KOMAL NAHATA 

KOMAL NAHATA: "Lagaan may win an Oscar"

He is the editor, printer and publisher of the much-in-vogue film trade magazine - Film Information. He also happens to be a qualified Chartered Accountant. Ladies and gentlemen, switch your focus on the much-sought-out Komal Nahata. Son of Ramraj Nahata, an earlier president of the largest body of film producers, the Indian Motion Pictures' Association (IMPPA), he has earned credibility very much on his own esteem. Film Information is a 28 year old publication, and Komal Nahata has been at the helm of affairs for the last seven of them. We quizzed him for-a-while on a monsoon evening at his buzzing office, on Lagaan and more....

Lagaan and Gadar-Ek Prem Katha have mustered 100% collections on the first day. What do you think are the factors that the viewers are finding so fascinating in these two period flicks?

Both Lagaan and Gadar are extraordinary films. It was said that both these big budget films are releasing the same day and may cut into each others business. But it has happened earlier with Sunny and Amir, and it has happened yet again. Dil and Ghayal released in 1990, while Raja Hindustani and Ghatak in 1996 proved to be money spinners. The 'history' has been repeated yet again.

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Now, there are quite a few similarities. Both are period films. While,there's action on street in Gadar, there's action on a cricket field in Lagaan. The audience reaction to both the films is Massive. Infact, I've never ever seen such reaction to a film the way I experienced while watching Lagaan at Gaeity cinema. It was just about fantastic. The people ran towards the screen when the match was on. It was euphoric!

What do you think worked in favour of both these films?

Both these films are good films. It is very apparent that the respective film makers have worked really hard while making them. The fear in the people's minds that the period films shall not click with the masses has proved baseless. Nobody goes to watch a movie to get educated. There were apprehensions that films having sports as their base have seldom done well. The idea of patriotism is the prime reason why both the films are doing so well. In Gadar, Sunny Deol, is up in arms with the larger interest of saving the country. In Lagaan, on the other hand, a different type of patriotism is dished out for people to relish.

You had recently stated in a national daily that "Mother and Mother India are the prime motivating factors behind bringing audience to the theatres again and again". Would you like to elaborate upon that!

There have been numerous examples where the 'mother' factor has added to the feel and longevity of the film. We Indians are a sentimental lot. A film having the mother element usually clicks. Examples can be Amar Akbar Anthony, Deewar, Trishul, Soldier and Karan Arjun and many more. I think patriotic flavour, on the other hand, is definitely a prime flavour for insuring success at the box office as well. Compared to the sentiment of motherhood, the only other sentiment that can score over it is that of the motherland. To us, still, our motherland is very sacred.

But, Boney Kapoor's Pukar was highly patriotic and released immediately after the Kargil war. And still it failed to click with the masses.

I think the biggest undoing of Pukaar was the negative shade given to the character played by Madhuri Dixit. I think they failed to prepare the audience which is used to believing that Madhuri can only boast of positive shades. I think that was the biggest drawback.

How do you think both Gadar and Lagaan shall fare at the box office?

I think both Lagaan and Gadar are gonna be neck to neck. Gadar shall primarily fare well in the North India, i.e. Rajasthan, East Punjab, Delhi and UP. Lagaan will score in Mumbai, South India and Eastern India.

Last couple of years the film industry has been passing through testing times, very few national hits, the underworld scourge. Your comments on this scenario!

Last year was bad alright. But I think the filmmakers ought to be blamed for that as well. Now, the way the things are, the satellite, the overseas rights and the film music have grown very big. What the producers became more keen upon was getting a good starcast. The proposals involving big starcast got great money from the financers. And the way the financial logistics work, a producer these days makes money even before the film is released. The filmmakers were busy making calculations rather than working on scripts. The public shall rejectanything that is below par. Gadar and Lagaan, on the other hand, were commercial risks. But hats off to people like Amir Khan. The film industry needs more such people. The idea is to just refrain from cheating with your work, the money will follow. The heartening thing that one must acknowledge is that the standards of film making have risen by manifolds. A movie like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and now Lagaan has set a benchmark. The standrads are going up!

Do you think our films are worth an Oscar now!

I think Lagaan can be a possible contender for an Oscar for the best film. The authenticity, the narrative, the simplicity with which it has been told is simply mind-boggling. Just imagine, there's not a single dialogue where the pronunciation (in Avadhi) is not what it should be.

Text & Pics by : Faridoon Shahryar