‘Saiyaara’ director Mohit Suri on comparisons with ‘Aashiqui 2’ and ‘Rockstar’: ‘My wife told me about Sanjay Leela Bhansali and asked…’ – Firstpost

Mohit Suri, music, and melancholy seem to be a match made in heaven. The filmmaker has completed 25 years in the industry and now gears up for Saiyaara that stars two newcomers Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda. In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, the filmmaker spoke about turning 20 in Hindi cinema, working with fresh faces, his fine understanding of music, and the comparisons with Aashiqui 2.

Edited excerpts from the interview

You are completing 20 years in the industry and are now making Saiyaara with two newcomers. Do you have memories of your first day on the sets of Zeher?

I still remember it was October 1, 2004, and and Emraan Hashmi and Udita Goswami were shooting a scene. It was an evening shift. Kunal Deshmukh was my assistant. And, honestly, I’ve not really looked back and I know there have been ups, there have been downs. They are have been some really good times. There have been some really sad times. But I’ve never really looked back and looked at what I’ve achieved or not achieved.

And, it’s just that twenty years have passed so I’m thankful to too many people, but they’ve passed so fast. I’m looking and hope at my next twenty, I also around pass away this this fast. Because it’s been a damn good time and it’s been damn good fun.

What’s the advice that Mahesh Bhatt gave you that has still stayed with you and you would like to inculcate that and pass it on to the people you work with?

Just the fact that you can be dishonest to anybody, your wife, your kids, your producer, your actor, but not to the film that you’re making.

Without going on an overdrive with film promotions, the buzz is really like hot cakes. Is it a great validation?

I’m actually happy that you’re telling me this because I’ve been inside the studio for the last one month. I have no idea. And unlike the past when people travel from one studio to another, this is everything inhouse at YRF. So I haven’t really gone out and met the world outside. Normally, when you are working on other films, you go out for the day; for sound, edit, and VFX. It was different different places.

And just hearing it now, it does feel it does feel very redeeming and validating because when I started off this film, I was quite discouraged by a lot of senior people saying that nobody would be interested in a young love story. Because at that time, larger than life films were being made and I just thought that my voice would be lost there when everyone was shouting. So I just went and tried to make a film which is very different from what others were doing. And to me, the fact that people are appreciating that the difference that it’s standing out means a lot.

Since this is your first collaboration with YRF, tell us about your three favourite Yash Raj films.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Veer-Zaara, Chandni.

The music and visuals of your films always stand out. How much prep goes behind them?

Music was a matter of survival. While working with Vishesh Films, we didn’t have stars. Everyone was new, right from Emraan Hashmi to my sister to Kunal Kemmu. We realized that we didn’t have the promotion budgets like other big star films. We only played one promo when others played five. So we have a song in such a way that that one song stays with you more than the four that have been played by a star cast film.

So the survival mechanism somewhere became a way of working, and that’s something I’ve continued over the last 20 years. But when it comes to visuals, I’ve never really concentrated on them. I’ve always let the actors act first, and then I place the camera according to that. But I must give credit to the last couple of years because I’ve been working with Vikas, he’s someone who’s added to my visual sense.

Were you surprised by the comparisons with Aashiqui 2?

My wife used to always tell me when I made my first film, filmmakers like the great Pradeep Sarkar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali had their own style. She asked me what my style was and I didn’t have any. She said every director had his own style. The fact that you’re saying this now, I can go back and tell her I now have my own style. They’re noticing something that I’ve done 12 years back.

When I made Zeher, they said it looked like Murder. When I made Ek Villain, they said it looked like Murder 2. When I made Malang, they said it looked like Ek Villain. When I made Aashiqui 2, they said it looked like Woh Lame and Rockstar. So I think when I go ahead and make my next film, they’ll say it looks like Saiyaara. I think when they’re comparing it to my own work rather than somebody else’s, it’s good.

Aashiqui 2 was supposed to release on May 17, 2013. But the buzz was so high because of the songs that you actually had to release the film on April 26, three weeks in advance. Do you remember those times?

I was staying in the studio day and night, and I had to release the film three weeks in advance. But it wasn’t because the buzz was so high. It was because another film was coming on May 17 and we were not getting a solo release on April 26. In fact, it it was so soon that the film could not release overseas.