Mudassar Aziz: ‘Comedy Fascinates Me’

‘We should want Saiyaara, Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, Animal and Dhurandhar to coexist. Let the audience decide what they connect with.’

Mudassar Aziz loves to make people laugh.

In a directorial career spanning 16 years, the filmmaker has made seven movies, all comic entertainers.

He began his career directing the Badshah himself, Shah Rukh Khan, in Dulha Mil Gaya (2010) and went on to deliver memorable entertainers like Happy Bhag Jayegi (and its sequel), Pati Patni Aur Woh and Khel Khel Mein.

Presently, Mudassar Aziz is ready with yet another sequel.

Pati Patni Aur Woh Do continues the PPAW franchise, but with a new storyline and a fresh set of characters.

This time, Ayushmann Khurrana plays the husband who finds himself in the attention trap of three women, Rakul Singh, Sara Ali Khan and Wamiqa Gabbi. The film releases on May 15.

So while we wait to see whether the sequel scores with audiences, Sreeju Sudhakaran gets the opportunity to have a wholesome conversation with Mudassar Aziz, where they discuss his latest film, a possible reunion with Akshay Kumar, and why comedy as a genre remains so close to his heart.

As the director so firmly puts it, “Every genre must have its representation.”

‘Humour is a very personal thing’

With Pati Patni Aur Woh Do so close to release, what are you feeling?

I’m extremely excited. It’s a very loved franchise among the janta of this country, and it also comes with the responsibility of delivering an entertaining film to them.

The idea essentially is to create that nervous excitement and a certain amount of hope in your heart that they will feel entertained and laugh their way through it.

Why always comedy? What is it about this genre that attracts you so much that you have continued making light-hearted entertainers since your debut film?

Well, comedy fascinates me. It’s a very difficult craft. A lot of people tend to feel that if characters onscreen are playing the fool or making us laugh, it must have been very easy.

But having worked with some of the most relevant and best comic actors of our time, whether it is Akshay (Kumar) sir, Ayushmann (Khurrana), or Kartik (Aaryan), I know that this process is extremely difficult. It’s very challenging.

Humour is a very personal thing. So it excites me to make films in this genre because it’s a very loved genre among the people of this country.

The other thing is that amid this whole conversation around ‘big spectacle films’, ‘let’s make marvelous action films’, ‘larger-than-life cinema’ and so on, my only argument is: Can we just leave out a genre?

We can’t.

Every genre must have its representation. We must be an industry that makes great love stories. We must make meaningful cinema, thought-provoking cinema.

And those who make comedies well, and enjoy making comedies, must make enough comedies because, at the end of the day, we want Hindi film audiences to remain theatre-bound and theatre-friendly.

In today’s increasingly conscious and ‘woke’ cultural landscape, comedy often comes with added scrutiny. How do you strike a balance between humour and sensitivity while crafting a mainstream entertainer?

I think the landscape is more responsible now. If you create a plot, a situation, and a screenplay, which are the three important aspects of a comedy film, and if you are able to find humour in those situations, it is less a case of difficulty and more a case of responsibility.

That responsibility comes from two places. One is that there are many different forms of humour available to audiences now in the form of stand-up comedy, reels and several other avenues. So the responsibility of comedy filmmakers has increased.

I don’t think it’s a difficult situation because if you’re banking on situational humour and not slapstick humour, the comedy arises from the plot itself. It isn’t coming from randomly-written gags.

‘Ayushmann is a champion at dialogue delivery’

What led you to approach Pati Patni Aur Woh Do as a spiritual successor to Pati Patni Aur Woh rather than a direct sequel?

Well, the originator of this franchise is B R Chopra. He first made Pati Patni Aur Woh in 1978. It was the story of one particular kind of pati that was relevant to that time and that plot.

When I carried the franchise forward in 2019, that was not what one would call a ‘direct sequel’. The setting had changed, the world had changed, the dynamics of the pati had changed, and his problems had changed.

Similarly, while taking the franchise forward now, if one is looking at another world and another kind of pati altogether, one cannot convert the franchise into a direct sequel.

The second point is that Chintu Tyagi’s story had reached its conclusion (in the first film). He had gone through his arc, learned the lesson he needed to learn, and that chapter had closed.

The interesting thing about this franchise, because I think the idea is bigger than the story in this case, is looking at marriage from different lenses, and exploring different kinds of husbands with completely different points of view and problems. That is the requirement of the franchise more than anything else.

Pati Patni Aur Woh Do marks your first collaboration with Ayushmann Khurrana. What did he bring to the film that perhaps surprised you as a director?

He is multilingual. He speaks Punjabi fluently because that’s his mother tongue. He is also very well-versed with the Uttar Pradesh dialect because he genuinely likes languages. He has a very shuddh and saaf Hindi.

These qualities are extremely necessary in the world of comedy. As we have learned from older legends, whether it is Kader Khan bhai, Chichi sir (Govinda), David sir (David Dhawan), or Aneesbhai (Anees Bazmee), comedy often arises from dialogue.

Ayushmann is such a champion at dialogue delivery that it is one of the most fascinating things about him.

The other thing I felt as a filmmaker is that there is an amazing vulnerability to Ayushmann’s face.

A man who has successfully pulled off very tricky subjects in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Bala and Dum Laga Ke Haisha naturally carries a strong sense of responsibility towards scripts. And that is admirable.

When someone is so conscientious about what he will do and what he will not do, those are unique qualities.

Given the popularity of the first film, was there ever a discussion about bringing Kartik Aaryan back, or did you always envision this story with a fresh lead actor?

These are choices available depending on what the filmmakers believe the franchise is about.

See, Golmaal is about the camaraderie of five people. That camaraderie cannot be disturbed, and hence the cast continues.

Pati Patni Aur Woh is an idea. The idea is about a man, a woman and an external factor. Every time a Pati Patni instalment comes, audiences should ideally get a different setting and a different set of problems.

You have worked with Rakul previously (Mere Husband Ki Biwi), and now you are collaborating for the first time with Sara Ali Khan and Wamiqa Gabbi. What were your key takeaways from working with each of them?

A lot of people are going to be surprised on May 15 when they watch Pati Patni Aur Woh Do because essentially the story belongs to the three women, which is something audiences are not expecting.

Rakul has been a friend for a very long time. It was very interesting seeing her in a completely different kind of role here. She’s playing this ‘guy-like’ character. Her comedy emerges from following the director’s vision with precision.

Sara is very inquisitive. She has a child-like energy when it comes to comedy. She completely surrenders to the director’s vision, but at the same time, she possesses these hidden improvisational instincts that are fascinating to discover.

I was blown away by Wamiqa’s performance in Jubilee and really wanted to work with her. She is a fine actor. Coming from a particular region of the country, she is extremely eloquent with language and therefore very mouldable in comedy.

So audiences are going to see three very different facets of comedy. The biggest takeaway for me is that the reason these contemporary leading actresses agreed to do this film is because all three have very strong parts.

Themes of infidelity, unconventional relationships and emotional contradictions seem to recur in several of your films. What is it about these grey areas of human relationships that fascinates you creatively?

I would start by asking you a question: Have you seen the films I’ve made from the beginning of my career until now? If you have, then you’ll know that I have never made a film about infidelity.

It’s about the thought of straying, about emotional contradictions and multiple relationships. It’s borrowed from life, I think.

When we go through life, sometimes we believe in college that we have found our soulmate, but for some reason, it doesn’t work out. Most people in this country still go through arranged marriages, and many don’t truly know the person they are marrying. In some cases, people discover that relationships from their past begin resurfacing.

It comes from observing life around me. I’m sure that in the life you’ve lived so far, you too must have encountered women at different stages, and there is great irony and comedy in the fact that if two such women happen to coincide because of circumstances outside your control, it creates a fascinating tale.

‘To see Shah Rukh Khan submit himself completely to a director’s vision…’

You began your career assisting Sudhir Mishra on Chameli. The early phase of your career also had you writing dramas. Will we see you switch genres from comedy anytime soon?

I’ve been fortunate enough to work with people from whom I learned the technicalities of filmmaking. They allowed me to discover my own voice.

Sudhirbhai has watched every film I’ve made and is genuinely happy and proud that I don’t follow his genre.

An assistant’s job is to learn craft from their guru, but the voice has to come from within.

And yes, to answer the second part of your question, I am currently working on a couple of other genres, comedy as well.

You began your filmmaking journey directing Shah Rukh Khan in your very first film. Looking back, how was that experience?

Oh, it was great. I was extremely young then, around 26, and for me, it was more about learning than anything else. To see Shah Rukh Khan submit himself completely to a director’s vision at the very peak of his stardom was genuinely inspiring.

Who are the five most important people in your career?

Sudhir Mishra, most definitely, for first giving me a job and teaching me the tricks of the trade.

Akshay Kumar has always been very encouraging. People think our association is only one film because of Khel Khel Mein, but he has followed my career right from the beginning. Every now and then, he sends me a message saying, ‘Tera yeh kaam dekha beta, bahut accha laga. Isi tarah kaam karta reh.’ (I saw your work, I really liked it. Keep working like this.) We might collaborate again in the future.

Another extremely important person is Aanand L Rai. My comeback into filmmaking (Happy Bhag Jayegi), my resurrection so to speak, becoming a contemporary and formidable filmmaker, happened because Aanand Rai gave me that second chance.

Besides that, the other two names are perhaps more personal. Someone who is almost like a best friend to me, Sonakshi Sinha. We became friends around 10 or 12 years ago, and she has always been supportive and encouraging. I was literally there in a brotherly capacity at her wedding.

Fifth would be Fardeen Khan. He’s like an elder brother, a friend, philosopher and guide.

‘We also cannot afford an industry without Wanted, No Entry, Dhurandhar or Animal‘

Could you share more about your equation with Akshay Kumar?

He holds a very special place in my life. We often discuss comedy at great length. Sometimes, when people see us talking from a distance, they assume we are discussing something extremely serious. But when they come closer, they realise we are actually debating how to deliver a line for maximum comic impact. And then everybody starts laughing.

I think my love for him, and perhaps his affection for me, comes from how deeply invested we are in this genre. We genuinely love comedy. We can spend hours discussing when an audience will laugh, why they will laugh, and how to make a moment land better. That passion connects us.

At the end of the day, we are servants of an important genre.

I also feel that every genre deserves support. We cannot afford a Hindi film industry without films like Andhadhun. We also cannot afford one without Wanted, No Entry, Dhurandhar or Animal.

Cinema cannot survive on just one flavour. Every genre must coexist.

So I guess you are not entirely happy with the industry narrowing itself down to only a couple of genres at the moment?

No, I would not say I am unhappy. I just feel narratives should not be formed too quickly. We should not become so judgemental that we decide the fate of a film merely by looking at its surface.

Take Saiyaara. Today, the media may celebrate it in glowing terms. But I am sure when the film was being made, the same conversations must have happened around it: ‘Only big spectacle films are working today, so how will this survive?’

That is why I feel we should not rush into creating rigid narratives about what works and what does not. We should want Saiyaara, Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, Animal and Dhurandhar to coexist. Let the audience decide what they connect with.

If Sriram Raghavan makes a thriller, it should grip you. If Mohit Suri makes an emotional film, it should move you. If Mudassar Aziz makes a comedy, it should make you laugh. That is what ultimately matters. There is no need to write off an entire genre.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff