Gold director Reema Kagti tells The Woods she doesn’t think much about numbers

The Woods: Had Gold had a solo release, do you think the numbers that it garnered would have been higher?

Reema: I don’t know  about that. All I know is that given the number of films we produce as an industry, I don’t think it is possible  to release one film every week. Films will come out together as it did in this case and both films did well. I didn’t think much about the numbers, but I am happy about the way it has turned out. It is just enough. 

• Most of your films are shot at real locations. Mumbai has never been captured the way it has been in Talaash.

• I take this as a compliment. In Gold, The monastery scenes was a set, but by and large I shoot on live locations as it looks more real. Shooting on a set is a sanitised  experience, there is no life around you. It wasn’t easy with Gold, but I had lovely production team and great cast and crew. 

• Is the story inspired by one person?

• It was inspired by a Bengali hockey administrator and Akshay’ s character was loosely based on him.

• It was nice to see Pakistanis supporting the Indian team in Gold?

• A lot of my research showed that many friendships survived the Partition and I wanted to portray that. People went to different countries, but they did not stop being friends.

• Was the cast of Gold your first choice?

• When a big cast is involved, you don’t always get your choice, but eventually every person who played was perfect. So, I am happy about it. 

• You have worked with both Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar — one is known to take a lot of interest in a film, while the other lets the director do his work.

• It is wrong to say Akshay does not get involved. They both get involved, their process is different. Both, however, are similar in one aspect — they are extremely dedicated and involved in the film as whole. 

• But you did find it tough to get Aamir Khan to do Talaash…

• Yes. When you approach an A-lister actor like Aamir, it takes a bit of time.

• Since you are a writer-director, do you think it is getting better for them now?

• It is still easier for a writer-director like me than just a writer. But we have come a long way with the copyright law in place. Things have improved for writers, but I feel it could be much better in terms of  pay scale. When you are just a writer, chances are they are working on six-seven projects at the same time as the money they make from one film may not be enough. It demands them to take up multiple projects. When you take too much work, it takes away your focus that you need to give to an individual projects. 

• The climax of Gold reminded me of Lagaan because it ends on the same kind of high…

• I have worked on Lagaan as the second assistant director, which was a fun. But I was not trying to copy the film. That kind of climax is a given in a sports film. There is a formula — the end has to be completely uplifting.

• There’s a lot of women-centric films being made. Your take?

• I am glad. The reason behind such a change is because there is awareness today.  I am glad films such as Veere Di Wedding and Raazi have defied that rule.