Biopics more interesting in fictional format: Rajkumar Hirani
Mumbai
March 15, 2017
Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, who is busy with the post-production process of
his upcoming biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt, says biopics are more interesting when
presented in a fictional format.
Hirani spoke at a '#FilmsForChange'
initiative, organised by Good Pitch India and the Indian Documentary Foundation
here. He was there along with Nandita Das, Naseeruddin Shah, Rahul Dholakia and
Javed Jaffery on Wednesday.
While Hirani is making a film on Sanjay's
life now, the BBC had made a documentary on the controversial actor's life back
in 1996. It was titled "To Hell and Back".
Asked whether he ever thought
of making a documentary on Sanjay's life instead of doing it in a fictionalised
format, Hirani said: "Certain subjects will be more engaging if they are done in
a fiction format and certain subjects would probably be more interesting in a
documentary format.
"'PK' was the only film which I started with reverse
where I wanted to talk about God and religion, but in the journey of making that
film, I realised that I am ending up talking very little about it. There is so
much to talk about God and religion that you cannot actually say enough in a
fictional format.
"In a fictional format, it is expected that you have to
sugarcoat your story, entertain the audience and still manage to say what you
want to say. So, at some stage, I do want to make a documentary."
"There
are still unsaid or undiscussed issues that I haven't been able to show in 'PK',
so I want to do a documentary where you can say what you want to say. But in a
film like 'Sanju', I think it's more engaging as a fictional film where you see
another actor doing it.
"If you would simply pick up a mike (microphone)
and say, 'Okay, there is a man who did drugs, who had a gun and did other things
then', it's boring. I feel biopics are more interesting when you see it in a
fictional format. Otherwise, it gets boring.
"Subjects where you want to
say something else like as I said, if I want to talk about God, then I will
probably go for documentary but not a biopic," he said.
"Sanju" the title
of Hirani's forthcoming biographical drama film is produced by Vidhu Vinod
Chopra. Actor Ranbir Kapoor essays Sanjay's life on-screen in the movie, set for
release on June 29.
Mumbai
March 15, 2017
Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, who is busy with the post-production process of
his upcoming biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt, says biopics are more interesting when
presented in a fictional format.
Hirani spoke at a '#FilmsForChange'
initiative, organised by Good Pitch India and the Indian Documentary Foundation
here. He was there along with Nandita Das, Naseeruddin Shah, Rahul Dholakia and
Javed Jaffery on Wednesday.
While Hirani is making a film on Sanjay's
life now, the BBC had made a documentary on the controversial actor's life back
in 1996. It was titled "To Hell and Back".
Asked whether he ever thought
of making a documentary on Sanjay's life instead of doing it in a fictionalised
format, Hirani said: "Certain subjects will be more engaging if they are done in
a fiction format and certain subjects would probably be more interesting in a
documentary format.
"'PK' was the only film which I started with reverse
where I wanted to talk about God and religion, but in the journey of making that
film, I realised that I am ending up talking very little about it. There is so
much to talk about God and religion that you cannot actually say enough in a
fictional format.
"In a fictional format, it is expected that you have to
sugarcoat your story, entertain the audience and still manage to say what you
want to say. So, at some stage, I do want to make a documentary."
"There
are still unsaid or undiscussed issues that I haven't been able to show in 'PK',
so I want to do a documentary where you can say what you want to say. But in a
film like 'Sanju', I think it's more engaging as a fictional film where you see
another actor doing it.
"If you would simply pick up a mike (microphone)
and say, 'Okay, there is a man who did drugs, who had a gun and did other things
then', it's boring. I feel biopics are more interesting when you see it in a
fictional format. Otherwise, it gets boring.
"Subjects where you want to
say something else like as I said, if I want to talk about God, then I will
probably go for documentary but not a biopic," he said.
"Sanju" the title
of Hirani's forthcoming biographical drama film is produced by Vidhu Vinod
Chopra. Actor Ranbir Kapoor essays Sanjay's life on-screen in the movie, set for
release on June 29.
Tags: Rajkumar HiraniSanjay DuttNaseeruddin ShahJaved JaffreyRanbir KapoorVidhu Vinod ChopraNandita DasP.K.