By:
Faridoon
Shahryar,
IndiaFM
Monday,
26,
November,
2007
"Madhuri
is
a
very
very
special
performer," says
Anil
Mehta,
director
of
Madhuri
Dixit's
comeback
film
Aaja
Nachle
which
is
releasing
shortly.
Mehta
a
renowned
cinematographer
of
such
films
as
Lagaan,
Saathiya,
Kabhi
Alvida
Na
Kehna
and
Kal
Ho
Na
Ho
in
an
uncharacteristic
move
has
used
the
services
of
Mohanan
(Farhan
Akhtar's
Don)
as
the
Cinematographer
as
he
feels
"direction
requires
lots
of
concentration".
In
this
exclusive
interview
with
us,
Anil
Mehta
talks
about
the
germination
of
the
story
idea
of
Aaja
Nachle,
what
makes
Madhuri
an
easy
person
to
get
along
with
and
why
media
should
cross
check
facts
before
spreading
rumours.
How
has
been
the
experience
of
directing
your
first
feature
film
Aaja
Nachle?
It
has
been
very
exhausting.
We
are
at
the
finishing
stages.
It's
been
quite
tiring.
The
first
print
just
came
out.
The
entire
schedule
was
quite
packed.
It
was
not
as
if
I
was
gunning
to
be
a
director.
It
was
Adi's
(Aditya
Chopra)
idea.
He
has
written
the
story.
It
all
started
as
a
casual
chat
while
shooting
Veer
Zaara.
The
script
appealed
to
me.
After
this
I
may
or
may
not
direct
again.
How
does
it
feel
to
direct
Madhuri
Dixit,
one
of
the
biggest
stars
of
Hindi
Cinema
of
all
times?
It
feels
special.
I
had
not
worked
with
her
earlier
even
as
a
cinematographer.
She
is
an
iconic
figure
of
our
times.
For
me
she
is
a
special
performer.
At
the
end
of
the
day
it
was
an
enriching
experience.
She
is
a
fantastic
person
to
work
with.
When
she
started
working,
she
worked
with
ease
and
grace.
She
is
a
very
easy
person
to
get
along
with.
What
started
off
as
a
huge
task,
just
got
simplified.
Madhuri
is
one
of
the
finest
dancers
and
she
is
making
a
comeback
of
sorts
with
a
film
which
has
dance
as
one
of
its
principal
element....for
she
is
back
from
US
to
save
a
dance
academy...
It's
not
a
formal
dance
school.
She
has
an
open
air
theatre
space.
Song
and
dance
is
woven
in
the
narrative.
When
you
see
Madhuri
dance,
it
can't
be
spoken
of,
it
just
connects.
These
things
can't
be
articulated.
I
had
to
watch
the
footage
of
her
dancing
again
and
again
in
the
post
production
stage.
But
I
was
never
tired
of
watching
her
dance.
She
is
a
very
very
special
performer.
She
is
a
trained
Kathak
dancer.
Grace
is
a
part
of
her.
Jaideep
Sahni
is
the
screenplay
writer
of
Aaja
Nachle.
What's
his
contribution
to
the
film?
The
story
is
by
Adi
while
Jaideep
has
written
the
screenplay.
Adi
had
brought
him
in
quite
early.
Jaideep
has
been
there
since
the
beginning.
For
me
as
a
director
his
contributions
were
very
important.
I
believe
a
film
is
made
at
the
scripting
stage.
Jaideep
has
an
eye
for
detail
and
a
flair
for
local
flavour.
He
knows
the
local
colloquialism.
You
also
have
a
couple
of
talented
actors
like
Kunal
Kapoor
and
Konkona
Sen
Sharma
in
the
film.
What
are
your
thoughts
about
them?
In
the
second
half,
they
play
an
important
part.
Konkona
is
fabulous.
Kunal
is
a
toughie
who
is
into
local
politics.
For
him
it's
a
journey
for
realizing
that
there
are
other
important
things
in
life
as
well.
Aaja
Nachle
seems
to
be
a
film
set
in
a
small
town
in
India
and
it
talks
about
the
plight
of
a
dance
school.
Why
do
you
think
it
should
appeal
to
the
masses?
Why
it
should
be
appealing
to
the
masses
is
the
worry
of
market
pundits,
not
mine.
I
believe
it
is
relevant.
The
subject
is
based
in
a
small
town
in
India.
I
would
be
very
eager
to
get
the
response
from
small
towns.
It's
a
direct
connection.
It's
a
fun
and
entertaining
story.
The
music
of
the
film
has
caught
the
fancy
of
people.
What's
your
favourite
track?
'Show
Me
Your
Jalwa' draws
from
small
town
feel.
It
has
a
pretty
upbeat
tempo,
yet
it's
folksy.
It's
not
just
a
pop
number.
'Ishq
Hua'
is
a
soft
romantic
number.
I
believe
release
of
the
film
will
give
a
fresh
lease
of
life
to
music
as
well.
'O
Re
Piya'
is
my
favourite
track
and
also
'Show
Me
Your
Jalwa'.
A
lot
of
rumours
have
been
floating
around
that
Madhuri
isn't
happy
with
the
film
or
the
way
it's
being
promoted.
Is
it
true?
The
rumours
got
off
to
a
start
when
she
wasn't
even
there
in
India.
She
hasn't
said
anywhere
that
she
is
unhappy.
She
hasn't
seen
the
finished
film.
Obviously
someone
is
concocting
stories.
When
we
are
available,
why
are
the
facts
not
being
cross
checked!
She
also
has
a
representative
in
Mumbai
who
could
have
been
contacted
as
well.
Why
file
stories
just
for
the
heck
of
it?
How
was
the
experience
of
directing
the
film
from
a
Cinematographer's
perspective?
I
haven't
shot
the
film
myself.
Mohanan
is
the
Cinematographer
of
the
film.
I
was
very
clear
that
if
I
am
directing
I
won't
do
Cinematography.
Direction
requires
a
lot
of
concentration.
In
the
film,
the
cinematographic
approach
has
been
very
simple.
It's
the
kind
of
cinematography
that
gives
the
space
to
narrative
to
get
a
life
of
its
own.
What
about
the
25
minute
Nautanki
that
has
been
written
by
Piyush
Mishra
and
is
an
integral
part
of
the
film?
Chod
Do
Main
Karwaoongi,
Aur
Inhi
Logon
Se
Karwaaongi...It's
at
the
culmination
of
the
film.
It
wouldn't
be
proper
to
talk
about
it
till
you
actually
see
it.