16 years ago, director Kunal Kohli created a frenzy in cinemas with his film Fanaa (2006). Trade veteran Taran Adarsh in the Business Talk on Bollywood Hungama on June 1, 2006 had mentioned, “In Jodhpur, one prominent theatrewala was jumping with joy, ‘Jitne log theatre ke andar hain, utne theatre ke baahar’”! This neatly sums up how much viewers were excited to see the film and it’s no surprise that it was one of the biggest hits of the year.
As the film celebrated its 16th anniversary on May 26, Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke to the director about the film, the casting and a lot more.
How was it to direct them?
It was a different experience every day. Aamir takes 4-5 takes to warm up. As for Kajol, she gives her best in the first and the second take. We were wondering what to do. Then, we did rehearsals with Aamir, so that Aamir is ready by the time we go for a take. Sometimes, Kajol also participated in the dry run. So, everyone adjusted. Aamir adjusted for Kajol’s style of acting. Kajol adjusted for Aamir’s style of acting.
I believe you didn't shoot in Kashmir due to Kajol’s hesitancy…
One of the last actors to shoot in Kashmir were Ajay Devgn and Kajol for Pyaar Toh Hona Hi Tha (1998). They literally ran away from there due to the rising militancy. Kajol made it clear that ‘Main toh wapis nahi jaa rahi hoon wahaan’. Even Aamir expressed his reservations. Then we went to Poland. Fanaa was one of the first Indian films to be shot in Poland. We shot until minus 27 degrees. The day the temperature would rise to minus 10 degrees, we’d celebrate and say, ‘Aaj garmi hai’! I get amazed when people shoot at around zero degrees and brag how they shot in freezing cold. I want to ask them, ‘What do you know about freezing cold? I shot at minus 25 degrees on a lake’!
Fanaa faced many challenges pre-release…
Oh yes. Firstly, we faced issues in multiplexes. Then, it got banned in Gujarat. Yet, without the Gujarat territory, it was a bigger hit than most of the films of that year like Don, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Rang De Basanti.
Did you visit cinema halls to check the reactions?
Rang De Basanti had done very well. We felt pressurised that we need to do as well as Rang De Basanti. I knew that Rang De Basanti will get much more critical acclaim than Fanaa. But I felt that I should at least get the box office numbers. Our songs had worked big time.
Let me inform you here that Aamir had reservations if the shayari aspect would work in the first half. He felt the first half could have been better. He told me, ‘Mujhe kuch aur karna tha. Tune mujh se kuch aur hi karwa diya’! I told him, ‘Mujhe jo accha laga, maine karaya tere se’!
On day 1, we went to Gaiety-Galaxy’s 12 noon show. Aamir didn’t join as he felt that seeing him, audiences would get influenced, so Kiran and I went. The crowd was going hysterical with the shayaris and during the song ‘Chand Sifarish’. They were in love with the character of Rehan. In the interval, I got mobbed by excited patrons. Kiran called Aamir and informed him. I was wondering how audiences would react in the second half. I feared they’ll say, ‘Yeh toh slow picture ho gayi. Entertainment hi nahi hai’. I knew that if the audience saw the second half in silence, then we are safe. And thankfully, the moviegoers quietly saw the second half. We knew then that the film is a blockbuster.
In the single screens, the film was a riot. Shah Rukh, Salman aur Aamir ki film ka jaise impact aana chahiye, waisa impact aa raha tha Fanaa ka.
More Pages: Fanaa Box Office Collection , Fanaa Movie Review
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