Santoshi launches Mithun’s son Namashi in ‘Bad Boy’

In an exclusive interview, the director of dark films like Ghayal and Damini talks about his latest, a comedy starring two industry kids

Rajkumar Santoshi PIC: IMDB

It is 28 years since Rajkumar Santoshi introduced two newcomers — Bobby Deol, son of Dharmendra, and Twinkle Khanna, daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Khanna — in Barsaat. He is doing it again now, with Mithun Chakraborty’s younger son Namashi Chakraborty and Amrin Qureshi, daughter of his latest producer, Sajid Qureshi, in Bad Boy. The film released on April 28, and it is Santoshi’s third romantic comedy after Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009).

In his 33-year-old journey as filmmaker, does Santoshi feel that returning to light films, after the mostly dark movies he directs, is relaxing? “I did not turn filmmaker because my father, P L Santoshi, was a legendary filmmaker, writer and lyricist,” says Santoshi, smiling. “I wanted to have a profession that did not involve a routine, like working in an office, or be in a profession where I would hear only unpleasant things every day, like a lawyer or a doctor! In short, after the huge success of my debut film, Ghayal, I did not want to work on a similar subject again. I next did a courtroom drama in Damini and a pure comedy in Andaz Apna Apna, followed by a romance in Barsaat.”

For Santoshi, the script decides the cast. Whether it is Sunny Deol in Ghayal, Danny Denzongpa in China Gate or Ajay Devgn in The Legend of Bhagat Singh, the casting, he says, should be spot-on. “I recently made Gandhi Godse—Ek Yudh. I could not have cast Tiger Shroff as Gandhi, or Aamir Khan, for that matter, as Tusshar’s rookie cop character in Khakee.”

Santoshi was planning an actioner with Sunny Deol with the same producer when the actor was elected as MP and became busy. “My producer then showed me a Telugu film and I thought its central idea was excellent and could be reworked in Hindi. After the script was finalised, he suggested two names, Namashi and Amrin, and I said that I would sign them only if they were to my satisfaction. Namashi struck me as hardworking and humble, and Amrin had the right attitude and potential to be a good actress. And while I knew Namashi was Mithun’s son, it was only after I had decided on Amrin that Sajid revealed she was his daughter!”

Newcomers are enthusiastic, Santoshi notes. But Amrin was like Bobby — “They never treated me as a ‘servant’ working for their producer-dads! There was no ‘I will not do a retake, this was fine!’ attitude. Both wanted to learn!” But even stars have treated him with respect. “None has asked me for a script yet. Even Amitabh Bachchan, who sported a French beard then, agreed to shave it off for Khakee. He had told me it was lucky for him, but I told him that in the police force, a beard was not allowed except for Sikhs! I added that I just needed his talent!”

Speaking of Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, the buzz has been strong off and on that Santoshi was planning a sequel to the now-cult comedy, Andaz Apna Apna. “I was planning it at one time,” he replies candidly. “Though I am still open to the idea, it will have to be a different kind of comedy as both Aamir and Salman are older now by 30 years. When a young man serenades a girl, it looks right. If someone of their age does it, it would look vulgar! So the humour will have to be tailored to them.”

That Santoshi, who considers The Legend of Bhagat Singh as his best work (“Because I had to make a real story engaging, within its real boundaries!”) is held in awe as an institution is clear from what his latest protégés have to say about him. Says Namashi, “It is largely thanks to Raj-ji that I am an actor. He has guided me completely. Bad Boy can be called his tribute to Hrishikesh Mukherjee. I also think that comedy as a genre is best done today by Raj-ji and David Dhawan.”

And Amrin adds, “I think that what I have learnt on this film from sir is what I would learn from doing two films with others! In one of my earliest shoots, sir had scolded me and I just went to a corner, sat down and wept. But he came to me and explained that he had not intended to hurt me but only wanted me to do my best.”