Ajay Bahl started his filmmaking career with the critically-acclaimed neo-noir erotic thriller B.A Pass released in 2013. He went on to direct Section 375, a crime mystery drama which featured Richa Chadha and Akshaye Khanna. His most recent film Blurr, starring Taapsee Pannu, was an official remake of the Spanish film Julia’s Eyes and now he is focusing his attention on Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar starrer The Ladykiller.
In an exclusive conversation with News18.com, Ajay Bahl shared his experience working with Taapsee Pannu and opened up about his upcoming film with Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar. The filmmaker also talked about his perception of reviews, the plight of Bollywood post-pandemic, the reason behind making less films and more.
How was your experience working with Taapsee? And since it’s her debut film as a producer, how did she perform in that role as well?
Let me tell you one thing. I never met Taapsee Pannu, the producer on set. She is a delight to work with. I know it’s a cliche and everybody says that but trust me she is. She is the most hassle free actress ever. I used to pull the legs of my male actors that you all take so much of the time when Taapsee is already on sets. While they would be busy fixing their hair, Taapsee would be there right on time and ready. That was the running joke on sets that male actors take more time than Taapsee. She’s very diligent and a real-life athlete. She is absolutely hands-on. She’s a soldier in the true sense. I never felt like I was working around someone who’s right there up in their career as an actor in Bollywood. Neither did I ever feel that I was working with somebody who’s involved in the production of the film.
So Blurr has received mixed reviews so far from the critics and the audiences. Do you think the reviews that have come are apt? What’s your mantra of dealing with the criticism?
My first two films were critically acclaimed so this one too was a little beautiful. I am trying to put it all together. If you look at the good reviews and the bad reviews there are a lot of them that I respect. So luckily I got the good reviews this time. Not that I don’t respect other reviews. And some of those I respect have not given me good reviews. I guess you just have to deal with the good and bad of it. And I believe we have a strong film. I must have made some mistakes. Everybody does. It’s difficult to make a film which is perfect. I take respite from the good reviews and I tend to learn from the bad reviews.
Blurr is a horror-thriller. A genre that filmmakers don’t usually approach here in India compared to let’s say anywhere in the west where it is one of the popular themes. Why do you think directors or writers hesitate to experiment with this genre?
It has to do with filmmaking history of the horror genre. When we were growing up, there used to be Ramsey brothers. So we don’t have a precedent where these kind of films were made in a very competent manner. Most films that were made with such themes were crude. From horror tropes to makeup, everything was crude. So that is why we have horror-comedies because that right now looks funny. If you see an old Ramsey film, you would probably chuckle. That’s where our horror-comeides come from. There was this show called Shaitan Haveli. It was a riot. So we have not really given this kind of genre the respect that it deserves. But that might change because of the exposure of so many young film-makers. Who could’ve thought that we’ll have a werewolf film (Varun Dhawan’s Bhediya)?
Why do you make less movies? What is the reason behind such a long gap between your films?
After BA Pass, a lot of producers wanted to work with me but they thought I was this golden child of erotica which I was. So I just kept saying no. It was difficult to sit at home for five years. Then after that, a friend of mine recommended me to Kumar Mangat and then Section 375 happened. That was about 8-9 months rewriting the script. It was offered to me. And after that film was released, nobody called me for at least a year. But suddenly after that, a lot of phone calls started coming. Meanwhile, I worked on another film but somehow things didn’t pan out. And then Covid-19 happened. There’s another film that I am shooting right now which is called The Ladykiller with Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar. So hopefully the gap will be less this time.
How did you find Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar as actors while working with them for The Ladykiller?
We are all aware of what Bhumi Pednekar can do. Arjun Kapoor for me is the revelation. This is not the Arjun we know. Arjun has always been a very nice and sweet guy. He’s a lovely, lovely kid. We did workshops before we went with Atul Mongia on the floors. I was pleasantly surprised to see Arjun perform with the diligence that he did. By the fourth day, I was blown away. It started with a pleasant surprise but by the fourth day I was floored. This guy has done 18 films. And all this while, he had this inside him and now it’s all coming out. So I believe Arjun has turned a new leaf in his career.
Without disclosing much about the story, what can the audience expect from this upcoming film of yours?
It’s a very intense love story. I would say it’s Romeo and Juliet of today’s time in which the innocence is gone. There’s a lot of mistrust and generally it’s a take on modern-day relationships. The characters have slightly-corrupted values and how we all are today. The purity of the 1960s and 1980s is gone. It’s much more complex now.
Will The Ladykiller be releasing in theatres or on OTT?
No one can say. It’s too early. Half of the film is yet to be shot. So I think it’ll be ready for release sometime in June next year. Let see what the climate is at that point of time. Obviously we are shooting it for the big screen only and we’re not shooting it for the OTT. I don’t mean any disrespect to the medium but the film is set in the hills, there’s snow, there’s lovely landscapes. So it would be great if it releases in the theatres.
So many Hindi films have performed poorly at the box office this year, what do you think is the reason behind that?
There are a lot of factors at play and not just one factor. If you see the films that have done well, both of them have been franchises (referring to Bhool Bhulaiya 2 and Drishyam 2). I think people who are watching films now have grown up on video games, DC/Marvel movies. And they are attracted to films which promises to deliver a spectacle. Like SS Rajamouli’s film (RRR) or Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film. They both have intimate stories which are both contained. But I do believe that the better the spectacle, the better the audience.
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