I'd like my film to be like 'Crash': Apoorva Lakhia

Mumbai, June 21 (IANS) Director Apoorva Lakhia has put the failure of his last release "Ek Ajnabee" behind him and is moving on with "Encounter At Lokhandwala", a thriller he describes as a "guys' film".

"It will be a guys' film. So far we haven't found 'no' positions for the girls. There will be couple of girls. But no songs!"

The film, to be produced by Sanjay Gupta, stars Sanjay Dutt (who he says bought them together), Arjun Rampal, Javed Jaffrey and Viveik Oberoi.

"Sanjay Gupta and I want to give it the feeling of a fast-moving docu-feature like Oliver Stone's 'JFK'. The editing would be pretty quick, though not in-your-face like 'Ek Ajnabee' so that the normal junta can take in what is going on," Lakhia told IANS.

It is going on floors on Aug 1 and Lakhia wants to keep it as factual as possible.

"Lots of stuff happened and we have to shoot it as realistically as possible. Since I am a stickler for details, I'll have to recreate 1989. The police uniforms, their gadgets and ammunition have all changed.

"In terms of characterisation I'd like my film to be like 'Crash'. I want every actor to have a well-defined role," said Lakhia, who recently shot a music video for a Durban-based pop singer called Tarina Patel in Mauritius.

Excerpts:

What is your music video about'

It is for a pop singer called Tarina Patel. In mood it is close to Abhishek (Bachchan)'s song in "Bluffmaster".

Just how she chose me to do it, I don't know. I shot with her and a model named Ajay. We shot it on the beaches of Mauritius for two days.

When do you start your feature film'

"Encounter At Lokhandwala" starts on Aug 1. Since it is based on true events, it requires a lot of research. My producer Sanjay Gupta's office has been fantastic with the research. We have got files and files from 1989 when it actually happened.

We are going to keep it as factual as possible. It will be two hours of real drama. We know how the cops dealt with the situation. But do we know what happened to the people who were stuck inside'

We are going to shoot the film on location outside the building where it actually happened. The interiors will have to be done on a set.

Looks like you are having fun'

Yup, Sanjay Gupta and I think alike. So we are a great team. We came together for one very good reason - Sanjay Dutt.

Gupta called me for lunch and asked me what I wanted to do - a remake or an original. I opted for the original, since I have done both - an original ("Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost") and an adaptation ("Ek Ajnabee"). Even if it didn't do well, I was happier with the original. Though I thought I copied well in "Ek Ajnabee".

How will you plot this real thriller'

We'll keep the actual facts in place. We are interviewing people who were in the building when this shootout happened. We have met people who hid under the bed for more than three hours.

We got lots of footage from TV channels who covered the incident. But we can't say it is based on a real incident. So we'll just say what people saw was real, what no one saw was the truth.

Which side of the law will Sanjay be on'

He'll play a cop. So will Arjun Rampal and Javed Jaffrey. We have Viveik Oberoi as one the people inside the building. There are 20-25 other characters who have to be cast. I want to take all my supporting actors from my two previous films.

Lots of stuff happened and we have to shoot it as realistically as possible. Since I am a stickler for details, I'll have to recreate 1989. The police uniforms, their gadgets and ammunition have all changed.

So will it be a real film or a thriller'

Sanjay Gupta and I want to give it the feeling of a fast-moving docu-feature like Oliver Stone's "JFK". The editing would be pretty quick, though not in-your-face like "Ek Ajnabee" so that the normal junta can take in what is going on.

Of course, it will be a guys' film. So far we haven't found 'no' positions for the girls. There will be couple of girls. But no songs!

What about item songs'

No no... this is gritty territory. I know a lot of films are headline-based. This is a good time to make any kind of films. Of course, when you go to a producer they first want you to make a remake. But still there's a lot of unpredictability in what can be done.

If you get a producer like Sanjay Gupta you can be as adventurous as you are capable of. He is a really chilled-out guy. We are both into cinema and books. He is a walking-talking library for world cinema. He really motivates me... also Ram Gopal Varma. You can't get away from him if you are making a real film. He's the father of the real genre. And I love the way he plays with silences. Look at how little Mr. (Amitabh) Bachchan spoke in "Sarkar".

What happens to your other projects'

There's a jungle thriller, which I went halfway through and then got stuck. I don't know what's going to happen to that project because just after "Encounter At Lokhandwala" I go into my comedy "Just Punjabi".

"Lokhandwala" will be your first film without the Bachchans.

It doesn't have to be that way. Let's see. There are lots of crucial characters in this film. I'd say in terms of characterisation I'd like my film to be like "Crash". I want every actor to have a well-defined role. I am really excited. I want to be like Richard Donner or Joel Schumacher who make all kinds of films.

How long will you take to complete "Lokhandwala"'

Forty days, and we are done.

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