Scare Squad

The dream team of Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar Banerjee strives to push their creative boundaries and explore the horror genre for the first time ever.

Karan Johar

Despite completing over two decades in Indian cinema, you have never limited yourself, creatively. Be it filmmaking, production, mentoring or acting; you have done it all. But what brings out your passion optimally to the fore?

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I am most passionate about filmmaking, everything else is a subsidiary of what I do. Being a director will always be my primary and only passion.

You have never shied away from experimenting with concepts. From Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’s coming of age take on adultery to narrating the beauty of unrequited love in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Do you think the audience has evolved with time and is finally moving ahead of the usual song and dance routine?

I think Indian Cinema in general has evolved along with the audience. We used to tell stories very differently in the 90s when I made my first film, then came the 2000s and today cinema is more identifiable, and real storytelling is the urge of the day. The integration of music within the narrative is what is happening. It is no longer a cut to song situation which used to happen when I began making movies back in the 90s. Today cinema is more natural, organic and has a more relatable and resonant feeling about it.

How do you think fatherhood has evolved you as a person? How do you balance your hectic schedule and spend time with Yash and Roohi?

Fatherhood has been the most amazing part of my life. I can’t put my feelings into words when I wake up everyday in the morning and see the faces of my two beautiful children. I feel so privileged and honoured to be a father and a mother both rolled into one. I think it just made me more responsible, accountable and more relatable in a sense because when you are dealing with children you become a child yourself. Coming to my schedule, time management is overrated. I think there is a lot of time in a day to achieve many things, from work, personal commitments to taking time off.

You have expressed your discomfort with the horror genre before. What led you to direct the anthology, Ghost Stories?

I was very nervous to direct this genre because it is not something that I ever attempted or chose to attempt. And, when this particular time we decided on Ghost Stories, I thought of challenging myself. I hope what I have created actually resonates with people.

You have worked as a part of this A-team on anthologies before – Bombay Talkies and Lust Stories. Do you follow any specific guideline while collaborating with these directors on such projects? Do conflict of interests arise and how do you tackle the same?

No, we had the greatest time making Ghost Stories. We meet up for individual films and watch them together. We are always open to each other’s suggestions and ideas. This group of directors is blessed by the universe. I think they are really a perfect match for each other.

Quick favourites

• Fictional character: Raj from DDLJ
• Board game: Articulate
• Classic film: Pyaasa
• Way to spend holidays: Shopping
• Rap artist: Badshah
• Music album: Best of Lata Mangeshkar
• One hit wonder: Vanilla Ice
• Childhood memory: Watching Roman Holiday with my mom
• Road to drive on: Mumbai Sealink
• Season of the year: Winter
• Web series or movies? Movies
• Reality or fiction? Reality
• Short stories or period dramas? Period dramas
• Encounter a ghost or a demon? I want to slay my ghost of the past and envelop a new demon

Zoya Akhtar

Coming from a family of Urdu poets and prominent actors, didn’t you ever nurse a desire in your growing years to be in front of the camera? Also, when did you realise that direction was your true calling?

I never wanted to be someone who would be facing the camera as I am extremely awkward whenever I am in front of it. I don’t even like being photographed much. I realised I wanted to be a director when I saw Salaam Bombay!

You touched upon the concept of gender discrimination in Dil Dhadakne Do. What’s your perception of women directors making their mark in the industry?

I think it’s great that women directors are making their mark in the industry and with each progressing year, we are witnessing more and more women become a part of the big league which is absolutely fantastic. I remember during Filmfare when Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari won the Best Director Award and Konkona Sen Sharma won the Best Debut Director Award, which in itself is supreme. I truly believe that it is the right time to involve a woman’s perspective in the film industry as it is a welcome change.

From directing films set on grand cruises and sets to entering the local streets with Gully Boy. How difficult was it for you to step out of your comfort zone and into the life of the ones living in slums and chawls?

I didn’t find it difficult at all. I am a Bombay girl, and am very privy to its people and their lives. I have interacted with them closely and have even shot in Dharavi before. Having said that, at the end of the day human beings wherever they are, all have the same human experience. All you need is to tap into that, and the rest is just research and backdrop.

It’s been a decade since your first film was released, and with each film you have set yourself apart. What would you say have been the biggest learnings and challenges over the years?

My first film, Luck By Chance was definitely a challenging one, but then again I do think that some things are always better than the others. Over the years I have realised that each project that you put your heart and soul into will come out shining, brighter than the one before it.

You have said that you thrive on bending genres and inverting tropes, and you attempt to do the same with your next directorial venture, Ghost Stories. Tell us something about how the idea for this anthology film incepted.

The idea for Ghost Stories came from Karan, when we were looking for what we wanted to do next. After which we all got on board for the same.

Once again the dream team has returned to collaborate for another project after Bombay Talkies and Lust Stories. How do you deal with clash of opinions and ideas?

We have never had a clash of opinion yet, so I would not know how to answer this. I love working with them and I don’t want this to ever end.

Quick favourites

• Fictional character: Scarlett O’Hara
• Board game: Articulate
• Classic film: All About Eve
• Way to spend holidays: On a beach, eating
• Rap artist: Eminem
• Music album: Purple Rain by Prince
• One hit wonder: Vanilla Ice
• Childhood memory: Watching Godfather on a projector on my dining room wall
• Road to drive on: J J Flyover, Mumbai
• Season of the year: Spring or fall
• Web series or movies? Movies
• Reality or fiction? Fiction
• Short stories or period dramas? Short stories
• Encounter a ghost or a demon? I want to slay my demons

Dibakar Banerjee

You have repeatedly broken shackles of stereotypes with your films. What inspires you to explore diverse trajectories in your films?

The fear of death consistently pushes me to create a mark in the film industry.

You have always depicted cities and its people immaculately in your films. How does the research process go to focus on details?

You have to look under every stone to get your facts right.

The new-age filmmakers are taking Indian cinema on the global graph and winning recognition in international film festivals. What clicks with the global audience when it comes to Indian cinema?

I guess they are just looking for either a good story or the stereotypical projection of our country’s poverty that has been showcased multiple times to attract the attention of the global audience. I would prefer to support the concept of a ‘good story’.

Another anthology with the dream team of Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap after Bombay Talkies and Lust Stories. According to you, what is the success mantra in collaborating with multiple directors for a project?

I think to some extent the reason why this succeeds is because all four of us feel happy and lucky to be given such a format to experiment with. And, we are coming at it with the playfulness of young filmmakers starting out and doing something interesting rather than filmmakers who have been in the industry for a long time, and don’t want to come out of their comfort zones to try something new.

Do you face creative conflict with the others? How do you tackle the same?

There aren’t any creative conflicts because each director has been given full independence to do their own segment, and that’s the success of the format. Also, I think what works is our sense of responsibility that if our own film doesn’t match up to a certain level, we will be letting our colleagues down which I think pushes all four of us to work even harder because we like and respect each other.

You are all geared to come back with another Netflix Original with Ghost Stories. What led you to explore the horror genre? What works for online platforms?

Karan Johar was the one to lead the way and we followed suit. I think in order to be successful, digital content has to be fresh and engaging enough to keep you hooked at all times because the audience has the liberty to switch off at anytime he or she wants to. I think the constant engagement of the audience’s interest is of paramount importance in content that is designed for the online platform.

Quick favourites

• Fictional character: Madhabi Chakraborty in Charulata
• Board game: Carrom board
• Way to spend holidays: With my daughters
• Rap artist: Outkast
• Music album: Can’t select one
• One hit wonder: Baby It’s You
• Childhood memory: Having shakarkandi (sweet potato) in Delhi
• Road to drive on: Walking on my village path in Uttarakhand, since I don’t drive
• Season of the year: It depends upon where I am
• Web series or movies? Both
• Reality or fiction? Reality is a fiction that we are narrating
• Short stories or period dramas? Both
• Encounter a ghost or a demon? We are already in the presence of a demon

Anurag Kashyap

After watching the 1948 Italian film Bicycle Thieves, you wanted to become a director. Did you have any particular plan in mind when you entered the film industry?

I had zero plans. All I knew was that I wanted to work in films and I didn’t even know if I wanted to be a director. I just knew I had stories to tell and started performing in theatre as an actor. After which everything worked out in my favour as I kept on working hard.

What according to you should be the role of censor and criticism in this country?

I think constructive criticism is the best kind of criticism. It should just be about the criticism of the film and its popular opinions; the star ratings should be left to the audience. I don’t see a role for censors because people do practice self-censorship. Rather than stigmatising certain actions, we should focus on educating our masses so that they are able to make their own decisions.

Your work had inspired British director Danny Boyle, for his Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. Do you think that praising a young filmmaker comes easily?

I owe my career to Danny Boyle. He was the one who put me out on the world map when my films had not even released. After which I was also a part of the Venice Film Festival. I think, when you are open to the idea of appreciating other people’s films then it comes very naturally. It definitely helps filmmaking, filmmakers and cinema if you appreciate young filmmakers and other people’s view of cinema.

Your upcoming directorial venture Ghost Stories has challenged you to step out of your comfort zone. What can we expect from this anthology and your particular segment?

I think I love this anthology, and always look forward to working with Karan, Zoya and Dibakar. Whatever the genre might be, we all take it on as an opportunity to push our own boundaries, experiment and narrate the stories that we otherwise wouldn’t have pursued. This time around, it was horror which I have never done before. It gave me an opportunity to walk past the mainstream rules and turn it into a psychological slow-burn for which I am extremely grateful.

Once again the best squad of Indian filmmakers has returned to collaborate for another project. Does the creative freedom ever get constrained while working with multiple directors?

There are no restrictions or constraints, as we all have the liberty to follow and narrate our own stories. The only time when we sit down for a discussion is when the order of each of our segments is to be decided before the anthology comes out, and I am generally okay with what everyone decides. When it comes to the marketing ideas, posters and trailers I hand it over to Karan and Zoya as they are aware of those aspects in-depth.

Quick favourites

• Fictional character: Don Corleone
• Board game: Monopoly
• Classic film: Bicycle Thieves
• Way to spend holidays: Diving
• Rap artist: Eminem
• Music album: Roadhouse Blues
• One hit wonder: Vanilla Ice
• Childhood memory: Watching a film for the very first time
• Road to drive on: I don’t drive
• Season of the year: Winter
• Web series or movies? Movies
• Reality or fiction? Fiction
• Short stories or period dramas? Short stories
• Encounter a ghost or a demon? Demon

Rapid Fire

• One Bollywood song that describes you perfectly? Anurag: Jab Andhera Hota Hai. Dibakar: Chal Kahin Door Nikal Jayen. Zoya: Jaan Pehchaan Ho. Karan: Hawa Hawai.
• If you were a paranormal investigator, which haunted place in India would you like to inspect first? Zoya: The street in Mumbai referred to as the “accident spot”. Anurag: Kala Pani (The Cellular Jail) in Andaman. Dibakar: South Block in Vijay Chowk, New Delhi. Karan: The tall white building on Bandstand that’s apparently built on a haunted bungalow.
• Do you believe in the concept of afterlife and ghosts? Anurag: No. Dibakar: No. Zoya: I am on the fence on this one. Karan: I believe in good and bad energies that exist around us.
• Who is your go-to person for gossip? Anurag: Karan Johar. Karan: Kareena Kapoor Khan. Zoya: Karan Johar or Shweta Bachchan. Dibakar: My five year old daughter.
• What is your favourite anthology? Anurag: Dekalog. Karan: Modern Love. Dibakar: Wild Tales. Zoya: Wild Tales and Dekalog.
• What was your one discovery on the sets of Ghost Stories? Anurag: That I can make a horror film. Zoya: That it’s a nightmare to shoot at different locations in Bombay. Karan: That I have no idea on how to direct a film like this. Dibakar: That silicon doesn’t react to water, but foam latex does, as I was working with prosthetics.
• Describe your segment from Ghost Stories in 3 words. Anurag: Creepy. Dibakar: Dare ko darao. Karan: Lost, afraid and discovery. Zoya: Waiting to exhale.
• What do you have to say about the changing dynamics of the medium of cinema from 70MM to online streaming platforms? Zoya: It is an evolution that is bound to happen. As long as everything co-exists we can keep making cinema on a theatrical big screen in the hope that celluloid and labs would come back. Karan: Hugely beneficial to content creation in the entertainment industry, and the upliftment of the writers as a result of great content even on film. Anurag: I think it is a boon and a great medium to explore. Dibakar: For me it is as if more and more alternative voices are being silenced, not only in cinema but everywhere. It is the current place for us to be, where else to go.
• If you could trade lives with one of the actors for a day, who would it be and why? Zoya: Hrithik, as I want to know the secret behind his fabulous dancing skills. Anurag: Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Karan: Hrithik Roshan, as I want to know what it feels like to be that gorgeous. Dibakar: Kashmiri woman.
• Ghost Stories: Zoya: Our film. Karan: Scope for fear. Dibakar: Power cut. Anurag: Our film.
• Netflix: Karan: Sex. Zoya: Chill. Dibakar: Deadline. Anurag: Home.
• FHM India: Karan: Sexy. Zoya: Magazine. Anurag: 100 list that used to come out. Dibakar: Never heard of it.

From the January 2020 issue of FHM India.