Kangana and Shiney Ahuja in Gangster

Why are you not promoting Gangster as the Abu Salem-Monica Bedi story?

Because it is not. We have been repeatedly trying to highlight the fact that it is not based on their story. We do not want to cash in on the buzz around them. The only similarity between the two subjects is the fact that my protagonist is also running from the law and he has an extra baggage in the form of his girlfriend. How can I make a film on Abu Salem and Monica Bedi?s lives? Does anybody know their real story?

But wasn?t their relationship the basis of the idea for the film?

Yes that was the germ of the idea. Even then I was unsure whether just this one line idea could be fleshed out into a full-fledged movie. But as I sat to write the script, it took me just 10 days to finish the first draft. I gave a narration to the Bhatts and the project was on straightaway. Gangster is essentially a love story. There is no blood or violence in the film.

With a title like Gangster do you expect people to turn up to watch a love story?

That?s what we are trying to promote through the promos, the music and the posters. It is the classic tale of the conflict of the human heart. Here, it is Kangana?s heart that is in conflict. She is the quintessential Indian woman trying to set up a family. She meets a singer in Seoul, played by Emraan Hashmi. The two fall in love but Emraan doesn?t know that Kangana has a past behind her. She was a bar dancer in love with the world?s most wanted gangster, played by Shiney Ahuja. Now he (Shiney) wants to give up everything to be with her again. So, in her heart, she has to choose one of the men.

You wanted a Tollywood actress for your female lead. How did you land up with Kangana?

I genuinely liked one of the girls in Calcutta who does television work. But I guess she wasn?t that serious about the project and never got back to me. I met Kangana accidentally in a coffee shop, not even knowing that she was interested in acting. But once I approached her, everything fell into place.

You had approached Shiney Ahuja much before Shoaib Akhtar and Sanjay Dutt?

Yes, I had met him but I was looking for a better option. But Shoaib took too much time and Sanjay Dutt didn?t have enough time. Anyway, whatever happened, happened for the good. If I was to cast the film all over again now, I would not look beyond Shiney to play the gangster. Or modhye ekta byapar achhe (He has something about him)? He looks so rugged and rough from outside but has a vulnerable side to him. He hardly talks in the film ? has about a page of dialogues ? but he communicates through his eyes and body. He is brilliant as the don madly in love with this girl.

And you can?t do a film without Emraan?

No, he has to be there. I just called and told him I am writing a film, will let you know later which role you are doing. He is family.

How did you zero in on Seoul for your backdrop?

The location and timing of the shooting matter a lot to the movie. I shot Saaya in Delhi in the month of January. You can?t shoot there in April. So while I was surfing the Net for a virgin location for Gangster, I came up with Seoul in the autumn months of November and December when the leaves fall off and it?s a riot of colour on the roads. Mukeshji (Bhatt) is a very adventurous producer. Despite no Indian having ever made a film in Seoul, he agreed to shoot the movie there.

Was it difficult, shooting in Seoul?

Initially it was like entering a dark tunnel not knowing where you are headed. Even our co-ordinator was a local, making communication a big problem. We asked the light men to tilt up the lights and they would tilt them down! Being an Asian country, thankfully, the emotions and the family values were all the same. They, however, have no idea about Indian movies. They only know Daler Mehndi, who had performed there some time back. We were like aliens walking on the streets and singing songs.

Coming to the music, how come only Emraan?s seen singing them in the promos?

Because Emraan gets to sing all the songs in the film. Only Bheegi bheegi, our theme song, has been picturised on all three of them.

One expected the Murder team of Anu Malik and you to be making music again. Why go with Pritam?

If I could, I would have taken Pritam in Murder, too. But then, I had just delivered a flop in Saaya and Pritam didn?t have Dhoom behind him. This time, Mukeshji didn?t say no.

The gamble of having James singing the Prithibi remake Bheegi bheegi has paid off?

Yes, I just shot a video to promote the song with him and Pritam. It?s the first time that a promotional music video has been shot without any of the stars. But then, James and Pritam are stars in their own right. I will never forget the experience of recording the song with four Bengalis trying to recreate a Bengali song in Hindi!

Finally, what was it like returning to the sets after a one-and-a-half-year break forced by leukaemia?

Bhishon bhalo. Only on the first day I wasn?t confident whether I would be able to pull off the film with my bag-full of medicines and my chemotherapy sessions. But everybody was there to help me out and I managed to finish Gangster. Now, hopefully, it will be more and more films.