‘It was only after Aishwarya ran for 100 days and became a massive hit that Shah Rukh Khan signed Deepika Padukone.’
Key Points
- ‘Today, language has gone out the window. If you tell a good story with good actors, your film will reach the world. We are living in an amazing time.’
- ‘I have always been known as something of a trendsetter in the South. In fact, many of the senior directors of my time and my contemporaries watched my films and later cast the same actors in their own projects.’
- ‘AI itself still has a long way to go before it can convincingly create an entire film. Right now, it still doesn’t look completely real.’
Kannada filmmaker and journalist Indrajit Lankesh‘s name should hold special significance for Bollywood movie buffs. Particularly, if you are a Deepika Padukone fan.
While Om Shanti Om may have been the actress’ big Bollywood debut, it wasn’t her first film. Deepika had actually made her acting debut a year earlier in Kannada with Aishwarya, directed by Indrajit, where she starred opposite Kannada superstar Upendra.
For those unfamiliar with his body of work, Indrajit Lankesh has directed eight Kannada films and one Hindi feature, the Shakeela biopic starring Richa Chadha. He has also carried forward the legacy of his family’s journalistic tradition as the publisher of the Kannada tabloid Lankesh Patrike.
The fiercely independent journalist and social activist Gauri Lankesh, who was tragically assassinated by gunmen in 2017, was his elder sister.
Now, the filmmaker is ready with his second Hindi film, Jai Hind Jai Sindh: A Love Story, a Partition-era romance. The film boasts an ensemble cast featuring veterans and newcomers, including Mahesh Manjrekar, Vikram Kochhar, Indira Tiwari, Chhaya Kadam, Jaya Prada and Zarina Wahab.
“For any journalist, it is very difficult to transition into directing mainstream cinema. You see a lot of journalists fail because they are too sensitive to societal issues. Mainstream filmmakers have the liberty to cater to the masses with high-end action, violence, comedy, or mass elements. But as a journalist, you bring your own sensibilities,” Indrajit Lankesh tells Sreeju Sudhakaran.
‘The best film about pre-Independence, Independence, and the Partition is Gandhi’
Can you share your thoughts on Jai Hind Jai Sindh?
The film features a huge ensemble cast, including Mahesh Manjrekar, Jaya Prada, Rahul Dev, Vikram Kochhar, Indra Tiwari, Amit Behl, and Upasana Singh. I am also introducing four new talents, two girls and two boys. It’s a film about a young boy who matures beautifully, like an amazing wine, as time goes by.
Jai Hind Jai Sindh is primarily a love story with Partition and Sindh playing characters.
As you know, this year alone we had two major movies come out regarding Partition: Main Vaapas Aaunga and the upcoming Batwara 1947.
How are you approaching this subject to make your movie stand out from the Partition dramas that came before it?
The films coming out now use Partition as a complete backdrop. But Jai Hind Jai Sindh is fundamentally a love story. It’s not entirely based in the pre-Independence or Partition era; rather, Partition and Sindh are just characters and incidents within the plot.
It is a contemporary film with a contemporary love story that will resonate with Gen Y and Gen Z audiences. Romance plays the main character here, whereas in the other films you mentioned, Partition and pre-Independence are the main focus.
Considering the film has political elements and a historical background, what was your thought process when making it, especially given the politically sensitive climate we are currently living in?
The political setup is actually more about the social setup we are living in. That is one of the key features of the film. It addresses the socio-political scenario and serves as an answer to every person who is experiencing or facing social and political hatred today.
What is your favourite film or show revolving around Partition?
For me, more than just Partition, the best film about pre-Independence, Independence, and Partition is Gandhi. It is very close to my heart. Nobody can emulate that film. The production value, the star cast, the characterisation, the history, and of course, Gandhi himself… you just can’t get bigger than that.
‘I have always been known as something of a trendsetter in the South’
I saw the motion poster for your film, and there seems to be a lot of AI visuals used. Considering the use of AI is a hotly debated topic globally, what are your thoughts as a filmmaker regarding using this technology in movies? Where do you draw the line?
I have always been known as something of a trendsetter in the South. In fact, many of the senior directors of my time and my contemporaries watched my films and later cast the same actors in their own projects.
For instance, I introduced Chaya Singh, and her very next film was Thiruda Thirudi with Dhanush, which became a superhit. Then I introduced Vasundhara Das, who went on to work in major films with Mohanlal, Mammootty, Vijay and many others.
Of course, as you know, I introduced Deepika Padukone in Aishwarya, and her very next film was Om Shanti Om with Shah Rukh Khan.
There are many such examples.
Ileana, too, worked with me in a film where I even composed a song around her name called Ileana Ileana. Later, a similar lyrical idea found its way into Shankar’s Nanban.
Whether these things happened consciously, subconsciously or simply organically, I can’t say. I’m not claiming people deliberately copied me, but these similarities did happen.
In the same way, when I made my film using AI, it was the first time a motion poster or teaser had been created that way. I combined AI-generated visuals with real footage throughout the film, blending the two together.
Soon after that, without naming the film, one of the biggest movie teasers also adopted AI in a similar fashion. Seeing one of the industry’s biggest films follow that approach was very satisfying.
I believe we’re going to see many more films using this technology. That said, AI itself still has a long way to go before it can convincingly create an entire film. Right now, it still doesn’t look completely real.
There is this fear about actors and technicians losing their jobs with the evolving AI boom.
The same thing happened when digital cameras arrived. I was like Christopher Nolan in that regard. I loved shooting on film stock and preferred analogue cameras. I didn’t believe in digital cameras because they lacked the depth and clarity we were used to getting on film, especially when shooting against backlight.
But as the technology evolved, analogue gradually became history. Today everyone shoots digitally, and we keep upgrading to the best digital cameras available.
I believe AI will go through the same revolution and evolution. Eventually, filmmakers will be making entire films using AI, and many actors and stars may even lose their jobs once the technology reaches that stage.
I may even make a full AI film myself one day but we’re not there yet. Right now, people can still tell what is AI-generated and what is real. The technology still needs to evolve.
For now, though, AI is every director’s dream because it can replace so much of the traditional graphics work. Even visual effects have become much easier today because of AI.
‘I was literally embarrassed by my cameo’
You are both a journalist and a filmmaker. How do you use your instincts as an investigative journalist in your storytelling and direction?
For any journalist, it is very difficult to transition into directing mainstream cinema. You see a lot of journalists fail because they are too sensitive to societal issues.
Mainstream filmmakers have the liberty to cater to the masses with high-end action, violence, comedy, or mass elements. But as a journalist, you bring your own sensibilities.
You can make good cinema; my father P Lankesh did and won the National Award. But challenging established box office directors with mainstream cinema is a very grey area for a journalist.
To succeed, you have to balance it out and sometimes forget your journalistic background to fully embrace being a mainstream filmmaker.
I also noticed that in most of the films you direct, you have a Hitchcockian habit of appearing in cameos. Is that a lucky charm for you, or do you have an acting bug you want to pursue?
Hitchcock is my favourite director. I grew up watching his films, along with The Godfather and Citizen Kane. I was so inspired by him that I used to do a cameo in every film.
But the biggest joke happened in 2012. I had written a cameo for a big star, but at the last minute, the producer backed out because he couldn’t afford him. He convinced me to do the role instead, and it turned into an entire song and fight sequence.
I was literally embarrassed by it, and even today, my son pulls my leg about it. That was the last time I faced the camera as an actor. After 2012, I stopped doing my Hitchcock cameos.
But you did appear in UI, right?
Yes, I did UI, but I wasn’t the director there; Upendra was. Upendra and I are close friends. We collaborated on Aishwarya, which introduced Deepika Padukone, and that became historical because she turned into a superstar. That’s how my association with Upendra started.
‘I gave Deepika the platform to express herself’
Since we are on the topic of Deepika Padukone, looking back, were there any specific instructions or lessons you gave her during directing that you think molded her acting career?
I simply made her comfortable on set so she could build confidence. She already believed in herself, but I created a fearless atmosphere for her to perform.
We worked closely on her styling and costumes with Ashley Rebello, who was a newcomer then but is now a major designer. Deepika was very focused and hungry to prove a point. She had the look, the fitness, a pan-India face, and a great screen presence.
I told her while shooting that one day she would be a Hollywood star. It came true when she acted with Vin Diesel (in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage).
I was just a bridge to her glory; I gave her the platform to express herself.
Was she shooting for Om Shanti Om at the same time?
No, she was completely new and had only done the Kingfisher calendar.
It was only after Aishwarya ran for 100 days and became a massive hit that Shah Rukh Khan signed her.
During an event in Bangalore, a journalist asked Shah Rukh Khan about casting her after her recent success. With his trademark wit, he replied, ‘Oh my God, she’s become successful, I have to pay her more.’
Acting with Shah Rukh Khan was a dream come true for her, and she never looked back.
Have you been in touch with her since Aishwarya?
I get asked this every time! No, I am not in touch with any of my heroines.
But you must have followed her career. Are there any performances of hers that you particularly liked?
Of course. I liked her in Cocktail and Padmaavat. I’ve liked her in a lot of films, but I still like her best in Aishwarya because of the absolute innocence she had in that role.
‘Today, language has gone out the window’
You last Hindi film Shakeela had a lot of anticipation and headline-making buzz but it didn’t seem to work as expected, likely because it was released during COVID.
Yes, it was released during COVID. It later released on YouTube and garnered over a million views with amazing comments. There was a different cut initially; the first cut was amazing, and I had given Pankaj Tripathi a bigger role.
Later, a second cut was made by another editor, which I wasn’t entirely happy about. Because of COVID, communication was tough, and my producer wanted to release it immediately, even though no one was going to theatres.
I am just happy that through Shakeela, I met Pankaj Tripathi, a fantastic actor and a great friend. Directing talented NSD actors like him and Vikram Kochhar is an absolute honour and the reason I love being a director.
Having worked in both the Kannada and Hindi film industries, what differences do you find in their working cultures?
It’s a cliché to say the South is more disciplined while the Hindi industry starts and ends late. To be honest, I don’t feel much of a difference.
Today, language has gone out the window. If you tell a good story with good actors, your film will reach the world. We are living in an amazing time.
Over my three decades in the industry, I’ve seen the transition from 2,000-seater single screens like Kapali theatre to 100-seater OTT home theatres.
A small story from a village, like Kantara, reaches the world.
A Korean film like Parasite or a Gujarati film collecting Rs 300 crore proves that language is no longer a barrier.
A good film never fails. Directors might blame the weather or the IPL, but a great film will always find its audience.
If you had the opportunity to remake one of your Kannada films in Hindi today, which one would you choose and why?
I would choose Monalisa because it’s a good film. My father always told me to never watch my past films because fashions and storytelling styles change, making it a bit embarrassing.
I prefer to live in the present. I feel Jai Hind Jai Sindh is my best work so far. All the elements — entertainment, emotion, and action — have come together beautifully.
‘For her to get shot down over ideological differences is something I still cannot digest or accept today’
Your late sister Gauri Lankesh was one of India’s most fearless journalists and intellectual voices. Is there a personal memory of hers you’d like to share?
Gauri always said she was not my sister, but my mother. When we were going through rough times, living in an asbestos-sheet home and struggling for our next meal, she looked after me, helped with my education, and raised me.
Ideologically, she never had enemies. Even with her worst ideological opponents, she would sit down, have dinner, and chat.
She never fought to the extent of making personal enemies. For her to get shot down over ideological differences is something I still cannot digest or accept today.
You can debate, protest, and show your outrage through your vote, but killing someone over an ideology is something I simply cannot comprehend.
Back in 2020, you spoke out about the growing drug menace in the Kannada film industry and submitted names to the authorities. Six years later, do you think any progress has been made in curbing this issue?
The reason I spoke out was because the drug menace was growing rapidly, and even school kids were getting influenced through peer pressure. I am glad that I helped create awareness.
People, especially youngsters, became aware of the serious legal consequences of drug use. The media across South India took it up, and action was taken against many individuals. While it’s a global mafia that can’t be stopped overnight, raising awareness was a crucial first step. Today, college kids are much more scared of the legal repercussions, so we were relatively successful in creating that awareness.
Do you think the government is seriously taking steps to put curbs on the drug issue?
Yes, they have to. They need to continue educating people about the legal consequences. Just like people know murder lands them in jail, they need to be intensely aware that taking drugs carries severe punishments.
If it’s just framed as a health issue, like smoking, people might ignore it. But knowing the dire legal consequences acts as a strong deterrent.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
