Interview Aditya Srivastava (Abhijeet)

In an age of popular films coming week after week and breaking the record of the last blockbuster in the way, there comes a small film like 'Dil Se Pooch...Kidhar Jaana Hai' that takes an offbeat approach and narrates the tale of a couple that got separated post infamous Mumbai riots and met again in diverse circumstances. We get into an exclusive conversation with the male lead of the film, Aditya Srivastava, who has shown his mettle as a character actor in films like 'Bandit Queen', 'Dil Se', 'Satya', 'Ek Haseena Thi', 'Matrubhoomi' and 'Dansh' in the past.

You seemed to have a great start with films like 'Bandit Queen' [1996], 'Dil Se' [1998] and 'Satya' [1998]. Why have you been not so high profile on the big screen even after being there for more than a decade?

Well, I mainly look for interesting roles and interesting scripts. This is why I was there in films like 'Ek Haseena Thi', 'Deewar' and most recently 'Dansh' but then yes, they have been far and few. A lot of my time goes in my serial CID on television and hence until and unless I get to play a very special character, I do not really crave to be there on the big screen.

So is your character that special in 'Dil Se Pooch...Kidhar Jaana Hai'?

Yes, that's true. The film has a backdrop of Mumbai riots and revolves around the characters played by me and Vani Tripathi. Both of us play husband and wife who get separated after the riots. What happens when we meet after years forms the crux of the situation. The irony is that while I am a cop, my wife is now a prostitute. How both of us decide to be together while being scared about the society and the fight that begins henceforth is the underlining drama in the film.

Sounds rather interesting....

Yes, it is! Because while so many stories are told about people who died or got injured in the riots, there are so many terrible stories about people who were indirectly affected by these riots. 'Dil Se Pooch...' narrates the tale about two such people.

But don't you think that a film with a subject like this needs to be promoted well for its target audience?

Yes, but then I may rather not comment on the film's publicity. If my producers feel that they can get the movie in theatres after a 2 week promotion then they have their reason about doing so. I am not really getting into the 'whys' here and would just want the film to do well whenever it releases!

What's the relevance of the film's title considering the subject of the film sounds dark?

The idea is simple. Whenever you are on a crossroad, always listen to your heart. That's because the voice that comes from inside is never wrong. It never lies and always guides you well. This is what happens to the main characters in the film. When they are in crisis, they listen to the heart since it dictates what is right and wrong.

For the first time in your career, you play a lead role.

That's right and what an experience it was! In fact I was running away from the role but then it has turned out to be such an enriching experience in the end. Shrirang, the director of the film, had seen 'Satya' and as per him, he had written the script keeping me in mind as the central protagonist. He was sure that he wanted to cast me in the role.

Most of your films have breached on being slightly offbeat. Is that intentional?

I won't say that I have a problem doing mainstream cinema. In fact I have been a part of such films like 'Lakshya' or 'Deewar'. But then let me be honest here. The kind of personality I have, if I am there in a lead role, a film cannot be 100% mainstream. It needs to have a subject which is different from what works as popular cinema. I can be cast as a villain in mainstream cinema but certainly not a hero.

Is that a reason why you played the role of an evil lawyer in 'Ek Haseena Thi'?

True, the role was brief but was brought out pretty well. In fact I would also be seen as a villain in 2-3 Tamil films that I am doing.

And release of 'Black Friday' should be another example of that, isn't that so?

Yes, we all are quite relieved that the film would finally be seeing the light of the day after the Supreme Court judgment. With a Jan/Feb timeframe for the film's release looking probable, Mid-Day [the film's producers] would be devising a publicity strategy for the film and bring it to the audience.

It could be a turning point in your career?

Dekhiye aasha to nai hi rehti hai! There have been number of films that I have done with acclaimed directors in the past and I really believe that 'Black Friday' by Anurag Kashyap would make its mark too.

So what next after 'Dil Se Pooch....' and 'Black Friday'?

There is a film titled 'Raakh' which I have done with director Hansal Mehta. It is a film in a complete commercial format with Sohail Khan and Mithun Chakraborty. I play a villain in the film. Beyond that I would be also be doing a film called 'Mohandas' with Mazhar Kamran who is an established cinematographer. And no, before you start wondering, film 'Mohandas' has nothing to do with Gandhi!