"Shyam Benegal was the most chilled out guy on the sets" - Shreyas Talpade 
By Satish Sundaresan, September 19, 2008 - 17:03 IST
If there's one word that would describe the multi talented Shreyas Talpade, then, it will surely be impossible to do so, as he is the A-Z of acting and talents galore. Having made his debut as a mute and deaf guy in Iqbal, Shreyas has never looked back after that. He is on the wish list of every filmmaker today. The testimonies to his acting prowess includes films like Apna Sapna Money Money, Dor, Dil Dosti Etc, Om Shanti Om, Bombay To Bangkok etc… If that was not enough, he even took a step further by donning the producer's hat in the recently hit Marathi film Sanai Chaughade. Bollywood Hungama caught up with this man for an exclusive interview as he readies himself for his next release Welcome To Sajjanpur, which hits the silver screens today. We bring you excerpts of the same:
Shreyas, after traveling from Bombay to Bangkok, you are now 'welcoming' people to Sajjanpur. What's the deal?
First I went …and now I want people to come. I guess that's the most sensible thing to do (laughs).
The title Welcome To Sajjanpur sounds really whacky. What is the film all about?
Sajjanpur is a very idyllic type of village and the characters (villagers) there comprises of the good, the bad and even the ugly. BUT… everybody out there is simply adorable, be it a bad ex-sarpanch, an eunuch, a father who wants to get his daughter married, a compounder who is in love with some girl! In a nutshell, I would say that all the possible adorable characters have been brought under one roof in this film. Each of the character is very enduring and funny. On top of all, there this Mahadev Khushva (played by me), who has done his B.A. from a certain Tathna College and who happens to be the sole literate guy in the entire village! His irony is that he always dreamt of writing a novel but just could not go ahead with it because he did not find a suitable subject pertaining to today's scenario. Hence, he lands up being the official letter writer of the village.
Each of the character in Welcome To Sajjanpur is very enduring and funny
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Go on…
The film is about how he influences the villagers, manipulates their letters sometimes for their good or for his own benefit. He eventually proves to be the lucky mascot of the villagers. The reason being, whenever he writes a letter requesting money (on behalf of the villagers) whose children reside in the city, the money flows in quickly.
He is a character who is very today with some shades of grey. At the crux, it's a love story but it is packaged with all the characters who are making statements on the social issues, but in a very humorous manner. We are not trying to preach anything to anyone.
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We are not trying to preach anything to anyone through this film
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Wasn't the film earlier titled Mahadev Ka Sajjanpur? Then, why the change of name?
It's totally a production's decision. Apparently, the production and the distribution, in consultation with Shyam babu (Shyam Benegal) felt that the Welcome To Sajjanpur was more apt a title than Mahadev Ka Sajjanpur. Don't you feel that Welcome To Sajjanpur is more catchy and easy to remember than Mahadev Ka Sajjanpur? Its also very today.
There's one more 'reason' for the name change, which is, whenever the unit members met on the sets of this film, they would greet each other as saying, 'Welcome to Sajjanpur'. But the irony was that we had never thought that this greeting would eventually become the film's title!
The film has you paired opposite Amrita Rao for the first time. How has been the experience?
One word that sums Amrita Rao is 'Superb'. She is extremely hard working sincere and a dedicated actress. The dialect and accent that we have used in the film is 'Baghelkhandi', which is slightly similar to Bhojpuri and is spoken by the people of Baghelkhand, which is a place in Madhya Pradesh. Amrita was a bit uncomfortable in the start with this dialect, but I should say that she really took lots of pains to learn it. Even after the pack up, she would keep on practicing for 2-3 hours at a stretch. And the efforts that she took to learn this dialect really come alive very beautifully in the film. She played keen attention to even the minutest of the things. She is a very focused girl. Overall, it was a sheer pleasure working with someone like Amrita Rao!
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Amrita was a bit uncomfortable with Baghelkhandi's dialect, but I should say that she really took lots of pains to learn.
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You also have some really talented artists like Ravi Kissen, Divya Dutta, Ila Arun and Yashpal Sharma. How was it working with them?
It was wonderful. You just have to see the film to know what I am talking about. The fact remained that I had not met with Ravi or Divya, but the moment we started shooting we took off very beautifully. The chemistry just took off. As far as Ilaji is concerned, she is something else altogether. She is completely into the character. In short, she is a total livewire. All of the characters are simply mind blowing. And when you have such characters around, one feels so inspired to give their best shot! We never got to know when the film started and ended!
You are seen in a complete 'dehati' get up. How easy or difficult was it getting into the skin of the character?
What I feel is that if you understand the character then you get into the character. There is nothing so difficult that one cannot do. And considering the fact that he is a B.A. passed guy, he is aware of the shirt-pant culture. And the 'ghamcha' is the trademark of the village, hence he wears that too. Overall, it was not a difficult thing for me at all to get into the skin of the character.
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It was not a difficult thing for me at all to get into the skin of the character.
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Coming to the most important …How was it working with a legend like Shyam Benegal?
SUPERB to say the least. It was definitely a dream come true. There's always a perception about him that he is of a very serious nature who makes only serious films. But the fact is that he was the most chilled out guy on the sets. The kind of passion and enthusiasm that he has is totally unbeatable even today. It's an honor of the highest order for me to be working with Shyam Benegal. It was an opportunity that came my way and that too so early in my career. I had a great time working with him.
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It was an opportunity that came my way to work with Shyam Benegal, that too so early in my career
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Tell us something about the music of the film. What kind of a feel does it have?
Shantanu Moitra (Music Director) has done the music of the film. The main track of the film is superb and its goes with the flow of the film. The music of the film is not at all out-spaced and has got no item number. And my favourite track is 'Seetaram'.
Does the film have anything for the urban audience?
It's an unsaid fact that the village folks will surely like this film and identify with it, I am sure that the urban audience will actually fall in love with this film! The concept of the film is so fresh that it will serve as a welcome change to the urban audience that they will lap it up the moment they will see it!
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The concept of the film is so fresh that it will serve as a welcome change to the urban audience that they will lap it up the moment they will see it!
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What's next after Welcome To Sajjanpur?
I have Golmaal Returns followed by Paying Guest.
You turned producer this year with Sanai Chaughade…which went on to become a big success...how do you feel about that?
It feels wonderful. So much so that we (my wife and me) are so highly charged that we are planning to make another film! My production company 'Affluence Movies Pvt. Ltd' is looking at a couple of scripts (this time in Hindi as well), on which we should zero down very shortly.
Shreyas, without sounding diplomatic, can the audience except to see a surprise element in Welcome To Sajjanpur?
Overall, the film is a sweet surprise in itself! There is one 'surprise' in this film. It's actually an actor who plays a villager in the city. And it's a male. That's all. After this, my lips are sealed (laughs).
Why do you think we should make a trip to Sajjanpur (on screen of course)?
Simply because you will just love it. If you want to have a good time, sit back, and enjoy, then, you SHOULD definitely make a trip to Sajjanpur. The reason being once you are in, you will not feel like going back. You will leave the theaters with a smile on your face!
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Welcome to Sajjanpur to be screened at the London Film Festival
