Aamir’s totally spoilt me: Rajkumar Hirani

In an industry, where the battle for spotlight is intense, this director is happy to see his work hog the attention.
His relaxed manner sets him apart from the rest of his ilk, so ask Rajkumar Hirani if he���s a shy guy and he smiles and says, ���Shy? Not me! Actually, it���s the way I approach my work. I don���t feel the need to be talked about. Also, inherently I am not an insecure person, so whether I am in the news or not, doesn���t affect me.��� CT got up, close and personal with the director and tried to unravel the secrets that make him Bollywood���s most sought after director.
Handling pressure
After Munnabhai���s huge success, Hirani���s next film, 3 Idiots is being awaited with baited breath. Since he himself has raised the bar of excellence with his debut film and its sequel, is he now feeling the pressure? He says nonchalantly, ���I don���t take pressure. For me, every film is like a debut film since it has a fresh script and a different treatment. I make each film with same zeal and don���t cheat myself. I don���t make films because it���s a trend in Bollywood. The idea I���m working on has to convince me.��� So, don���t results bother him at all? He says, ���Once you���re honest to your work and have given it your best shot, then you can take any result in your stride.���
Working with Aamir
Aamir and his ���meddlesome, perfectionist image��� ��� ask the director to comment on this and with a hearty laugh, he says, ���I have no idea how Aamir got this image. He is a treat to work with and he has actually spoilt me.��� He elaborates, ���Aamir���s one actor who is available 24x7. Which actor will take your call at 3 am in freezing Ladakh and be ready for a shoot in one hour���s time flat? Now I���d want every actor to be like him! As far as the interference, I look at it differently.
As a director I���ve written roles for everybody, hence humdrum may creep in. So, I do want my actors to contribute, it gives that much more meat to a character. And if Aamir does that, why should I complain?��� Giving an example, he adds, ���It was Aamir who suggested we stay at a campus in Bengaluru instead of a hotel. By doing that we got to observe nuances of campus life, which we could incorporate into our film.��� Hirani���s film has multiple star cast. Does it also mean multiple problems? He laughs and says, ���Not at all. All my stars are sensible people who had read the script. So, the question of bruised egos or fight for screen time didn���t arise. They are aware that if the film works, they all work.���
Breaking the mould
The kind of clarity with which Hirani espouses in thought is something that lends freshness to his films. In fact, the recent past has seen quite a few films, where directors have tried new themes to successful effect. Ask Hirani if he���d be just as comfortable making a film in an era where masala films ruled B-town and he says, ���There���s never a defined era for a certain kind of cinema. When masala ruled, I think film-makers were wary of breaking the set mould and worked with tried and tested formulas, a phenomenon which holds true even today. If one sequel works, you���ll see many sequels being planned. But, that���s not the way I work.���
Chilling out
Hirani says that last-minute work on 3 Idiots is going on. You ask him about a passionate kiss ��� the news of which the media got hold of ��� and he says laughing, ���Watch the film, mum���s the word.��� Veering back to his busy schedule, he says, ���I guess I will take a travel break, which I haven���t taken in the last three years.��� And does his home city Nagpur figure in his holiday plans? ���Oh yes, it does,��� he says adding, ���Though I���ve been in Mumbai for long now, Nagpur is still home for me. I look forward to spending time with my parents.���