Interview: Sangeeth Sivan

After two back-to-back comic blockbusters Kyaa Kool Hai Hum and Apna Sapna Money Money..?, you would expect director Sangeeth Sivan to make another comedy. And that’s where the man stumps you. Ek — The Power of One is an action film set in Punjab... Sivan talks to Pratim D. Gupta about what he calls “Die Hard meets Yash Chopra”.

You had so many offers to make a comedy, why did you not make one?
I did not want to get myself branded. So I was very clear that I wouldn’t make a comedy after Apna Sapna Money Money..?.

The story of Ek about a man entering a household under a false identity and then falling in love sounds very Kati Patang...
Now, what was the story of Kati Patang? I have seen it but I can’t remember. Ek for me is the official remake of a Telugu film I saw called Athadu, starring Mahesh Babu and Trisha. It was a huge success there and I felt there was a lot of potential in it to make a Hindi film. Of course, we have made a few changes.

And what are those changes?
When you change the setting everything automatically changes. We have placed Ek in Punjab. So it was a challenge for me as a man from the south shooting in Punjab. You will see a fresh perspective for sure. Also, we have tried to give every character a well-defined role. We have changed the climax too. Around 20 to 25 per cent from the original was kept unchanged.

Isn’t the story of mistaken identity passe?
It is a very Indian story. There’s nothing noble about it. But we have given it the styling required for today. People talk about style without substance and substance but no style. It is a double-edged sword but we have tried to strike a balance. Also, you will see some great performances. If you look back my movies are remembered for good performances. Whether it’s Ishaa Koppikar and Tusshar Kapoor in Kyaa Kool Hai Hum or Riteish in Apna Sapna Money Money..?.

But there is so much of Bobby Deol this year?
That’s true but there will be a gap after Naqaab, with Ek not releasing before September. Also you will see a new Bobby. Now that I think of it, nobody barring maybe Sunny Deol 10 years back could have played this role. You need that power, that look which can hit you without action. Bobby has that intensity with the build. He hardly has 20 to 25 lines in the whole film. It’s like the Bobby Deol of Soldier whom everyone misses.
lAnd what have you done with Nana Patekar?
He is usually this angry middle-class rebel. In Ek, he is an upmarket full-on cop. His character is a little eccentric, a little Nana Patekar. His is more of an audience’s character.

Shriya hasn’t got favourable reviews for Awarapan...
She has not been seen that much. So that freshness is still there. Also, there is an innocence in her. See, everybody is striving for some kind of change because the big heroines are always busy. So you have to make do with what you get.

What next?
I have this huge grief of my first film Sandhya never releasing. So I want to get that out of the way by producing a horror film from my own company.