December 2004 was a significant year for Ashutosh Gowariker. On December 17 that year, he released Swades, starring Shah Rukh Khan, a film that has an insane fan following. And 8 days before, on December 9, 2004, his company, Ashutosh Gowariker Productions Pvt Ltd (AGPPL), came into existence. On AGPPL’s 20th anniversary, Ashutosh Gowariker spoke exclusively with Bollywood Hungama about his two-decade journey as a producer and a lot more.
Congrats on the 20th anniversary of AGPPL. What are your first thoughts?
The first thought is of gratitude for getting the opportunity to make movies. In 20 years, I should have made 20 films (smiles). But that’s not the case. My number is much lesser as every film of mine took a lot of time. Nevertheless, the first thought is always of happiness and gratitude.
You had earlier made Pehla Nasha (1993) and Baazi (1995). With Lagaan (2001), your 2.0 version came to the fore. What made you start AGPPL after Lagaan and with Swades?
I realized that if I was again making a film, I’d take the opportunity to stand on my own feet and produce my own stuff. With Lagaan, my experience was very good as Aamir Khan gave me all the freedom and facilities to make the film in the best possible way. I wanted to replicate that, and it was possible only if I became a producer myself.
I asked my wife, Sunita, whether she would accept the role of a producer, a field that was new to her as well. Thankfully, she immediately agreed and said she’d love to take on the role. That’s how we started the company.
We decided to produce only those films that I wanted to direct. It was too soon to branch out and make films for other directors and develop other talent. We decided to first focus on developing our own talent, which is me (laughs).
In all your films, the songs have been lovely, including Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (2010). Its opening theme was catchy. You mostly worked with A R Rahman in most of your films but for What's Your Raashee (2009) and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, you opted for Sohail Sen and for Panipat (2019), you got Ajay-Atul on board. However, the lyricist in all your films has been Javed Akhtar. Tell us about your bond with him.
Firstly, I am glad you remember the theme of Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey. In my first film Pehla Nasha, I worked with Anand Bakshi saab. My second film was with Majrooh Sultanpuri saab. Since Lagaan, Javed saab has been my constant collaborator. I cannot think about making a film without him.
I try to surround myself with people who are at least 4-5 times more knowledgeable than me. Filmmaking is such a difficult art that when you are telling a story, you need to have strong experts from different departments to help you tell that story. Hence, I worked with the late Nitin Desai, who did all my production designing or Neeta Lulla or Bhanu Athaiya ji who did costumes. I realized that dialogues and lyrics are where the writing is. That’s the core. Hence, I worked with K P Saxena saab (for dialogues in Lagaan, Swades and Jodhaa Akbar) and of course Javed saab. Javed saab, with his immense wisdom, makes the most complex idea or thought simple and understandable to the common man. That’s the quality which I also learned from the films written by him and Salim saab before he became a full-fledged lyricist. I have been an admirer of that aspect and hence, collaborated with him in all my movies. It was a learning curve for each film.
You are right. The lyrics of ‘Yeh Tera Woh Tera’ have a lot of depth but it’s said most simply…
Even ‘Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera’ and ‘Pal Pal Hai Bhaari’ are difficult songs. For ‘Pal Pal Hai Bhaari’, for example, the idea was that what must have happened when Raavan visited Sita in the Vatika? What is the conversation that they must have had? Raavan probably must have insisted that she marry him and asked her why she is so much in love with Rama. To say that as a dialogue and to put it out as lyrics is phenomenal. Even ‘Man Mohana’ in Jodhaa Akbar or ‘O Palan Haare’ in Lagaan are in the same league.
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Today, a lot of period films are made but that was not the case when you decided to make Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar. How easy or hard was it to pitch a period film in those days?
It was very difficult, even if you had success in this zone. For Lagaan, there was no reference at all. In fact, there were references (of cricket-based films) that did not work. Hence, we had no option but to ask people to put faith in us. With Jodhaa Akbar, we could only talk about Mughal-E-Azam (1960), Taj Mahal (1963), Anarkali (1953), etc. and even Sohrab Modi ji’s historical films. But it was an era which was left behind in the 1960s. Post 70s, there were no examples. It all boiled down to a lot of convincing to do, not only to get Hrithik Roshan or Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on board but also to raise the funds.
What’s the scenario now?
Now, there’s a certain template that comes into play for period films. You need a battle sequence, some great costumes, jewellery, arches, pillars, palaces, etc. It has to be grand. But the cost is still huge, and you need to convince on the basis of your fundamentals, that is, story.
As someone who has had great songs in your films, what do you think about today’s music scene? Do you agree with the perception that songs nowadays are not as good as before?
I feel the taste of the audience is changing. Every generation feels that the songs during their time were the best and the current music scene is not right (smiles). But you need to ask the youth. Most of the songs receive millions of views. It means that these songs are being watched and liked. When I was growing up, I could not understand the music of K L Saigal saab’s voice and songs. I used to enjoy the music of R D Burman, Kalyanji Anandji, Laxmikant Pyarlelal, etc. But my parents and other senior members of my family would advise me to listen to Saigal saab. Hence, it’s nothing but a changing taste and you have to adjust to that.
Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, Panipat and Swades – all had a good word of mouth and yet, didn’t work at the box office. Coincidentally, all these were December releases. Does their poor performance sadden you?
You cannot predict how the audience is going to perceive the film and its story right from the time you release the trailer. Every story is not necessarily popular tastes. Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey or Panipat told stories of people who were not in the popular purview. I tried to do my best to tell that story in a manner where an audience would be entertained or get a window to a world which they never knew existed. Of course, the attempt is always to try and make films that become successful.
What next? It has been exactly five years since you directed a film…
I am making a film on Lijjat Papad but during the pandemic, we got hit by the timing of it and we lost a couple of years. The script, however, is now complete.
Is there any period film you’d like to make since you were the OG person who began this trend...
(Laughs) I am working on something which I can’t reveal right now.
Any final thoughts?
Earlier, we were only making films that I was directing. 2 years ago, I produced Toolsidas Junior (2022), directed by Mridul. Now, we are making web series, TV shows, documentaries and Marathi films and we are also getting into audio books. This is what the plan is for the next 20 years (smiles).
Any plans to act after Manvat Murders and Kaala Paani?
If I get a good offer and a good role, only then I get into acting. Otherwise, I focus on direction.
More Pages: Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India Box Office Collection , Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India Movie Review
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