Getting Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan in the same frame would be a casting coup for any director. Pushkar-Gayathri, the husband-wife director duo that delivered the Tamil blockbuster Vikram Vedha with two massive talents in the lead - R. Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi - believe they lucked out with the Bollywood stars for the Hindi remake of the action-thriller. In an interview, they spoke about what fans of these actors can expect from the much-anticipated remake. Edited excerpts:
The original Tamil version of 'Vikram Vedha' was a hit. Do you think it will have any impact on the business of the Hindi remake?
Pushkar: We like to think of it in another way. Take a play like Death of a Salesman or A Streetcar Named Desire. They have been staged hundreds of times all over the world. The text remains the same but when you bring in a fresh set of actors and technicians, the whole production changes. Our text is the script which we had written long ago. When Saif and Hrithik come on board to play Vikram and Vedha, respectively, they were bringing something where the actor and the written word come together to form the character. We strongly believe in that collaborative process.
Gayathri: That’s been the excitement for us. We never felt we were recreating anything. We had long discussions with the actors about how they want to play a scene. The soul is the same but it’s a completely different film.
What was the thought behind casting Hrithik as Vedha and Saif as Vikram and not the other way around?
Pushkar: There was a process. The basic idea we were looking at was who can play a particular role the best and we wanted to cast against the grain. We wanted the casting to make people excited, where they ask ‘what are you doing?’
Gayathri: We lucked out big time. Hrithik is the sweetest guy and suddenly he is spreading terror here. Saif is tough as nails. He carried the momentum and energy, plus he’s very good with guns.
Pushkar: We don’t define roles as positive, negative, hero or villain. They are human beings with different traits. Our perception is what makes them good or bad. If you go by that logic, all characters can be good or bad in that moment.
Gayathri: It is about transformation. The arc might be within the story but we want to see who can bring out that depth of acting.
Mani Ratnam’s 'Ponniyin Selvan' and your film released on the same date. Both are based on books. Thoughts, concerns?
Pushkar: Ponniyin Selvan is a classic text. It’s a tale of intrigue set during the Chola empire. You can’t beat that! It’s a six-volume book which I had read long ago. That text has been an inspiration for every writer coming out of Chennai. We did our part. They have done theirs. I hope people go and watch both movies. I will be watching that movie for sure.
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