Expectations from 'Saawariya' scare me: Bhansali

Mumbai, Sep 12 (IANS) The first trailer of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Saawariya" has created an extra buzz and the people 's expectations are soaring. The director is overwhelmed but scared too.

"I'm overwhelmed! I'm now growing aware of how much people expect from 'Saawariya'. Just a one-minute-30-second trailer has evoked tremendous reactions," Sanjay told IANS.

The mood of "Saawariya" is compared to Raj Kapoor's "Awara", Kieslowski's "Blue", Baz Luhrman's "Moulin Rouge" and Tim Robbins' "Batman".

"If my work shows glimpses of these stalwarts, then I feel somewhere I've succeeded in doing what I set out to achieve. Nevertheless, the expectations scare me."

Bhansali speaks very highly of the two star kids, Ranbir and Sonam Kapoor, debuting in his film.

"Sonam is a vintage combination of Waheeda Rehmanji and Rekhaji. She has that poetic quality. Ranbir brings the best of his grandfather and his father in his personality. Audiences of all ages have warmed up to the two of them, although they neither act nor dress like the average metro-centric dude, and although we haven't shown their faces in the trailer."

Excerpts:

What has the buzz been like for the trailer?

I'm overwhelmed! I'm now growing aware of how much people expect from "Saawariya". Just a one-minute-30-second trailer has evoked tremendous reactions.

Some people have compared "Saawariya" to a Broadway musical?

They've responded to the colours, costumes and music. People are analysing every shot and frame in the trailer. It makes me doubly aware of what people are expecting from "Saawariya" after my "Black", which was a completely different non-musical genre.

A record 1,450 copies of the "Saawariya" trailer were released.

It was a decision taken by Uday Singh, Gareth Wigan and the entire team at Sony Pictures. I don't quite follow their marketing wizardry. But I do know they're giving "Saawariya" a unique marketing spin. Since this is their first Bollywood production carrying that legendary Columbia-Tristar logo. Before my film started, I was aware of the responsibility on my shoulder.

Ranbir and Sonam have a large legacy to uphold. Was that big responsibility for you?

Ranbir belongs to the first family of Hindi cinema. He has his great-grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor, grandfather Raj Kapoor and father Rishi Kapoor's legacy to live up to. Somewhere, the audience is still hugely enamoured of Raj Kapoor's cinema. As filmmakers, Raj saab and his amazing music influence many generations of us. Then Ranbir is also the son of two star actors, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, while Sonam has her father Anil Kapoor's name behind her. So, yes, the expectations are high.

The response to Ranbir and Sonam in the trailer is unbelievable!

I agree. People find Sonam beautiful. I feel she is a vintage combination of Waheeda Rehmanji and Rekhaji. She has that poetic quality. Ranbir brings the best of his grandfather and his father in his personality. Audiences of all ages have warmed up to the two of them, although they neither act nor dress like the average metro-centric dude, and although we haven't shown their faces in the trailer.

People have compared the mood of "Saawariya" trailer to Raj Kapoor's "Awara", Kieslowski's "Blue", Baz Luhrman's "Moulin Rouge" and Tim Robbins' "Batman"?

These are among my favourite filmmakers; people I've learnt the craft from and I think I've a long way to go before I reach their standards. If my work shows glimpses of these stalwarts, then I feel somewhere I've succeeded in doing what I set out to achieve. Nevertheless, the expectations scare me.

Why, when you've always lived up to expectations?

It's a film with newcomers and a new music director Monty Sharma. A large amount of hard work has gone into creating the correct music and performances. It doesn't matter how many successful films I've done in the past. I'll be judged afresh this time. I'm very humbled by the love they've shown to just one minute and 30

seconds of the film.

Blue seems to be the predominant colour of "Saawariya"?

Blue and green are the chosen colours of "Saawariya". My brief to my cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran was to give a surreal romantic interpretation to night time. Most of the film is shot in the misty night light all created in the studio. Yes it's got a lot of night time romance to it. A lot of the surreal feeling also comes from Omang Kumar's art direction.

Who are the target audience for "Saawariya"?

Firstly, the youngsters who want to see Ranbir and Sonam. Then I think the whole audience that still swears by the cinema of Raj Kapoor and also the whole generation that grooves to Rishi Kapoor's image. They'll identify with Ranbir. Then there's Sonam whose father has been a star for decades. We can't deny the sheer strength and appeal of the two newcomers' lineage. I just hope we're able to live up to all the expectations.

On one hand so much euphoria about the "Saawariya" trailer, while on the other your friend Salman Khan is undergoing a period of turmoil?

Salman is one of the finest human beings I've ever met. He's one of my dearest friends. He has done so much for me right from "Khamoshi" to "Saawariya". I feel so sad that Salman is going through a period of stress. But then the law has to take its own course.

I just hope god gives him and his family the strength to go through this period with dignity. I'll always be there for him.

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