Why no Lungi dance in your film, daughter asks Madras Cafe director

Shoojit Sircar on films, rejection, life with his daughters and Bangaliana.
It’s a rainy Sunday and Shoojit Sircar has just returned home after a game of para football. Relaxed in company of his two daughters — Koena and Ananya — he is looking forward to a fun evening ahead. He is teaching his daughters all kinds of games and Koena is quite serious about tennis. “I want them to take up sports as I strongly feel that academics aren’t a must,” he quips.And films?
“They are too young,” says the doting father, revealing just another side to the earnest and gritty filmmaker. Excerpts:
Till a week before release, you kept denying that Madras Cafetouched upon Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. Was it to avoid the censor’s wrath?
I knew it’s a sensitive film. There’s in-depth politics, which I thought could colour a lot of people’s minds. All said and done, we have become very intolerant. Two weeks before the release, protests started happening in Tamil Nadu. There were Tamil actors in the film, my best friends are Tamilians... But thankfully, we had a smooth run at the censors. Even senior officials thought we should have gone the whole hog. But I didn’t want to create a controversy.
Making a lot of non-actors act was no mean feat...
Madras Cafe was conceived before Vicky Donor and it was agreed upon too. John said yes to the film instantly. I was planning to cast Sheetal Mallar. When she did not do it, I finally found Nargis. Dadulda(Arijit Dutta) was finalized around the time John was roped in. Getting Siddhartha Basu was tough. I wanted to work with Prosenjit Chatterjee and then the script got changed. Nargis’ dialogues were initially in Hindi-English. But I found that she is not comfortable. I had seen the spark in her and so, did away with Hindi.
Amitabh Bachchan had sent you a bouquet after Vicky Donor. What was his reaction to Madras Cafe?
He liked it and wanted to know how I have made this film. A coffee date is due with him. He was surprised to see how I have changed my genre of films.
Your daughters — Koena and Ananya — had not watched Vicky Donor. What about this film?
It’s a U/A film and they are still under 13. Ananya asked me five specific questions after watching the trailer. ‘Why does your film have so much of fighting? Why is it not like Vicky Donor? Does it have Ayushmann? Is the song Pani da there?’ But the most decisive one was ‘Does your film have Lungi dance?’ I said no, so either watch it or don’t. Then she made a face and said she would see it.
Isn’t Ayushmann too keen on you starting your next?
Ayushmann wants me to start the film tomorrow. He calls up four times every day. I’ve told him, ‘If you call up so many times, we’ll not be able to complete the script.’ Depending on how the scripts go, I will either start the film with Ayushmann or the one with Amitabh Bachchan. I’m supposed to get back to Mr Bachchan with a script. He liked the idea, but nothing works with him without a bound script. But if it happens, half of the film will be shot in Kolkata. I want Mr Bachchan to play a Bengali character. It will be a family of Bengalis. I want to work with Moushumidi(Chatterjee). She was fabulous in Goynar Baksho, but I loved her in The Japanese Wife. John has also asked me to make a film with him.
How did you react to Sujoy Ghosh’s Bomkesh avatar?
I said, I will cast you. I thought he was very good. It’s a pure Rituda (Ghosh) film and bears his last impression. Sujoy, on his part, asked me for a treat for Madras Cafe. I’m quite proud of our Bengali club in Mumbai. Sujoy, Shantanu, Soumik Sen (of Gulaab Gang) and I are always in touch. I also loved Anurag’s Barfi!
You were upset last year when producers did not send Vicky Donor to the Film Federation of India (FFI) for the consideration by the Oscar selection jury. Have you sent Madras Cafe to FFI?
I think they have sent it. But it’s okay, this is not a festival film, but a populist movie. I have grown up watching festival films. I will make one in the future.