‘None of my movies are intolerably bad’

‘None of my movies are intolerably bad’ – inder Kumar

rks |

20 | July 24, 2007 at 2:40 pm | 14 views | NaachGaana Bol| Share

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‘None of my movies are intolerably bad’

Shaikh Ayaz, Hindustan Times

Mumbai, July 24, 2007

First Published: 01:00 IST(25/7/2007)

He has seen the boom and the bang.. the mega-busters (Dil and Beta) and the flop-shows (Rishtey and Pyare Mohan).

Naturally, he’s skilfully versed with the wicked ways of showbiz. “The moment your film flops, you are out of the limelight,” he drawls.

Right now, he has just wrapped up the shooting of his latest project, Dhamaal. Unusually blunt, Indra Kumar faces a blizzard of queries with self-deprecatory wit. I’ve always had to give hits to stay alive in this business. Don’t forget, I had to give a hit like Masti after Rishtey to get back in the reckoning.

Dhamaal has no heroine. Didn’t the distributors pressurise to have one?
(Ha ha) Till date, no distributor has done his demanding number on me. Maybe I’m one of the lucky few. To answer your question though, there are girls in the songs.. but none in the film.

Is it true that Sanjay Dutt’s court case made you go slow on?
Sanjay has been enormously helpful. He stood by the unit even in the face of adversity of such magnitude. He was under tremendous pressure, but he behaved calmly.. he went about doing his work.. and despite the attention around him, he managed to get his act right.

Any plans to cast your one-time muse, Madhuri Dixit?
Madhuri and I were planning a project some years ago. If things had worked out, I’d have directed her comeback film.

Can Madhuri recreate the same magic?
Why not? She’s making a comeback at the right time. Today, like in Hollywood, the Indian film industry has begun accepting 40-plus heroes and heroines. It isn’t a surprise that someone like Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan) continues to deliver hits.After Ishq, I realised that there is an audience for comedies. I was going through a transition and I thought I should change with the times

Isn’t it true that after a flop film, no actor wants to collaborate with you? Like Aamir Khan and Anil Kapoor haven’t worked with you after Mann and Rishtey bombed.
Both Aamir and Anil respect me.. and vice versa. We may have not worked together since, but why project it as if we are having a holy war? Anil and I have been trying to get together for a long time.. but haven’t found the right script.

Recently, I met a man who said he loved Mann. “I have seen all your films..Mann is without doubt your best movie,” he told me.

But you did have a tiff with Aamir after Mann didn’t you?
Our relationship is not strained. But yes, it’s equally true that I’ve always had to give hits to stay alive in this business. Don’t forget, I had to give a hit like Masti after Rishtey to get back in the reckoning.

When was the last time you spoke to Aamir?
(Thinks hard) It must have been three months ago. Aamir has turned director now. So, he’s all the more occupied.

How come you haven’t worked with the other Khans?
I’ve tried working with Salman and Shah Rukh. But nothing materialised.

Why haven’t your recent films matched the success of the initial ones?
Dil, Beta, Raja and Ishq were blockbusters. Masti was a phenomenal success. My track record has been reasonably good.

Why did you take a fancy to comedies after Ishq?
After Ishq, I realised that there is an audience for comedies. I was going through a transition and I thought I should change with the times. There’s nothing wrong with making a comedy, I presume. Nothing, really. But critics flogged terming it lousy.. even vulgar. Yes, it was ripped apart. So was Pyare Mohan. Yet, Masti proved to be a trendsetter of its time. I acted in over a dozen Gujarati films as a comedian. Maybe no one laughed.. or maybe they did.. I don’t know. At 27, I left the Gujarati industry forever

Like other directors, I’ve had my share of successful and mediocre films. But thank god, none of my movies are intolerably bad!

You were once a wannabe Gujarati actor. Whatever happened to your acting aspirations?
(Laughs) Wahan meri daal kuch gali nahin. I acted in over a dozen Gujarati films as a comedian. Maybe no one laughed.. or maybe they did.. I don’t know. At 27, I left the Gujarati industry forever.

But your brother, Feroze Irani continues to be associated with Gujarati cinema.
That’s right. He’s like the Amjad Khan of Gujarati moviedom. My other brothers are also in the film business. Ratan is a director, Adi an actor and Balraj a production manager. (Laughs) We are Paanch Pandavs.. five-man industry.

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There Are 20 Responses So Far. »

jayshah 24 July 2007
02:44:26 pm

‘Dil, Beta, Raja and Ishq were blockbusters. Masti was a phenomenal success’

This guy hasn’t a clue

Qalandar 24 July 2007
02:45:46 pm

So that’s the standard now?! That one’s films aren’t “intolerably bad”?!

rks 24 July 2007
02:47:19 pm

Pyaare Mohan was very bad. Koi sar pair hi nahi tha.

rks 24 July 2007
02:48:35 pm

Dil and Beta were superhits.

jayshah 24 July 2007
02:50:06 pm

Dil, Beta and Ishq were all hits for sure…but Masti ‘phenomenol’…totally clueless

akshay shah 24 July 2007
03:18:40 pm

Pyaare Mohan was trash! RISHETY was a RAJA HINDUSTANI wanna-be! I loved MANN & BETA! I didn’t think much of DIL and can’t sit through it now a days(sorry Sandy and Jay).

MASTI I Have a great weakness for.DHAMAAL was a fantastic cast with Sanju, Arshad, Ritiesh etc..should be a good one…

rajen 24 July 2007
03:21:55 pm

Hmm.Very low standards.

rks 24 July 2007
03:31:37 pm

AS:”MASTI I Have a great weakness for.”

I like the “saiyaan ji” song. I can watch it but not fond of it.

JasonTodd 24 July 2007
03:43:50 pm

none of his movies are intolerably bad…. the film from the vhs makes gr8 toilet paper.

now that really is mean, because to give the guy credit, i love dil and ishq

jayshah 24 July 2007
03:50:58 pm

‘I didn’t think much of DIL and can’t sit through it now a days’

I can’t sit through most of it either…although has my fav actor and actress so makes it easier…

akshay shah 24 July 2007
04:02:19 pm

With MASTI, I thought it was a neat little masala film. And the jokes were damn funny too. Aftab and Ritiesh stole the show here, Aftab facial expressions and dialogues in parts were just hilarious!!!!!!!

akshay shah 24 July 2007
04:02:38 pm

Plus Devgans there in masala mould in MASTI!

His entry was too good!

Pranav 24 July 2007
07:48:47 pm

I have only seen Dil, Mann and parts of Pyare Mohan, Ishq and Masti. I would only give a passing grade to Mann and a F to the remaining. Insult to the intelligence.

Sid 24 July 2007
08:06:26 pm

RKS- “Pyaare Mohan was very bad. Koi sar pair hi nahi tha.”
WRONG – Usme I think Aankh aur kaan nahi tha

akshay shah 24 July 2007
08:32:33 pm

Pranav: bit harsh on MASTI:P!

Pranav 24 July 2007
09:52:44 pm

maybe Masti just passes muster. I dig the songs: Chain khuli ki main khuli…dil ka panchi….hohohohohoho hohohohohoho hohohohoho yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah

zero 24 July 2007
11:47:46 pm

“So that’s the standard now?! That one’s films aren’t “intolerably bad”?!”
Qalandar, even if that were the standard, do you think Inder Kumar passes it?