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Unlike Gauri Khan or Sussanne Roshan, the fact that after five years of marriage, the new director in town is known as Kiran Rao and not as Kiran Khan, reveals the welcome equation that she shares with her actor-husband Aamir. In fact, that was the only question I asked her at a crowded press conference that was otherwise devoted to her debut film, Dhobi Ghat.
“I’ve no problems being called Kiran Khan or Kiran Rao Khan as the double-barrelled surnames go today,” she laughed in response. Early in life, she did want a more exotic name (“Like Sherazad or something”) but as Kiran grew into her name, she couldn’t imagine “how girls change their names after marriage. I wanted to be Kiran Rao and Aamir didn’t have any problems with it.”
It kind of also explains the utter delight with which Aamir has introduced his wife to the public as a woman with a name, designation and identity of her own. It has been barely a month-and-a-half since Kiran made her debut at the first press conference for Dhobi Ghat where a large part of the time was spent in explaining why she was there alone without the better-known Aamir Khan. It became apparent a little later that it was Aamir’s forever-ticking brain at work where he wanted the limelight on Kiran Rao and didn’t seek any part of it for himself.
He did thereafter make an appearance at the next press conference, thereby dispelling any notion that he was distancing himself from his wife’s film. And then there was another press conference to put the spotlight on Prateik Babbar. By the time the latest media meet came along, with a fresh set of promos accompanying each event, Kiran was facing the glare without apology or explanation.
At this week’s press conference, there was a question asked on nephew Imran’s marriage to Avantika Malik and Kiran happily reported that it was a wonderful shaadi ka mahaul at home. Noticeably, she attempted to speak in Hindi wherever possible, especially since the husband and wife are keen to rid Dhobi Ghat of the tag of being a film in English. Kiran was forthright in disclosing that they’d consciously done their bit to bring more Hindi into the film. Her explanation: when the first lot of promos was telecast, Aamir Khan was at Delhi airport where, after the staff got their usual quota of autographs and photographs, they asked him, ‘Why are you making a film in English which we can’t watch?’ The ticking-brain went into overdrive and once back in Mumbai Aamir got all the blatantly English dialogues dubbed into Hindi.
But this week’s press conference was primarily to introduce the two new actresses of Dhobi Ghat — Monica Dogra (who plays Shi, a non-resident Indian) and Kriti Malhotra (who is newly-married Yasmin in the film). As for the debut-making director herself, within six weeks Kiran had transformed into the pro who was flanked by two debutantes. She even got Monica to sing (she is a professional) while Kriti, a costume designer, talked about her unexpected assignment as an actress. By now, Kiran Rao knew where she stood and this time no one asked her why Aamir wasn’t present by her side.
The reference to the increasing use of English in Hindi films is pertinent this week with No One Killed Jessica catering mainly to an English-speaking audience — except for Rani Mukherji’s choice Hindi and English abuses that include MC, BC and several other colourful alphabets!
In a way, the abuses signal a coming of age for Hindi cinema. Whether we cringe at it or not, the truth is that a few abuses have become a part of everyday lingo. The F-word is so commonplace that it would be hypocritical to pretend that it doesn’t exist in our daily communication. We see it in English films and over the years it has become acceptable. Can we honestly turn around and say, ‘Indians don’t abuse, it’s not part of our culture?’ You had Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara starting off with Saif and the C-word (a Hindi abuse) to bring authenticity to the rustic ambience. But perhaps Rani Mukherji has gone a step ahead of all her contemporaries because genteel women don’t abuse in public. But then she plays a hardnosed newshound, and journalism isn’t supposed to be genteel!
Psst! Those who know the actress are amused because she’s reputed to be quite the Rani of gaalis in real life too!
