Hussain Dalal has become known as a rare artist who is a combination of a writer and actor. He recently received appreciation for his act in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shahid Kapoor starrer O’Romeo. Dalal got talking about that film and more in an interview with us.
Writer brilliant, actor just as brilliant. How do you balance out your two vocations without overlapping?
The truth about the balance between writing and acting is simple for me - they are 2 out of the 5 pillars of storytelling. I started working on stage and then films simply because I love telling a story. My whole life, probably from the age of 5, I would be standing near the canteen in school telling my friends a hilarious story about something mundane that wasn’t as funny or effective in reality, but my mind had turned it into a masaledaar story. And that’s where I learnt story telling. My father was like that. God bless his soul. Sorry for the long winded answer, but acting and writing are not conflicting ideas for me as I am a storyteller. I will do what the story needs be it with a pen or my face. That’s where the success of stories lie, don’t they?
So the simple short answer is?
They don’t overlap. They are both expressions of storytelling for me and as a writer I always check if the actor has the ability to deliver the human complexity that needs to be communicated to the audience and then main actor ke hisaab se scene likhta hoon. And as an actor, I always try to see what the writer is trying to communicate in the scene and try to create the best version of it. Main artist hoon sir, acting writing sab same hai.. mera pait kahaaniya kehne se bharta hai.
As far as I am concerned, you were the scene-stealer in the ill-fated O'Romeo. How do you cope with insecure co- actors?
To be honest, the love I have gotten in O’Romeo is because a huge percent of the audience that has seen the film has liked the film. Hence, they can have a favourite character and I am grateful for the love people have shown me for the film. About co -actors: honestly in Vishal Bhardwaj’s film, we were all one team … one vision and we had the best time making the film. Fortunately, all my scenes in the film were with the wonderful Shahid Kapoor, who is actually a dear friend of mine and I have written for him from time to time. So, we have a solid friendship anyway, and we just had to play the era the film is set in correctly.
So, Shahid and you were extending your mutual affection to the screen?
On this film, we had an absolute blast making our characters together. Shahid Kapoor let me fly and have wings in the film. He cared for my performance. We made graphs of our characters together and I must say Shahid Kapoor is the most honest, hardworking actors of our time and his craft has been there for the world to see for years.
I remember top heroes wouldn’t work with Mehmood. What if you face such a situation?
Firstly, it bring tears to my eyes that you would refer to me in context to the great Mehmood saab. So, thank you for the honor. To be honest, heroes in this generation are very intelligent, hence secure; and they know that a film works as a whole. So, if they let the better performer not shine, the film wont shine. Also –cheeky joke-- mera yakeen yeh hai ke yeh ‘Mehmoodon’ ka zamaana hai.. the hero has changed and is changing. Your father’s name and gym membership are not mandatory to become a loved actor in the industry now and it will only get more and more open and better for talented, performing artists across the world.
The writer is the real hero of any film. Why does the film industry refuse to give the writer his or her due?
I have been fortunate to always get my due, but I understand the nuance of the question and the answer lies in human folly.
Please explain?
Anyone who can think up a story, thinks they can write it. First let me talk briefly about the four film rule. The 4-film rule is, a film is made four times and each is a different film: the story and film you thought of, the script you write, the film that gets made, the film the audience watches. Now, what differentiates a great director-writer combo from mediocre ones is that the four films are similar to each other and the audience liked the final product.
How does this theory answer my question about writers getting their due?
Because, stories pe jo feedback deta hai, usse lagta hai woh writer hai. And we don’t have the discipline to understand that no amount of 6-pack abs, gym memberships, expensive clothes and good locations can fix a bad story. Without a story, you’re just making vanity videos. And that as a concept is hard to understand for the new age producer. Writers, young and old including myself, have always gotten the utmost respect in the movie business. It’s just that they don’t have the heart to write a bigger cheque to the writer, because tangibly nobody can explain to a producer that success exists because of writing and nothing else. We have seen big stars be in unwatchable films. Remember that the writer wasn’t paid well, and it shows.
When do we see you turn director?
Insha Allah very soon. My dream is to write a film I act in and to direct it. I am putting this out there today in your interview.
Finally as a Muslim, have you faced any discrimination in this industry?
I have NEVER faced any discrimination in the industry, and I may be naive, but I believe we are united as a business and no amount of external hate can deviate artists from creating art. Just to end the interview with my favorite kind of quote… Art is meant to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. It is meant to create love in the hearts of the ones who have lost. In a business that sells love, in a 1000 songs a year, we cannot fall for hate.
Also Read: After O’ Romeo’s lukewarm response, Vishal Bhardwaj says ‘Good films are getting beaten’
More Pages: O' Romeo Box Office Collection , O' Romeo Movie Review
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