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INTERVIEW: Kabir Khan on 83, Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2: ‘Would give right arm to work with Ranveer & Salman again’
Kabir Khan get's into a candid chat with Pinkvilla wherein he discusses 83, and the possibility of collaborating with Ranveer Singh and Salman Khan again on a feature film.
Kabir Khan believes that 83’ is an extraordinary story that comes to a filmmaker once in a lifetime and considers himself to be the chosen one to be at the helm of affairs in this Ranveer Singh starrer. “For 39 years, this story has been sitting in front of our eyes. I am shocked and very happy that no one picked it up,” he smiles, quick to add, “The idea started with Vishnu Induri around 9 years back. He went to Kapil Dev, but sir was not too keen on the film at that point of time. Finally, the team agreed and this film came my way.”
Kabir categorically informs that the film is not a Kapil Dev biopic, but a story of the team that went on to win the 1983 cricket world cup when no one believed they could. “From the word go, it was a story of 25 days in June 1983. I didn’t want to be distracted by romance, back story and other troops of a usual sports film. In-fact, when I met Kapil Dev and one of the first things he told me was ‘I hope it’s a team story and you are not making the film on me,’” says Kabir.
The director turned producer states that his documentary training came handy while researching for this sport drama. “We didn’t want to make a film around what happened on pitch, we wanted to take the human route by showcasing what happened outside that too,” he says, adding further, “I ended up collecting a mountain of research material and then the challenge was to make a screenplay of the 100 anecdotes. It was a task to make a coherent screenplay and I think we have managed to do that.”
Kabir feels that Ranveer Singh is the finest actor of his generation and insists that his act in 83’ is unlike what anyone has seen till date. Talking about his approach to writing, Kabir explains, “It’s easy to make people cry, it’s easy to make them laugh. But it’s very difficult to make people smile with teasers coming down their cheeks.”
Pinkvilla had exclusively reported that after 83’, Kabir Khan and Ranveer Singh are reuniting in another film, which is yet another real life story of an underdog. When asked to comment on the same, Kabir answers, “Obviously, we discuss ideas but a film happens once that announcement is made. Yes, I want to do another film with Ranveer and I would give my right arm to work with him again. He is the finest actor of this generation but we have to collaborate on something that excites both of us. Till then, it’s just a discussion.”
Salman Khan recently announced that a sequel to 2015 classic, Bajrangi Bhaijaan is in the making. What does Kabir have to say about this development? “You know my thoughts on sequels. But yes, never say never as eventually, the story has to excite me. I will never let a story excite me just because it’s a sequel. The story has to stand on it’s own,” he avers, and signs off, “Bajrangi is one of the finest experiences of my life and I can’t forget what the film did for me in the professional space. My collaboration with Salman has always been special and I enjoyed all the years we spent together. I have to be honest, if it was not for my collaboration with Salman, I would not have had the position that I do have in the industry today. He helped me establish myself as a filmmaker. So yes, if there is something that excites both of us, I would love to work with Salman. We have had a brilliant journey and again, I would give my right arm to work with Salman – be it Bajrangi sequel or something else.”
83 is currently running in cinema halls across the globe. It has been received with positive reviews from the critics all across. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more.
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