Interview: Neeraj Pandey
In the recently concluded Hindi Cinema Recognition 2008, Mr. Neeraj Pandey had the maximum votes for Best Writer-A Wednesday. In this exclusive post, he answers questions put forward by PFC authors. Please extend him a warm welcome to PassionForCinema.Com
Q) Short Profile / Biography
English Literature Hons. No formal training in Film-making. And I hope it doesn’t show. 
Q) What school of writing do you come from? Do you follow Hollywood structure of writing screenplay? (Honhaar Goonda)
No school. And I really don’t know the ‘Hollywood structure’. But I am particular about fonts and stuff. Sometimes, I spend days trying to figure the right font for a particular script. Then comes the quote. A quote that sums the film. It could be mine or borrowed. The quote on the script of A WEDNESDAY was
I do it because I can
I can because I want to
I want to because you said I can’t.
Q) What books on screenplay writing have you read?
None
Q) Have you attended any workshops?
No
Q) Have you learnt anything valuable about the craft from others? What was that? Your personal five favorite screenplays and why? (Dazed&Confused)
Everything. Everything that I possibly know is by virtue of watching and reading. I still try to watch and read a lot.
Some of my favorite screenplays :-It’s a wonderful life, Jewel Thief, The Right stuff, Life is Beautiful, Ijazat, Requiem for a dream, Avanti, Nayak (Bengali). I love these and many more. Why ? The question I really hated during my college was – ‘Critically analyse…’
Q) Do you have any tips for aspiring screenwriters and directors? (Amanda)
Choose your teachers very carefully
Q) How long did it take to write A Wednesday? I’m sure you must have seen your film a lot of times–have you noticed anything that you wish you could have changed about the film? (Amanda)
Its not flawless or sacrosanct. But we will live with the mistakes and learn.
Q) How did you come up with this brilliant concept?
Lots of desperation, frustration and some Beer. And I don’t think it was brilliant.
Q) How long did you take it to write down the screenplay?
Actual writing took less than a week. But then, because it was relatively simple and matter of fact. Also, I got down to writing only when I was completely clear.
Q) Do you think if another accomplished director had directed your script would have better – did that thought cross your mind? (Honhar Goonda)
It would have been a different film then and I was interested in making this one.
Q) How much of the screenplay was changed on the sets? Does he like making last minute changes? (Dazed& Comfused)
Nothing was changed. In my opinion, on the set you change a shot… you don’t change the script.
Q) Your take on importance of narration- do you like doing it? How does you go about it? Please share reactions of Anupam Kher and Naseer to the script narration? (Dazed&Comfused)
I don’t like narrations. I prefer when an actor decides whether he/she wants to do a part or not after reading the script. Both the actors were given scripts and they reverted after reading. Once they were on board then we had readings. Those are great fun.
Q) It seems that the entire film rests on the monologue by Naseer at the end of the film (the rest of the film seems like any other police trying to hunt down terrorist movie)–do you think a good screenplay’s success should rest entirely/primarily on just one monologue? (Amanda)
What ‘seems’, Amanda, is not right. There are small, important, invisible units which make up a good, visible whole.
Q) Why was there a need of the opening voiceover/recollection of thoughts by Anupam Kher? many movies do use an opening voiceover or someone recollecting what happened that serves no other purpose other than to “frame” a story because it is not used after that. Did you have any other alternative start? (Dabba)
The opening voiceover was needed because I wanted Prakash Rathod to introduce the story to the audience and then sum it up. Somehow liked the idea Dabba. No I didn’t have an alternative start.
Q) Would it be fair to say people are more applauding the concept of the film compare to execution of the film? Where do you think you have gone wrong in executing/directing the film? (Honhaar Goonda)
You guys should tell me this HG. I can tell you this though. We made exactly what we set out to. In hindsight, there are so many places where we could have done better. But on that given day we took our best shot.
Q) The film lacks that Mumbai flavour/life. The look of the film tried to be slick and Hollywood-ish but still was a bit amateurish – it was a low budget film – so wouldn’t a raw feel to the film been a better option? Mumbai/Bombay was sidelined. There wasn’t much importance to Mumbai. Was that by purpose? You have been living in Mumbai for a decade now but you are a Kolkotan, Do you think you could have set this film in Kolkota? (Honhaar Goonda)
Yes, for me, it was not the story of Mumbai. It was Anon’s story… his POV. Everything else was in the background. And I believe we gave the background the importance it deserved. The film never attempted to be ‘slick’ or ‘hollywood-ish’. It just aspired to be Important and Effective. No, I couldn’t have set it up in any place other than Mumbai.
Q) How was it like directing Anupam and Naseer? Could you tell us any memorable incidents from the shooting? (Amanda)
Something that I am going to cherish all my life. The film got over but the connect is still there
Q) What do you think about the cast of Kamal Hasan & Mohanlal in the Tamil version? (Sethumadhavan)
Great casting.
Q) Are you working on any scripts at the moment, or do you plan on directing a film written by another screenwriter? (Amanda)
Yes I am. I also like meeting other writers on a regular basis. Writers are always welcome.
Q) You produced A Wednesday, but how hard was it to find a distributor? (Amanda)
It was sorted the moment UTV came into the picture.
Q) If I were to say- “A Wednesday succeeded in spite of its low key promotions”- what would be your reaction? (Sethumadhavan)
I would agree Sethu. We should have done better.
Q) Tell us about the move from Kolkata to New Delhi to Bombay and how you got into screenwriting and direction. For example, tell us about Legacy Entertainment and Quarter Inch Productions…Would you still want to make television programs and direct ad films in addition to feature films? (Amanda)
I used to love watching movies. All kinds and languages. Whenever and wherever. Loved to read too. There is something to learn from every film or book. Writing started with a short story. Then I figured that I had no talent whatsoever for anything else. Legacy was owned by the Dalmia’s in Delhi. However, we couldn’t get that company going. Quarter Inch Prods was my television company. We used to do stand alone band programming basically. Telefilms and stuff. I still feel we have a lot to offer in that category. Yes, I would love to do films for television/ mini-series/ ads.
Q) Tell us about Khaffa, your first attempt at scripting a feature film…It is said that Khaffa was inspired by Basic Instinct–do you think it is ethical to make Hindi films inspired by foreign films? (Amanda)
Completely unethical. I had written this about five years back. Khaffa was originally titled Fanaa but another film by the same title went on floors shortly. Till date I don’t have a clue why the producer and the director renamed it as Khaffa. It was not inspired by Basic Instinct. But the director was.
Q) You have kept a low profile when the film released and you still have kept a low profile after your film become a hit or popular film of year 2008? Why? (Honhaar Goonda)
Like it this way Honhaar Goonda. Love it this way.
Q) There are some rumours flying around that success has gone to your head – you are calling yourself ‘Michael Mann’ of India? Is this true? (Tanul Thakur)
Hilarious
Acknowledgement: Honhaar Goonda,Phoenixnu and PFC Authors.
Tags: A Wednesday, Anupam Kher, Naseerudin Shah, Neeraj Pandey
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The whole email questionnaire is easy, but disappointing, because it doesn’t thread out. This reads stale though there is some interesting information. Like the script in a week? Whoa!
Nice!!
Thanks Sourav and Neeraj
7 days is one hella job
Thanks Saurav, HG!!
and all those who provided pertinent queries…
we want more i say!!
Thanks for this one too
Nice work Sourav! And do convey our thanks to Mr. Neeraj Pandey!
Thanks HG,Phoenixnu,OM,DPac,D&C and PFC authors
@aditya- Rankings and Ratings have been contentious issues for long
Moreover IMDb ratings are user ratings.They are not any benchmark for perfection.Thanks for dropping by.:)
Good work Sourav & yes a big thanks to Neeraj Pandey for his honest answers.
Thanks Sourav and Neeraj! viva cinema!!!
Aditya Oberoi, are you the guy who camped in Mysore to learn Yoga?
If you are, I have spoken to you. :-)
Just read this..engaging questions, but Neeraj haas not elaborated..or maybe he is just that kind of a person
Was it easy to rope in actors like Naseer and Anupam for your debut film?
Was it difficult to direct such senior actors?
What was the most difficult scene you had to shoot?
Answers:
http://ia.rediff.com/movies/2008/sep/02neeraj.htm
——
Q.1. Naseer’s character is a way too competent, sophisticated and sharp for his projected setting. A common man does not have the competence to put together a bomb despite all the information available. To design a software program to deal with multiple SIMs to generate multiple-location calls is not a child’s play. And the movie doesn’t put Naseer’s character against a plausible background either. So characterization seems to be a weakness. Your comments?
Q.2. Similarly, Indian police in the movie appears to be as efficient as the Hollywood FBI. And with Hollywood FBI itself being a flattering exaggeration of the real FBI, the police in ‘A Wednesday’ appear thrice removed from their real versions. Portrayal of Naseer’s character and Indian police suggests that you took ’suspension of disbelief’ a little too far. Comment?
Q.3. The movie suggests strong-arm methods to deal with terrorism. Do you think terrorism could not be uprooted because enough force was not applied?
Q.4. Do you see terrorism as a criminal-justice issue, as the movie seems to suggest?
And many more
But he always reply in very few words, without explaining anything.
Another interview..
http://hemrajsingh.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/harder-clampdown-on-terrorism-needed-neeraj-pandey/
And after reading these interviews ,now i know, why i didnt like this movie very much, even though i like anupam and naseer very much.
Would love to see him create something on Kolkata.
Absolutely loved Wednesday. Kept me on the edge throughout the tension …and the end was superb.
FredForsyth’s day of the jackal comes to mind…
I for one loved seeing and hearing both Naseer and Anupam Kher throughout the movie. NO movie gives them so much screen time these days.
Thanks Sourav & Neeraj!
Less than a week to write the screenplay? Wow!
boring interview.. though honhaar gunda did ask some interesting questions with him being dull in response.. overrated and I couldnt sit through the movie either. i regret ever going to hall to watch it..
movie was good …engaging.. but i agree that it was a bit amaturish. Definetely we can overlook those aspects, considering we see lots of crap around. How often do u see anupam and Naseer in a movie…
For those who didnt like the movie or thought it was overrated, I think it must’ve been all the preceding hype that played killjoy.
I went to see A Wednesday in the first week itself, having seen only the trailers & taken care to block myself from any reviews, & I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
And I didnt think any of the scenes were tacky, except the hacking thing, but then even Hollywood movies routinely dumb down techie scenes. I quite liked the scene where Jimmy Shergill bashes up the rogue policeman. Shergill was a revelation in this movie.
For all those who didnt like the movie or thought it was overrated, it was probably the preceding hype & gushing reviews that played killjoy. I wouldnt have hated Slumdog M. so much if it wasnt for all the undue hype & hooplah around it.
I went to see A Wednesday in the first week, having seen only the trailers & avoided all reviews, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I didnt think any of the scenes were tacky, except the hacking one, but then even Hollywood movies routinely dumb down techie scenes. I quite liked the scene where Jimmy Shergill bashes up the rogue policeman. Shergill, btw, was one revelation in this movie.
nice review found here
http://hemrajsingh.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/a-wednesday-naivety-writ-large/
MMJ was far better.
agreed @eswara!!
It sounds right, that when a director/writer makes a movie/book, they present their ideas in it. And they wants their work to speak for itself.
my personal view is, if it is abt painting, music, sports or things like that, then the work should speak for itself.
but when it is abt those movies or books, which were not made only for entertainment, and which carry a message, or want to bring a change in society.
Then writer/director should talk on that subject more in public. or atleast to the people, who genuinely want to know more about it.
Otherwise, in some cases, i start feeling that this idea was used to sell the movie, and those were just filmi-dialogues.
—
I am not against this script. because i can’t judge script writing and those technicalities.
I was more interested in that message-n-idea part.
Thank-you AB for making the point that hasnt been brought out with regards to A Wednesday. The movie is laughable in that Naseer plays a common man with superhuman abilitites. Isnt that the frustration of the common man; his lack of resources(within/without) that makes him so vulnerable to terroirists/politicians/police. I cant believe that this website did not point to this glaring hole. It makes the whole movie a fantasy flick.
I agree with Aditya. It was over-rated. It just played on the fact that a common man can take revenge on the terrorists where the politicians are not doing anything. Moreover I had already figured out that Naseer was not helping the terrorists but was going to kill them. That’s why I did not find it so good. The surprise element was not there. But I do admit that Naseer being a common man was a surprise. But who can figure that out when you show him as a sophisticated techie using all kinds of gadgets to bring down the terrorists. The subject was interesting but the execution was not really great. It’s more like a fantasy where the common man is a superhero
bhai, itna ashan thodi na hai..had there been no UTV n d actors like naseer n anupam ji..well wonder “A Wednesday” could hv easily be a flop show without a doubt..SCRIPTS? Forget it man..the thing which was shown in d film, is never possible in this universe..a simple man can’t control his family problems yaar..so how can he do those kind of stuff? except few dialouges n only 100 mins duration nothing stands tall..n d part in which they have shown d one who used to get a threat call n d other man who was very fat, always used to give interviews..all those had no space but being included to help it as a no-brainers..Mumbai Meri Jan is far better..UTV was there but it wasnt well publicised, never ever there was a hype for that..so it didnt make anything that it should have..