I want to make an intense love story, says Madhur Bhandarkar

Mumbai: He admits women-centric films are his forte but Madhur Bhandarkar doesn`t want to stick to one genre. After a comedy, the filmmaker now wants to direct an intense love story.

"I am a great admirer of Raj Khosla and Vijay Anand. Can you believe the same director who made `Guide` also made `Jewel Thief`. I`d like to be known for all genres," said Bhandarkar. "I want to make an intense love story like `Ek Duuje Ke Liye`. I also want to make a thriller like `Teesri Manzil`. But, yes, hard-hitting women-centric cinema is my forte," added Bhandarkar, who has ventured into comedy with "Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji". His impressive oeuvre of women-centric films includes critically acclaimed movies like ‘Chandni Bar’, ‘Page 3’ and ‘Satta’. Excerpts from an interview: Q: You`ve hopped genres with ‘Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji’? At a time when female-centric films like "No One Killed Jessica" are doing well why the change to male-centric cinema? A: I like to surprise everyone including myself. It`s not easy when you move out of your comfort zone. Firstly, I was not making a chick flick. This is a boys` film. People close to me know I`ve a good sense of humour. In fact, all my actors Bipasha Basu, Konkona Sen Sharma, Priyanka Chopra, Tabu... they all said, `Madhur tu kitna hansata hai`. So I thought, why not a comedy? But I never thought it`d be so difficult. I wanted to go back to the comedies of Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. My aim for comedy was not Rohit Shetty`s ‘Golmaal’ but Hrishida`s ‘Golmaal’. Q: Is it true that you were supposed to make a film on Jessica Lal? A: Yes, I was going to make a film on Jessica Lal. In fact, I had told UTV`s Ronnie Screwvala that I liked the idea of making a film on the Jessica Lal case. I had registered the title ‘Jessica’ after my film ‘Satta’. If you remember in that film Raveena Tandon`s husband played by Sameer Dharamadhikari had shot a bar girl in the film. He shoots the girl when she says `Bar band hai`. I saw ‘No One Killed Jessica’. Rajkumar Gupta has done a fine job. I had liked his ‘Aamir’ too. It`s very well performed and shot. So the case rests there. Every day as a filmmaker you come up with a new idea. Q: What next for Madhur? A: I am a great admirer of Raj Khosla and Vijay Anand. Can you believe the same director who made ‘Guide’ also made ‘Jewel Thief’. I`d like to be known for all genres. I want to make an intense love story like "Ek Duuje Ke Liye". I also want to make a thriller like ‘Teesri Manzil’. But, yes, hard-hitting women-centric cinema is my forte. Q: You are a huge fan of Gulzar, aren`t you? A: Oh yes I`m hugely influenced by the cinema of Gulzar saab. I consider it a big compliment when people refer to me as a new-age Gulzar. I know each and every film and lyric that he has written by heart. In ‘Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji’ even the title is a tribute to Gulzar saab. I acquired the rights of Gulzar saab`s song ‘Koi hota jisko apna’ from ‘Mere Apne’ and used it in ‘Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji’. It`s one of my favourite songs written by Gulzar saab. `Aur kya composition kiya hai Salil Chowdhary ne!` It would be criminal to change the track in any way. I`ve used it in the original form. Who can sing like Kishore da today? IANS