Be prepared to watch a hard hitting film: Kabir Sadanand on 'Fugly'

Kabir, you have grown up in a Delhi, bike enthusiasts and have been to Leh as well… Is the film drawn from your personal experience?

Kabir: See, I think anyone who makes a film or ventures into story writing, picks up things from his own life. Yes, a lot of it, what you see on screen has either transpired with me or had been a part of my life. Some of the values that we have spoken about in the film have been personal things that we stood up for when we were in college. For which we got into a lot of trouble with cops and stuff. But that was the stuff that we believed in. A lot of it does reflect on my life, the biking and travelling, the adventure. The character that he (Arfi) plays is extremely close; he is the guy who sells latrines. But the film actually represents the youth across the country. What we’re trying to voice with the film. We’ve been kind of universal to what everyone thinks we are putting across a strong message. Be prepared to watch a hard hitting film, behind all the fun and games, is hard issues that we are fighting for in the film. We don’t want to be preachy with the film like you know we’re going change the world with this film. It should provoke thought. The whole idea was to make a film that has great music that gets the youth into the theatre, and has an engaging story that tries to keep you on your toes at the same time, we say what we want to say.

To all the actors, how was it working with a real-life boxer and Kabir what prompted you to sign Vijendar for the film?

Kabir: Everyone had this mindset that Viju is a boxer who’s going to be stiff. Let me tell you one thing, everyone who grows up in north of India or Delhi believes that they are going to become the next Dharmendar or the next Shahrukh Khan. I was one of them. I somewhere knew when I saw his audition tape for the first time, that this guy is an actor, he's a natural. He's not trained like his co-stars. Viju came raw. This is how we started off and then gradually I realised he suddenly started getting really comfortable; he even started giving Arfi classes. (Laughs)

Arfi: I think his footwork is very strong. He’s a sportsman, so he picked up things faster than any of us.

Kiara: I think the best thing about him, is that he’s a very grounded person. That’s what broke the ice the minute we met him. In the film we play 4 best friends so the most important thing in the story was to have that chemistry going. And we got a reality check when the song 'Banjare' came out and everyone was like, have you guys known each other before. That’s when we knew that we’ve done something right, and coming back to Vijendar, he doesn’t come with that ‘I am Vijendar Singh the boxer' attitude. And that shows even on screen.

Mohit: Yeah even in the film he’s come across very enduring .His character is such that when he comes on screen you’ll suddenly have a smile, and your face will light up. We started these workshops, where we met and spent time with each other, we instantly clicked. We are from different regions and that just helped us come together and create some magic. It’s been great.

To the actors individually why did you sign up for Fugly?

Kabir: I’ve edited the film; I can’t change anything now (chuckles)

Mohit: I got a call for ‘Fugly’ and I went and met them (casting directors). They said we want your audition here tomorrow. So I went and auditioned. I think they liked me, but they were not content so they auditioned me again and again and then again the 4th time and then Kabir left the country to go to America. Then he was auditioning me from there . They were auditioning me and sending the tapes over to him. It was like torture! I didn’t understand what was happening. So he just basically wanted to be sure he wanted to make sure that I could carry off this part. They were finally content and then I was signed on. When I read the script, I felt it was a great movie to start with because none of the newcomers are doing movies like this to begin with. All the films they sign are somewhat ‘come look at me I’m arriving’. In movies like Fugly, which are script driven it’s the story of the film that is the king. Nobody is bigger than the story of the film in this movie. It’s not like the actors are overpowering the script or the story. You know it’s not one of those films, that’s star driven, like a Salman Khan film, when they do a film they are bigger than the movie. Here the script is the king and we are all following the path of the story.

Kiara: And newcomers don’t even get films like these. As a newcomer the first thing that comes to your mind is I hope I get a good banner, so I can reach out to as many people as possible. Plus, we have Akshay Kumar backing us as a producer. It’s going to only go higher from there. When you see ‘Fugly’ I hope, it takes it a notch higher. So for us getting these roles in our first film, you have to prove yourself as an actor. For us we’ve got a chance in our first film. In fact, I was shocked to know that they were casting new people for such strong parts. As a girl, I myself had to nail this audition .I said come what may I have to get this role. The minute I read that character sketch I knew that this had to be my debut film. I couldn’t miss out on.

Arfi: For me, I actually did Prague. It couldn’t reach out to people. I knew Kabir. I wanted the film when he narrated Aditya's character. He’s so different from me. He’s a guy who’s a virgin by choice. I left my house when I was 15 and I started studying outside from a very small town and village. I’ve always been out, not the protective kid any more, not the kind of guy who holds these values very strong, and just doesn’t want to relate or belong and this guy is a conformist. And I wanted to work with him. It’s not like after Prague there was a line-up of films. So the idea was to do projects that you should be proud of.

You come from film families, are you facing any kind of pressure after your first film?

Mohit: What pressure? When you’re playing the character on set, you’re only thinking about what your director is telling you to do .

Kabir: But there must have been some kind of pressure that you had, I mean everyone carries some kind of pressure.

Kiara: I feel after promotions, I have realised where I come from because we didn’t discuss it while filming. Sir (Kabir) didn’t know I came from this background.I just hope that when fans see the film they feel that I’ve done justice to my character.

Mohit: As an actor any other newcomer be it from a film family background or no, you will have some kind of pressure to do well for himself. I wouldn’t call it pressure, but expectation from himself.

Kabir rate them as actors.

Lets take Mohit. Trained actor, first film, he’s been able to capture silences. I would give him 7 out of 10. He’s only going to get better from here. If I had to rate Arfi I would say 6.75, because he’s a trained actor. Viju for sheer hardwork, definitely a 6.

Kiara, I would say 8.5 and I’ll tell you why, all of us are from north India except for her. So for her to become like us raw, uncouth, wild and obstinate was far more difficult because she’s a hardcore ‘South Bombay’ girl. And Jimmy I would say 10 on 10.

How was it working with Jimmy Shergill?

Kiara: He’s a fantastic actor.

Mohit: I used to just observe him on set, because he had this system to approach a scene. As an actor I used to selfishly watch to know what I could learn from him, which I could use in a future scene. He used to prepare his scene and come to the director and have small discussions before they would approach a scene as with us because we are newcomers we used to hear him out and then perform, if it worked that way we went ahead with it otherwise we used to try something else .

Kabir: See Jimmy is a little different because, we guys have done a lot of films together actually. We are very old friends and both of us can get away with murder with each other. With him it was a lot of give and take. It was great fun and he was fab with these guys.

Kiara: With every scene that we have done with him, our performance has enhanced because it's all about give and take and he even made us very comfortable.

Arfi: We were doing this first shot with him. Where he was supposed to walk first and then we were supposed to walk up and the director was waiting for us to cross the camera, we weren’t sure when to move. Suddenly the director screams, 'come on now get out' and the four of us climbed the stairs quickly with the expressions that were right and we crossed the camera we go to the other side and jimmy sir is laughing, and we asked him why are you laughing at us we just got scolding and he said no I just remembered my 'Mohobatein' days when Yash ji would yell “Chalo nikhlo yahan se.”

You guys shared screen space with Akshay and Salman in your first film?

Mohit: It didn’t hit me, it still hasn’t, because if it did I wouldn't have been able to film that dance that day. They hold too much in my head as I have been very inspired by them as a child. I have worked on a film as an AD with Akshay in it. I was an intern then on 'Deewane Ho Pagal', and then to come and dance with him for a song my life became a full circle.

Kiara: I wouldn’t even dare to dream about it. We had no clue, we were not even told.

Kabir : But I must say that I think the most confident guy on that shoot was Arfi Lamba . He was like ‘I have nothing to lose I’m a dude’

Arfi: No I was hoping and wishing that I would stand next to Salman And I was totally zapped , I didn’t say a word . I hoped that all this while Akshay sir as the producer would do something for us. I had a thought somewhere in my mind that yes we may do a song together and then it happened. It was very special being welcomed by two of the biggest stars. Everything Salman touches turns golden. I think I am very confident about it.

As newcomers did you get linked up to any of your co-stars?

Kiara: I didn’t get linked up. I got dumped.

Mohit: Yeah the first thing we heard about us, in fact she showed me a recording on her phone “ Mohit Marwah ne Kiara Advani ko Dump Kar Diya”

Kiara: They even put these images with lighting in between us and glass shattering sound effects.

Kabir: You also said you wanted to say something to Mohit in private

Kiara: We have done a lot of promotions now and we know each other so we know what we are going to say. A journalist asked me if I wanted to ask Mohit a question what would it be? Honestly speaking I know all his answers; I don’t think I would have any questions for him. I said ok I’ll ask him later in private. So that I can think of what questions I want to ask and they were like “Oh Kiara Advani wants to ask Mohit Marwah questions in private ".

Kiara, tell us something about your character Devi, how is she different from your personal life?

Kiara: I think externally my character and I are different. I play a character who’s had a tough childhood. She’s a Delhi girl. I’m a Bombay girl so I had to bring in a rawness to myself. I had to be much more thick skinned than what I am as a person because I have been brought up in a much more sheltered environment. I decided that from the day I sign the film, I had to start living as this girl and I remember every workshop he(Kabir) ensured that I dressed like her and sat like her I was not allowed to sit withy my legs folded. I had to just be this character. Sleep, eat and breathe her completely. But I think what fascinates me and what makes me relate to her the most is that she is somebody who represents every girl especially with what's happening in the country. Girls today don’t take things lightly. If it happened in front of me I'd give it back. I wouldn’t walk away from it. She is someone who does it and takes it to higher levels, like my mum always told me if anyone acts smart with you, kick them and run. Devi will kick them, maybe she’ll box them, and she will ensure they say sorry. She is a very no- nonsense girl and that’s the only way we can stop these things today, by ignoring them its only going to get worse.

Kabir: When I met Kiara she was a petite sweet little innocent girl .She didn’t want to colour her hair. She definitely didn’t want to ride a bike. She didn’t know how to ride a bike. Her mother told her don’t touch your hair. She was not an outdoor girl , She was one of the tamed ones and we went and made her colour her hair .We made her start riding a bike , We made her drive a truck, we even made her do stunts and abuse her in Hindi, not that she's abusing in the film. I just wanted to get that rawness in her. I asked her to abuse me and she was very hesitant, now I have to tell her to look away so she's completely different.

If you had to think of four known actors to play their roles which actors would they be ?

Kabir: It is a tough one, if I take any wrong name I’m finished. (laughs) If I had to cast different, I would cast Ranbir in Mohit's role. Randeep in Viju's role. Arfi… Arfi can't be replaced and Parineeti in Kiara's role.

Kiara: Whatever! I've done this role and it's mine now. No body can take away Devi !

Kabir: If Rahul Bose was 15 years younger, I would cast Rahul for Arfi’s role

Where's Jimmy?

Kabir: Jimmy is in Canada, he's shooting. On BBM he keeps asking me stuff and I tell him you chose the right time to get out. But everyone keeps asking about him and I wish he was here because someone who’s so close to me as he is I would have wanted him to be here. I remember after coming out of the film, Priyanka (Puri) asked me what have you done to Jimmy? I was so happy that you smashed him.

Kiara: He looks very good on screen

Kabir: He's a very good-looking guy also. I was extremely jealous of him. When both of us were trying to get a role in 'Maachis'. When he got the role I was cursing him. Now he's my all day friend.