Bheja Fry is a comedy without any double meanings, has no cleavage and ass showing and is absolutely void of sexual innuendos 
By IndiaFM News Bureau, April 10, 2007 - 08:21 IST
Making Bheja Fry was 'Je ne sais quoi' means lots of fun
If just the title Bheja Fry can crack you up and make you smile, then imagine what this outright comedy from debutante director Sagar Ballary would do to you when you actually sit to watch it. And to think of the concept, the film talks of fools and idiots per se. Now wait a minute all you smarty pants, we know you wouldn't for life want to be caught dead in your tracks hanging around with a fool. Right? But this particular movie, Bheja Fry is all about inviting fools for dinner and having fun at their cost. This might sound a little mean but at the same time is too hilarious and very much real. And though inspired by a French play and a French film, Bheja Fry is completely set and adapted to the Indian milieu, taking in mind the traditional flavours and the Desi tadkaa that our palate is so used to…
A guy who wouldn't dare try the delicacy Bheja Fry has actually cooked up the story for you…
All of 31years of age, Sagar Ballary, young and confident debutante has eventually managed to direct his very first Hindi film, titled Bheja Fry, for which he had accounted a long 15 years more down the pipeline. But to his surprise and good fortune, it happened pretty soon, as his idea clicked with the producer even before he had planned for it. His association with the producer dates back to the time when he had started assisting unusual and creative of an actor and director, Mr Rajat Kapoor as a chief assistant on his directorial ventures, Raghu Romeo and Mixed Doubles. “At that time Sunil (Doshi) asked me if I have an idea for a film and I narrated 'Bheja Fry' which he liked and decided to produce it”
But the question is - does the key to all good ideas lie in 'inspiration'
Mumbai born and based, Sagar from beginning was interested in being a film director, and having worked as an assistant director for two years on tele-serials like Teer Kamaan for Zee TV et all, he finally took a head long plunge into films by first laying a strong foundation that is educating himself in the field of film making from Satyajeet Ray Institute in Calcutta. “The idea of Bheja Fry clicked to me when I was studying in the institute and that is where I came across a French play and a French film, which was wonderful. It was about an idiot, I didn't want to pinch it directly but I knew it had a great potential of becoming a super comedy for Indian audience but it was totally European and had nothing Indian in it.”
I realized that the biggest idiot in my film could be someone who thinks he can be a singer and thus goes to every competition and tries to win a prize.
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So began the search for an idiot and where does Sagar find an idiot? In the Indian Idol competition…
I kept thinking what this idiot would be like in an Indian scenario and at that time the Indian Idol competition was happening where everyone wanted to be a singer and I realized that the biggest idiot in my film could be someone who thinks he can be a singer and thus goes to every competition and tries to win a prize. So from there we further developed the character. And the character of Bharat Bhushan, played by Vinay Pathak who is a super idiot in the film is shown a singer who sings only Hindi songs and that too songs of separation. The rest as they say is history, and from there on we developed the idea and screenplay, adapted it to match Indian sensibilities and style, changed the whole format of the film and now Bheja Fry is like any Indian Hindi film
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In terms of film appreciation, the European society is more evolved and more open to different subjects.
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Talking of the difference between European cinematic sensibilities and Indian cinematic sensibilities…
There isn't much of a difference. Yes in terms of film appreciation, the society is more evolved and more open to different subjects. But that is ok as we have a different tradition in India of taking stories and hearing stories… I have kept and adhered to Indian tradition of story telling and no story telling is good or bad. They are all good in their own dimensions but we did take care that we can't even make the film as experimental as a European film and it has to adhere to our sensibilities. Also because I am an Indian and my sensibilities are very much like an Indian so whatever I will make, I will make it to that tune only.
If the film is not an offbeat and belongs to the comic genre then what makes it different from other comic capers?
“The genre of my film is a pure laugh riot but not a slapstick comedy with duble entrenders (French) i.e. the film is without double meanings, has no cleavage and ass showing and is absolutely void of sexual innuendos.” He further goes on to add that his film is in fact a strong dialogue and script based comedy. But when compared to films like Jhankaar Beats, another script based comic film, Sagar defends saying, “It cannot be compared to any film off late, at least in last 10-15 years. I am very confident in saying that because though it is a kind of situational comedy it is very different from any film made recently. But I can surely say that you will laugh as much as you laughed in 'Munnabhai” that's what I feel.”
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Bheja Fry cannot be compared to any film off late, at least in last 10-15 years.
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Well… Munnabhai had a massive mass appeal…
Bole toh… Bheja fry audience ko samjh mei aayegi kya…considering Mixed Doubles and Raghu Romeo were for niche crowd... and the cast is also very offbeat...
When Rajat made Raghu Romeo and Mixed Doubles, he had his own sensibilities while making the film and it was his aesthetics that were involved not mine... I only worked with him in capacity of an executioner. When I am just an executioner under Rajat Kapoor, I am to deliver things asked of me and do it according to Rajat's aesthetics. And that does not mean they are my aesthetics just because I've delivered them. But with Bheja Fry, it is an outright comedy and the only offbeat thing about the film is that it does not have mainstream commercial actors performing those roles. Well that is the only offbeat thing about the film but that is because I belong to that set up and when I belong to that set up and make a low budget film I have to use the best elements from my set up and give my best to it so I have tried to make a commercial film within the resources available in my set up.
16 locations in 19 days... wow isn't it too much for a Low budget film …
“To say we had 19 days of shooting but within those days we shot in 16 locations.”
First 6 days we were shooting in 14 locations and the remaining 10 days we shot in one location. So you see there are a variety of locations. The film budget is low the number of days are less but locations and production is as good as a very big film... I did not want to be like every new comer saying “I had a low budget.” They complains saying “arre mere paas paisa nahi tha aur issi liye maine aisa banaya and I don't think that is a reason for you to crib because if you don't have the money then you should not make a film and spoil the medium. So I knew all the while that I should not spoil the medium because of my whims of making a feature film. I rather take the money use it correctly, make a good film and see to it that I break some ground & norms so that it becomes something new. That is exactly what I had intended to do and attained it at some level now. It is only for the people to see it and say, 'Yes you have attained it!'
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If you crib that you don't have the money then you should not make a film and spoil the medium.
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So the experience must have been quiet good!
“No actually my experience in those 19 days was quiet terrifying” I didn't know what will happen because even if one day breaks or we have one day of wrong shooting, that costs me a lot of money, which I could not afford. I had to be very perfect. We managed somehow, shouting, yelling, laughing and working together. “And not bad we did it quiet well, so that experience was good.” I always wanted to make my first film and thankful to Sunil and Rajat, they both got together and decided to give a green signal to my project. Rajat was also the Executive Producer on the film so that was very nice on their part because I am very young, and at my age it is quiet difficult to make a film. So yeah it's good that it happened.
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Bheja Fry is not a cookery show
