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In continuation of the series “Initial Steps“, excerpts from a conversation occurred between Director Raju Hirani(RH), and Ajay Brahmatmaj (AB), are presented here.

Ajay writes about Raju Hirani

First time I had met Raju Hirani in the office of Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Munna Bhai MBBS was not released yet. Most of the journalists were interviewing VVC. I saw that a shy man was silently sitting on a bench. Shining in his eyes pulled my attention and I approached him and got to know that he was the director of Munnabhai MBBS. I did a formal newspaper kind of interview with him and came back. Film was released and got a success. I met him again and this time it was a long meeting.
Coincidently I got to know bit earlier because of my sources that Munna Bhai MBBS was given the National award. I sent a SMS to Hirani. News was known to all after few hours but Raju Hirani never forgot that I was the first person who sent him first message. I don’t know what importance that event keeps in the familiarity Raju Hirani has been sharing this fact with all when ever we meet. This is due to the openness and humbleness of his nature.
Inspite of being the director of two big and successful films, Raju Hirani still carries his shy nature with him. But he opens during conversation and puts forth his views without any hitch and pressure or bias. Raju Hirani has given a new craft of popularity to hindi films. His films find both kinds of audiences élite and mass and stimulate their minds and make them happy. A big and visionary director fills the gap between mass and class. His films are not dependent on time and today Raju Hirani is a strong signature among contemporary directors of hindi cinema.

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[Following is the translation of the Hindi Interview and may not do full justice to the original interview so to read the exact sayings of Raju Hirani, one should go through the original interview. This is simply a trial to expose the interview to those readers who can not read Hindi at all]
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AB: You hail from Nagpur, which has been the head quarter city of RSS. Did you ever interact with them or get any kind of influence?

RH: I did not know before my college days that Nagpur was known as the central place of RSS. Its head office is there but its not like this that common men are influenced by it. I had watched shakhas in my childhood also but I never attended them or felt any kind of influence. As Mumbai can have some impact of Hindu outfits, same was there in Nagpur. It was never like this that there was a sort of Hindu wave and everybody was taking a plunge in it.

AB: Please tell about your family background. What your father used to do?

RH: My parents live in Nagpur. We had combined family. My father used to run a typing institute. He had migrated from Pakistan at the time of partition.
Most of the members of my family are lawyers and it was expected from me also that I would become a lawyer. After passing B.Com, I joined Law and completed first year also but I had an orientation towards theatre and I used to write plays during my college days. I wrote some plays for Yuvavani programme of all india radio also. We had a small group called “Awaj” and we used to do a lot of plays.

AB: Which kind of plays you did at that time?

RH: We had a small group. Marathi theatre was very strong there. We did not do plays in marathi but watched a lot of marathi plays. We translated plays from Marathi and Bengali. We did regular shows. Hindi theatre was not strong so we used to sell the tickets ourselves. We used to arrange for audiences. We used to invite people to watch our plays but it was fun. We did it for many years.

AB: Serious theatre like it was happening in Delhi and Bombay in those times?

RH: No, not like that. We had an impression that man learns on his own. We had no guide with us who could teach us. We were able to collect money sufficient only to book the hall. We were not organised like NSD or some groups in Bombay. Somehow we managed. Kishore Kulkarni Ji used to direct Marathi plays and he helped us a lot by directing few of our plays. We learnt something from him. So we learnt slowly and from the hobby of theatre, interest in the films was generated.

AB: How you started watching films and which was the first film which left a deep impression on you.

RH: In childhood I used to go with my grand mother. When I was 8-9 years old then whatever film I used to watch, its hero used to become my hero. So If I had watched a film of Naveen Nishchol then I used to feel that there was no one like him.
Good opinion is made only after getting some maturity. I very well remember Sangam. I had liked it immensely and later I came across Hrishikesh Mukharjee’s films and I decided that I had to watch his kinds of films. I watched Golmal, Chupke Chupke and Anand etc. I saw Manmohan Desai’s films also.
Nagpur had 22-23 cinema halls at that time and half of them were in very bad conditions. Perhaps now one multiplex is under construction there.

AB: Who was your favourite hero then?

RH: Amitabh Bachchan was a hero. We used to follow his style of walking and talking. We used to try to talk in a deep base voice. We wanted to wear his kind of clothes. I get a laugh now by recalling those days. There was a tailor in Nagpur and we used do go to him so that he should stitch shirts for us like we had seen in a certain film. Tailor also used to watch the film to get the idea about the shirt’s style. I remember after watching Bemisal, many of us friends had got stitched the shirt on the pattern of shirt wore by Amitabh Bachchan in the film. Amitabh was ideal for all of us.

AB: Was film watching the only motive for you then? Or you used to feel that you would get to see girls there and w’d enjoy with friends?

RH: Nagpur was very conservative city then. Girls did not go alone to watch the films. Surely outing with friends was a fun. We used to search any excuse to go to watch the films. Once it was raining and I felt to watch a film and went to my mother to seek the permission and my uncle was also sitting there and he asked me that why I was interested in going now? I replied that weather was so good and he said that if weather was good then I should enjoy the weather and why I was going to cinema?
I used to watch a lot of films. I remember that for some popular films cinema halls used to run a show at early morning at 5O’Clock. And second show used to start at seven thirty. I saw a lot of films in that second show.
Qurbani was released and I reached there at cinema hall at seven in the morning. I had thought that less number of people would be there in that early morning show and it was first day so I would easily get the ticket. But there I found audiences of last show were standing in the queue. Films used to release on thursday there. So people watched the last show on Wednesday night and did not go back to home but stood there in the queue to watch first day first show of Qurbani. Qurbani was so popular that 7-9 AM show was also house full.
One boy was saying,” Extra ticket extra ticket”. I was with my friend and we approached him and got to know that he was selling the tickets in black. Original price was printed as Rs 5.30 and he was asking for 7-8 rupees per ticket. I took the tickets and gave him 11 Rs and said that how he could take more money than the printed cost? We had a verbal fight with that boy and hearing this spat 3-4 wrestler type men came there. They were with that boy. We gave him 12 Rupees but he did not return one rupee to us. He was demanding 16 rupees. Other people also gathered there. Boy threatened us that he would see us later. We went inside the cinema hall and after sometime that boy also came and sat beside us. After finishing the film we went outside from the back door. We had fear that those people might stop us.

We had a big attraction to watch the films. There was no other entertainment then. TV was not there.

AB: Whatelse you used to like beside films? Did you like watching lobby cards also? I remember, we used to go to see lobby cards before watching the film.

RH: I used to see lobby cards during interval. I used to simulate in my mind that this and this has happened and now this should happen in the remaining part of the film. I used to judge the story by seeing lobby cards. I used to guess whether film would be interesting or not? Now these kinds of things have been finished.

AB: When did you decide that you had to join film industry only?

RH: During my theatre days only I had started thinking about joining the films. I used to like writing. I talked with my family. I had no acquaintance in film industry. I had a hitch for sometime but my father did not discourage me after knowing my desire.

AB: What kind of reactions you got when you declared about your orientation towards cinema?

RH: You see, at that time to go in to films meant somebody wanted to become an actor. People did not understand it that I wanted to become a director. They laughed at me. But my Dad said whatever you wished to do, do that because if we say do this or that and you don’t want to do that then you would not get any success. I did not know about film institute then. My dad suggested me that if I wanted to join film industry then I should take training at Film Institute.

AB: You had no exposure of Bombay before that?

RH: I had visited Bombay few times before but it was an unknown city for me where I had no connection at all. For this reason my Dad had advised me that if I wanted to go there then I should go after taking a proper training. I went to film Institute and brought prospectus. I had finished my graduation (B.Com). I filled the form and applied in the Direction course. I was not selected. I joined Law as most of the members of my family were lawyers. I was continuously doing plays along with the college.

AB: So you remained busy in plays at that time?

RH: To do plays was a regular passion. Writing and plays, both were in continuation. I had not got admission in film institute but I was exposed to the pattern of the examination. I got to know that 3000-4000 people used to apply every year and only 32 people were selected. So it was not that easy. I got to know that there were 8 seats in each course. Somebody advised me to apply in editing course. 2000 people used to apply for a course in direction and hardly 500-600 people used to apply for a course in editing. So competition was less and chances were more in editing. I had no idea then what editing was but I thought that I would join editing and would change later to direction or would learn direction there along with editing. So I applied for the course of editing next year.

AB: What was in your mind while joining the institute?

RH: I had this opinion that I had to make films. I used to direct plays in Nagpur so this thought was there in my mind that I had to direct films also. While preparing for entrance examination I started reading about cinema and world cinema. There was no exposure at that time.

AB: Did you get help from anyone during the preparation for your second chance?

RH: No I did everything on my own. I had seen the film institute and had seen the library there so I went there and stayed for one week and read a lot of things. When I came back to Nagpur then a film club was opened there.

AB: You started this film club?

RH: No I did not start it. Other people belonging to a different group had started this club. We got exposure to world cinema there. Films used to obtain from film archives. This time I got admission in the course of editing. Now I feel that it was happened for a good reason only because I get a lot of help because of my knowledge in editing. Direction could have been bit theoretical and now I enjoy my technical background. After finishing the course I came to Bombay.

AB: With whom you started working in Bombay?

RH: I did editing for some time. I remember when I had got the telegram from FTII that I have been selected in the course of editing then I was not able to put down that telegram. I was not able to believe that I was selected at FTII. I was watching the telegram and was imagining that now life would be settled this way or that way. I felt that life was on right track and after three years of education when I would come out of the institute then life would take a turn and I would become this and that. I watched that telegram for hours. I was the first person to join FTII from Nagpur.

AB: Which year it was?

RH: I remained in the institute from 84 to 87. I am talking about 1984. I reached there at institute but only after one week I realised that nothing of that sort was going to happen as I was thinking that I would go out of this institute and world would be changed. Place was quite intellectual type. Then a strike was occurred in the institute. Raging was there and we were instructed to shout “ We want more stock, more flexibility”. We were able to understand neither stock nor flexibility. If we did not shout then we had to face the ragging. Overall atmosphere was bit intellectual. Anybody used to speak anything. It was a pseudo intellectualism. I came under bit depression. I came back to Nagpur. After 20-25 days I got a telegram that Mrinal Sen was reaching there. He was member of governing council. Students were supposed to meet and siege him. So I went back there and Mrinla Sen came and students presented a protest before him. Police came and arrested the students. 80 students were sitting in the jail. I thought that I had come to learn the art of filmmaking and here I was sitting inside the jail. I was very much depressed. Anyway strike was called back later and classes were resumed again. We were given steel cameras to shoot. Some time passed and I got my confidence back that I also knew something. It is not like this —–This intellectualism is fine at its own place. With new dose of confidence I started enjoying everything. Today I feel as if it was just yesterday when I was at the institute.

AB: You were trained in theatre and now you were learning visual medium. Was it easy to face this change?

RH: Institute was giving us a new training. I had forgotten the old learning. I visited my home in the vacation and went to my old play group. People were doing a play and I thought I would also do a play. I took a role and somebody else was directing it and I started acting and found that I was doing it wrongly. It was difficult for me now. People were discussing in whispers that what had happened to me as I used to do it quite ably before. There was certainly a change. During my initial years in the films I used to feel that I should do theatre also but now I don’t feel any such yearning.

AB: How important is training?

RH: I think training is very important. Its not like this that people don’t learn directly. They do learn but I feel that formal training is very helpful because it teaches you in a systematic manner. You get to know everything since beginning. You take charge of camera since very first day. You already know about lenses, lighting and stocks etc. If you want to learn here then you have to assist someone and camera man will not allow you to peep through the camera. He will not teach you what lenses mean? He is busy in doing his job. If you have a formal training beforehand then it is easy. I don’t say that people can not learn other way round also but formal training helps a lot. Now a training institute passes out good and bad, both kinds of students. This is not necessary that every doctor coming out of a medical college will be a good doctor. But you get an environment to learn something there at the campus. Its up to you how much benefits you take out of that environment. A wonderful library is available in the institute. Whatever film you want to see its at your disposal there. World cinema is available to you in bounty. All the students are talking about cinema all the time so you get an amazing environment there. But there are side effects also. If somebody starts feeling that he has become an intellectual and he has become something and start showing attitude then there is a danger of losing before one actually starts his independent journey in filmmaking. If someone takes it positively, place may provide him benefits enormously. I feel that if somebody says me to go and join study then I will become instantly ready to go and learn something. To tell you truth, I do feel that I should go and learn few things. I should do a small course of 6 weeks or 1-2 months. I want to know little bit more about music and I feel that some day I should go and check.

AB: How you stayed away from the drugs at the Institute? Was not it in fashion there?

RH: Drugs was never a problem in the institute. I don’t think anybody was in to drugs there. Yes drinking was in fashion there but that too not on a serious level. May be one or two serious cases were there. Scene was similar there like you could find in any other institute at that time. It’s a myth about that place. Atleast it was not there in our times. Drug problem was not there.

AB: What was your first job after reaching to Bombay?

RH: Bharat Rangachaari was making an Ad film and I edited this ad. Film. After that Renu Saluja gave me a work and I worked on a documentary.

AB: Who directed that documentary?

RH: Shabnam had made the documentary. Renu had edited it but sound work was pending and I did it. I did 2 more works and after that I had no works to do for 2-3 months.

AB: Money should have been the problem in such times when you were not having works in your hands?

RH: In the institute we used to get scholarship. Fee was very less. We used to pay Rs 257 for a semester. In a way we were studying almost freely. We used to maintain a month in Rs 400-500 only. I used to get a scholarship of Rs 400 per month. Two students in each course used to get this scholarship. In Bombay I had faced financial problems in first six months but my family supported me.

AB: You stayed alone or with friends? In which place of the city you lived in the beginning?

RH: I remember very well that I was the first to finish my Diploma film and after finishing that I went back to Nagpur.

AB: Please say more about your Diploma Film.

RH: A group consisted of four people. A director, a cameraman and an editor was there in a group. Sriram Raghvan was the director in our group. He was in my batch. He has directed Ek Haseena Thee some time back. Harinath was the cameraman and I took care of editing. Our documentary had received a national award later. After that documentary I went back to Nagpur. We were supposed to do a two months video course and I went back to FTII but got to know that Video course has been cancelled. That means our Diploma of three years was finished and I found that our luggage etc was removed from our hostels and it was kept in a big hall. We used to treat the place as our home and we got to know that now home was not there any more. All the students had gone to Bombay or elsewhere. Nobody had informed me. I remember I sat there whole day. In campus I had neither a room nor anything which could be said as mine. Till yesterday we felt being at home there and now I was sitting there in a helpless situation. I thought whole day what should be done next? I was thinking whether I should go to Bombay or Nagpur? I was not prepared mentally and I had a mind set that I would finish two months Video course and in between I would be able to decide about my next step to settle in Bombay. I had no place to stay in Bombay. But I thought that there was no benefit in going to Nagpur as ultimately I had to try for work in Bombay only. I packed some necessary things in a bag and left rest of the things in that hall only as I thought I would pick up my luggage later. So carrying that bag I rode in a bus. Asiad busses used to run in those times. I reached Bombay at 5O’clock in the morning. I headed directly towards SriRam Raghvan’s home. I rang the bell and he opened the door. He was laughing at me.
I abused him,” Tu saale bataya nahin mere ko”.
He said,” I did not inform you deliberately as I thought that you should visit Pune and know on your own and I knew that you would come to me only in Bombay”.
He had a house in Bombay. His parents used to live in Pune. I went inside his house and found that three of our batch mates were already sleeping there. Mattresses were lying there on the floor. I also slept and woke up at 7AM. I heard sound of coins and I found out that everybody was busy in counting one rupee coins. Phone was not there in the house but there was a phone booth just outside of the house. We all used to make a queue outside of phone booth and each of us had a film directory. Cameraman used to call cameramen and Director used to call directors. Hard reality of finding a job had become clear before our eyes.
In the morning we used to call to take appointment and in day time we used to meet people. Luckily I got a work in first week only. I got some money but after that I got no work for six months. Later we got to know that Institute was organising the Video course and we went there to attend the two months course. We came back to Bombay. We knew that it was not easy to get a job. We used to meet a lot of people but they were not able to believe us. We knew that perhaps we were good but they did not know our working capabilities and why they would give us work? Then I joined an editing room. There was a studio – Ekta Studio in Santa Cruz. Video technology was new then. Editing was done in low band. I am talking about 1988. So I did a job there. I did not feel at that time that I was doing a struggle. It was fun.

AB: Had you got marriage by then?

RH: No I got married in 1994.

AB: Any girl friend or serious affair or you were away from such business?

RH: Nothing. I was not away from these things rather I should say that we were deprived of these things.

AB: It was a planned one or—

RH: No if I had got such an opportunity then I would have become happy. I used to get Rs 1200 there at Ekta Studio. I got to meet a lot of people there. I worked there for six months. TV work was there for editing and I edited few serials. I made contacts there. After leaving that studio I did free lancing for six months. I got advertising works also. In advertising if your work is liked then people call you again and again. Now I was getting regular works and I was not getting even a single day free. During those days I edited a feature film also.

AB: Which film it was?

RH: Zajbaat. Anant Banani had produced and directed this film. Film did not run. Joy Augusteen was making a film but that was shelved in between only. So I had experience of editing 1.5 films and though first film was completed but did not work at BO so I did not get any money and second film was stopped in between so I did not get any money on that project either. Film editing consumes time and you work for six months on a film and don’t get any money then it’s a practical problem of survival. I felt that this was not working. I was meeting with new people and I got to know few advertising people and I prepared few ad films. I got to know few good people who were not filmi background. I used to feel good with them. So I got to edit few ad films and slowly I got to direct also some ad films. Later I started my own production company and started making Ads. I was getting good work and was quite busy. Then I got the offer of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir.

Second and concluding part - Raju Hirani : I strongly believe in Gandhi Ji

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