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'The "scenes" were really, really tough'
Ranvir Shourie talks about ek chhotisi experience
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Vickey Lalwani
Like him or hate him, but you cannot ignore him. That is former Channel [V] veejay Ranvir Shourie for you.
After veejaying, Ranvir turned to films. Unfortunately, his very first film has got embroiled in a controversy --- Shashilal Nair's Ek Chhotisi Love Story.
Ranvir entered showbiz the hard way. "I worked hard for two years as a production assistant in Channel [V]," he says. "Then one day my life took a new turn. The creative director and executive producer of the channel spotted me and before I knew it I was a veejay. Those were the days! I simply enjoyed the adulation I received during my veejay days," he winks.
But one cannot be a veejay forever. The logical next step for the 28-year-old was films. "I have been on the lookout for films since a year," he says.
Ranvir explains how Ek Chhotisi Love Story happened. "I knew Shashilal from my veejay days. He knew I was keen to work in films. He told me about this role... in fact, he had a vivid sketch of what he wanted from me. And I grabbed it!"
A film like Ek Chhotisi... is hardly an ideal launch, considering that it is not the usual mainstream song-dance-and-action film. But Ranvir is very practical. "I will not fit the bill of a hero flaunting his physique and shaking his hip. I am looking for characters. But that does not imply I am averse to commercial films. I will balance both types of cinema and derive creative and monetary satisfaction."
Ek Chhotisi has been dragged into a controversy because lead star Manisha Koirala feels that certain scenes shot with a body double are obscene. The director, however, has refused to cut these scenes as he claims that they are important to the story. Besides, he says, Koirala already knew what she was getting into when he hired a body double to shoot some lovemaking scenes.
Ranvir does not want to be reminded of those. "The 'scenes' were really, really tough," he says. "My first shot required me to hug Manisha. Imagine that!" he chuckles. But he says Koirala was very supportive during the shoot. "She could have easily been snooty about doing those scenes with a newcomer. But she was a professional. At times, while those shots were being taken, I could not help but burst into laughter."
Ranvir does not think Koirala and Nair are enacting a publicity stunt to hype the film, as the body double (Jessica Choksi) claims. "No heroine goes to the high court to arouse curiosity in her film," he argues. "In fact, the disclosure of the body double takes away something from the film, since the public now knows that a portion of those scenes were not done by Manisha."
His next film, V K Prakash's Freaky Chakra starring Deepti Naval, is also offbeat. "VKP was looking for a new male face --- a freaky guy! I guess I look like a freak!" he laughs.
"It's a very different and interesting film," he says. "I am anxiously awaiting its release. I am very lucky that I had the opportunity of working with great actresses like Manisha Koirala and Deepti Naval so early in my career."
But Ranvir refuses to divulge his role. "I am the surprise package of Freaky Chakra!" is all that he reveals.
The son of K D Shourie, who has produced films like Zinda Dil (Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh) and Bereham (Sanjeev Kumar, Mala Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha), feels that the Hindi film industry has taken a giant leap. "But we need to work on the scripts," he says. "Everything is so repetitive. If one candy-floss movie runs, twenty more such follow. Filmmakers have stopped being innovative. No wonder the crowds stay away. How else do you explain the dismal revenues in the film industry this year?"