Charlie, the Idea Man in the whole enterprise. I am the captain of the team, the guy who allocates tasks. I am the mastermind and a career thief. I love the fact that Charlie is not motivated by money, but by an emotional reason — he is taking revenge as he has to avenge a dear friend’s murder. “Players” is special also because it is the first time that I am playing such a role — yes, I played a thief of sorts in “Bunty Aur Babli,” but that was about two twenty-something kids attempting cons.
Q: With no black and white in characterizations today, would you say that it is a good time for actors?
A: It is THE most exciting time for all of us. The influx of Western culture and multiplexes has allowed different subjects to be made. Though masala films will always be the most popular and will never go out of fashion, the people want a buffet and we actors don’t want images anymore. In my father’s time, they had to be careful about such things. Now we are allowed to do different things. My films in the last few years show that I have done everything from a “Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey” and “Dostana” and more to “Paa.” Yes, I have never done a horror film, and never will, because I hate them as as a viewer!
Q: But you took a risk doing some of the action yourself.
A: I am a bit uncomfortable with stuntmen putting their lives on the line for us actors. Then again, with all the modern safety precautions, it’s quite safe and a lot of fun to do, like the shot I did between two speeding trains. I try to learn the stunt, but if I can’t, I won’t hold up the shooting, and then I let the stuntman take over.
Q: How was it working with Vinod Khanna, who formed such a blockbuster team with your dad in five films?
A: It was fabulous. I told him that I had now managed to work with all the three, Amar (Vinod), Akbar (Rishi Kapoor) and Anthony (Amitabh Bachchan)! In fact, he was the one who seemed to be like, “Hey dude, what are you doing here? You’re just a kid. I should be working with your father!”
Q: You guys shot for the film at the North Pole.
A: Brrr! Yes, we were about a hundred kilometers away from the Arctic Circle. No film from any country has been ever shot there. The temperature over there is minus 30 degrees Centigrade in summer, and we were not there in summer!
Q: What else was challenging about doing the film?
A: The fact that Abbas-Mustan decided that it was the three tallest members of the cast — Sonam, Sikandar and I — who had to get into the Mini Coopers. Those cars are so small it would take ages just to get in and get out!
Q: Your father says that you are quite a whizkid as a producer.
A: Oh, that’s just a polite way of saying that “my son does not pay me any money”! (Laughs) On a serious note, I was managing production right from the time of “Major Saab.” Budgets are very important. We made “Bluffmaster!” in 2005 in 7 crore (Ramesh Sippy was the producer), “Paa” in about 10 crore and “Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap” in about 10.5 crore.
Q: How do you feel about stars charging a bomb, which skews the budgets?
A: I think that too much is being made of this. Let’s face it, you do sell films on a star’s name. The other costs have gone up phenomenally too, so why blame only the star? Shooting in the days of “Major Saab” would cost four lakh a day, now it is about 30!
I think that the choice is yours — I had once approached a big name for a film. He quoted more than I could afford, so we forgot about it. I think that no producer can agree to pay a star and then complain that he is charging too much and budgets are going haywire.
Q: Coming to “Bbuddah…,” why did you want to make the film?
A: As a producer, I believe in making films that I would like to watch as an audience. My father was always folding hands in front of others as a screen father or old man, greeting them or apologizing! I wanted to watch him beat the s**t out of 50 people again, the way he did in the ‘70s and ‘80s. I think that he did a sensational job.
Q: You even sang a duet with him, “Go Meera Go,” where your rap portions were uniquely lip-synched by your father.
A: It was in 2008 that Vishal-Shekhar, dad, Aishwarya, Preity Zinta, Riteish Deshmukh and I were on our concert tour abroad and we were sitting for dinner, fooling around. I came up with a remix kind of track for “Khaike Paan Banaraswala” with the hip-hop lines “Go Meera Go,” and dad liked it a lot. So did Vishal and Shekhar. Back home, we decided to jam and I did nine tracks. Then when we were making the film, dad remembered what I had made and we decided to bring it in. We got in more of his songs as well.
Q: Vishal-Shekhar have stated that you three were to do an album with those songs.
A: They are keen, but an album is hard work, not just about singing and recording. I think that one has to dedicate months to it.
Q: What is your own favorite genre of music?
A: I prefer Hindi film music, especially older music, and hip-hop.
Q: What next from AB Corp?
A: R.Balki, who directed “Paa” and is the force behind my “Idea” ad campaign, is like family. He is working on two scripts. Whichever one is ready first, he knows a producer is there for him for both. Meanwhile, we are making a film directed by Amit Sharma, a first time director. It’s a masala film with dad and me.
Q: Now about your best home production — your daughter. How do you react to terms like Beti B for her? Or for that matter Big B, Junior B et al?
A: I am fine with them.
Q: Have you decided on a name? You have tweeted for suggestions and must have got a phenomenal response.
A: Yes, but the name we choose must be agreed upon by everyone in the family.
Q: Does it have to given on a specific Hindu calendar date on which the naming ceremony is done?
A: No, my father does not believe in rituals like that.
Q: What is your take on Twitter, on which your father is a Hindi film industry pioneer, vis-à-vis a star’s exclusivity?
A: I think today’s fans have changed. You are no longer the demi-god. They want to sit next to you and have a conversation with you.
Q: When are we going to see you again on television?
A: When I have some spare time again. I enjoyed doing “Bingo” and the channel is keen on a second season. But I need to have that kind of time to dedicate to it.