‘Arun Khetarpal story was waiting to be told’

Nonika Singh

Considered the master of macabre/horror, National Award-winning filmmaker Sriram Raghavan doesn’t put any value to epithets or hyperbole. His latest film, ‘Merry Christmas’, may not have set the cash registers ringing like his previous outing ‘Andhadhun’ did, but it has wowed those who cared to see it. The ‘Badlapur’ director talks to Nonika Singh about his craft and next project, ‘Ikkis’, a biopic on Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously (he was 21 when he made the supreme sacrifice in the 1971 war).

‘Merry Christmas’ opened to rave reviews but the theatrical run was not so successful. Does it bother you?

To some extent yes, for less people saw it in theatres than one intended. But now it’s on Netflix and many people are watching it and that kind of balances it out. Anyway, I took a chance with the pace and the kind of story-telling there is. It was not like ‘Andhadhun’, with so many twists and turns.

Do you think it did not work in cinemas as we expect happy endings from love stories?

When a movie is not successful at the box office, a host of reasons are attributed to it. In North India, many thought it was a South film. Vijay (Sethupathi), despite the roaring business ‘Jawan’ did, I think, is still not seen as an established Hindi actor. And then, there are some viewers who had issues with the plot, the big reveal et al. Now, I can’t help with that.

The attention paid to detailing in ‘Merry Christmas’ is exemplary; rarely do you see a film in which props are almost like characters. Do you think audiences get it?

When you are making a film, you don’t differentiate between a critic and normal audiences. I am a filmmaker but also an audience. Besides, many of the props came along as the film fleshed out. For example, the swan. There is a reason why it’s there and why Katrina Kaif’s Maria is burning it.

What is your casting process like? Invariably, you take on an actor whose acting chops we are familiar with and then there is a high visibility star.

I don’t consciously look for opposites. For ‘Badlapur’, we cast Varun Dhawan first and then I felt I wanted someone like Nawazuddin (Siddiqui). Ayushmann Khurrana had worked in many movies but still in ‘Andhadhun’, he was different. The star-actor alchemy works well for there is freshness for the audience and then a lot of osmosis too happens.

In ‘Merry Christmas’, Vijay’s character says, ‘Sometimes violence is better than sacrifice’, and then you flip it. Do you think ambivalence is the most fascinating human trait?

I have to say yes. The question itself is explanatory. I don’t judge my characters, as I think we all have our reasons.

Being a cinephile, your films scream references and your T-shirts mark your devotion to cinema. How important is it to be in awe of what you do?

I don’t know about awe but I love cinema. When my home can’t accommodate all the posters, T-shirts take care of them. As for references, sometimes they creep in subconsciously. When ‘Johnny Gaddaar’ came, I myself didn’t know there were so many till I read the reviews. As for ‘Merry Christmas’, many in my team had never heard of the song ‘Jab andhera hota hai’. So I felt quite noble introducing them to it.

You often turn the hero and anti-hero concept on its head. So what made you turn to Arun Khetarpal, a war hero?

At a time when there is a glut of war movies, why I am doing it is a question I ask myself too. But, then, this was a story waiting to be told. We present him as a boy who became a man, so we are right now shooting at the NDA. Besides, the film takes off 30 years after he was martyred in the 1971 war. His father, played by Dharmendra, goes back to Pakistan where he was born and is hosted by the very army officer responsible for his son’s death. So, this conflict too is played out.

What are the challenges of bringing a real hero to life?

There is no real documentary evidence. The information we have is through people who knew him and Army gazettes. Since he is an inspiration for every cadet, it’s a huge responsibility.

Any particular reason for choosing Agastya Nanda as the lead in ‘Ikkis’?

When I saw him about two years ago, I liked his energy. Obviously, I was not influenced by anything. I saw my character in him. He was yet to sign ‘Archies’.

As you clock 20 years in cinema, how do you look back at your journey and your alma mater, FTII, Pune?

I do wish I had been more prolific, which I am trying to be now. FTII has made me who I am. It opened my mind and introduced me to so many different slices of cinema. I love to throw in those influences, so that Hindi moviegoers get to know about them.

Till you came on the scene, it was said we don’t make good enough thrillers. Now we feel our war movies lack the cutting edge. Will perceptions change with ‘Ikkis’?

God willing! We are doing our best to make a good movie. But you have to wait and watch.