Director Abbas Tyrewala interview on jaane tu ya jaane na

Debutant director Abbas Tyrewala issitting a week away from the release of his film Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na.He has been a dialogue and screenplay writer for various films in thepast including Asoka, Maqbool, Munnabhai MBBS, Main Hoon Na, SalaamNamaste and Welcome.

After writing for 12 consecutive years insome form or the other, Tyrewala is now facing the writer's block.Hereon, Tyrewala intends to focus on directing movies and would prefersomeone else writing for him.

Excerpts:

How did the story idea for Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na germinate?
Iwanted to write a typical Hindi film. The whole idea was to have a niceclichéd movie with a hero-heroine, friendship-heartbreak-romance, andclimax at the airport. However, as I was writing Jaane Tu, it wentthrough its own journey and I picked up every cliché and turned itaround to make it a non-cliché.

You have been associatedwith various successful films as a writer, so what made you decide thatyou want to finally set your eyes on direction?
I wasfacing the writer's block. I had been writing for 12 years in some formor the other. I got to a point where unless I found something tomotivate myself, I would have gone dry inside.

Going forward, what will it be like for you - writing, direction, or both?
Now,it will take a lot more to inspire me to write for others. When Istarted out, I worked with some fantastic directors. However, as timewent by, I met less and less interesting people, or maybe my demandskept increasing.

Now I would want to tell stories on my own. Asa director, I find it far more exciting to work for other people'sscripts. Therefore, I am going to try to look for scripts that are notfrom me, so all my energy goes into directing them rather than writingthem.

How did your association with Aamir Khan come about for Jaane Tu…?

Ihad actually not approached Aamir Khan. When Jhamu Sughand was theproducer for the film, Imran had already been cast as the hero.Therefore, at that time Aamir had read the film and told Imran that ifever due to any circumstances Jhamuji was not able to produce the film,he would like to do so.

It so happened that Jhamuji was not ableto produce the film and Imran told me that we should approach Aamir.When I went to Aamir for the narration, he heard the script along withfive songs of the film, which were already composed by A R Rahman, andAamir agreed to produce the film.

How much do you think does Aamir's association with Jaane Tu… leverage the movie?
Rightnow if people are interested in the film and you are talking to me, itis solely because it is an Aamir Khan Production film. Today as I amtalking to you, it is not because you have seen my film and liked it.But if you talk to me after seeing the film and liking it, it will bebecause I have made the film.

People always have someexpectation from Aamir Khan's films. If people know so much about JaaneTu… and are interested in watching the film, it is due to Aamir'sassociation and it has definitely leveraged the film.

JaaneTu… is your first movie as a director as is Imran's first movie as anactor. Did the fact about Imran being Aamir's nephew pressurize you?
Anypressure would have come if we were making the film to launch Imran.But Aamir told me to not think about the fact that Imran is his nephewand that I had to launch him and make him a star. He wanted me to stayhonest to the film, so there was no pressure.

Jaane Tu... is releasing with LoveStory 2050, which is also launching a new hero. Are you facing any anxieties?
Iam excited that on one Friday the industry will get two new actors.There is a shortage of actors. We are making so many films with samesix-eight actors. Even if the audiences are divided on the opening dayor weekend, the films will still have a scope of doing well if they arewell made...

films.

Our strategy with Jaane Tu… is not to cash in on theopening weekend. Even if people watch LoveStory 2050 first they canwatch Jaane Tu… later, because it is going to be in theatres for a verylong time.

How true is it that Aamir was over involved in editing and post production of Jaane Tu…?
Whilethe film was being shot, Aamir came on the sets only twice, once on themahurat day to wish us luck and the second time while he was travelingin his car he stopped to enquire, which film was being shot anddiscovered it was his own film.

Aamir has not ghost directedthis film. When I was directing Jaane Tu…, Aamir was directing TaareZameen Par. In fact, I was a little miffed that Aamir came on the setsonly twice.

However, he assured me that he would play his partas a producer for marketing and distributing the film. When we wentinto post-production and editing, Aamir was a lot more involved. And,since I was sitting for a movie edit for the first time it helped me alot to have someone experienced help me out. We had our individualopinions, but they were sorted out very amicably.