Director Sandeep Vanga On Kabir Singh: Tried To Make The Character As Real And Simple As Possible
With Kabir Singh, a remake of his Telugu hit Arjun Reddy, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga wanted to make an unusual love story where the lead character has a specific way of looking at a girl.
News
oi-Swikriti Srivastava
By Pti
With
Kabir
Singh,
a
remake
of
his
Telugu
hit
Arjun
Reddy,
director
Sandeep
Reddy
Vanga
wanted
to
make
an
unusual
love
story
where
the
lead
character
has
a
specific
way
of
looking
at
a
girl
and
expressing
his
emotions.
Kabir
Singh,
played
by
Shahid
Kapoor,
is
the
third
take
on
the
story,
which
was
also
remade
in
Tamil
as
Adithya
Varma.
All
three
versions
have
drawn
criticism
for
their
depiction
of
toxic
masculinity
as
the
central
character,
a
doctor,
descends
into
self-destruction
and
alcoholism
following
a
heartbreak.
"If
you
make
it
like
girl-meets-boy
story,
then
it
becomes
usual.
It
was
deliberate
to
make
the
story
unusual.
It
is
about
this
character,
who
has
a
specific
way
of
looking
at
a
girl,
a
specific
way
of
expressing
his
emotions
and
his
love
for
her."
"It
is
about
how
his
life
changes
suddenly
due
to
love.
Love
does
change
things.
I
have
tried
to
make
the
story,
the
character
as
real
and
simple
as
possible," Vanga
told
PTI
in
an
interview.
The
director
said
there
is
no
plan
to
remake
the
film
in
another
language
as
he
is
done
with
the
story.
"I
thought
it
might
get
remade
into
other
south
Indian
languages
but
never
thought
it
will
be
remade
into
Hindi.
I
don't
know
why
I
felt
that.
So,
it
is
a
nice
feeling
to
do
it
in
Hindi," Vanga
said.
"I
don't
want
to
do
(more)
remakes.
I
am
done
with
it.
I
don't
have
the
patience."
Asked
whether
stories
that
the
film
was
inspired
by
his
own
life
were
true,
Vanga
said,
"When
you
write
something
straight
from
your
heart,
then
it
becomes
your
own
story
in
a
way."
Vanga
has
made
minor
tweaks
in
the
Hindi
version
though.
"Eight-nine
major
scenes,
which
are
emotional,
are
retained
as
it
is
from
the
original
film.
I
have
added
few
things
in
'Kabir
Singh',
which
were
initially
there
in
'Arjun
Reddy' but
I
had
to
cut
because
of
length
issues."
Shahid's
character
is
into
substance
abuse
and
alcohol
but
Vanga
said
it
was
done
only
to
stay
true
to
the
characteristics
of
Kabir
Singh.
"I
have
done
what
was
needed
for
the
film.
I
know
there
is
a
section
in
audience
who
feel
this
is
not
right.
I
don't
think
people
in
today's
day
and
age
would
copy
things
like
that."
The
success
of
Arjun
Reddy
has
Bitstream
Chartermade
Vanga
a
household
name
in
his
hometown
and
he
is
now
looking
forward
to
direct
his
second
Telugu
film
with
south
superstar
Mahesh
Babu.
"The
audience
has
identified
with
my
work
with
just
one
film.
I
have
made
an
impression
that
I
will
make
meaningful
cinema
and
I
am
going
to
work
hard
towards
proving
it
with
every
film."
The
director
said
he
grew
up
watching
the
mainstream
Bollywood
films
of
the
'90s.
"I
am
a
big
movie
buff.
I
love
watching
movies.
I
come
from
Warangal,
where
all
the
Hindi
films
are
released.
I
have
grown
up
watching
Shah
Rukh
Khan,
Anil
Kapoor
and
their
films
like
'Ram
Lakhan',
'Ram
Jaane'
and
others."