Kedarnath: More than just a tragedy

Overcoming massive problems and unexpected impediments, Director Abhishek Kapoor is finally set to witness the release of his film Kedarnath on December 7. Here are a few excerpts from a conversation where he discusses his idea behind this movie, launching Sara Ali Khan and much more.

Why did you choose a love story to narrate the tragedy of Kedarnath?

There has to be a story – if not a love story, I would have either written a family drama, a thriller, a murder mystery or something else. A love story was just one of the many options.

If I had to make a film only around that incident, I would have made a documentary. But documentaries have a limited reach and they rarely manage to engage the audience. People don't have anything to take away as their own from it. And if they won't feel the pain of others, they will only sympathise with victims from the outside. There was a need to build a connection because when you hear a story where you can relate to the characters (who could be your mother, father, brother, wife, sister), their pain, their sufferings, you feel a sense of loss.

Besides this, the Kedarnath tragedy is not just a tragedy. This incident hit every Indian directly and indirectly. It was one of the biggest natural disasters the country had ever witnessed. We lost 6,000 people in those floods and about 1,00,000 people went missing. Towns were washed off, villages were wiped out but the temple still stood tall. People want to know more about the incidents, they want to share their stories, their pain, and know about others. I decided to make this film to bring some kind of healing to the people who had lost their dear ones in the accident.

How did Sushant, Sara and everybody else come on board for the movie?

It all started with an idea. In fact, all my films have been like that. If the idea rings a bell, it comes alive for me. And this living entity grows and nourishes on its own. My job as a filmmaker is just to serve it as the best, and keep nurturing it. I don't look at what I have done before or what I am going to do next. It's very much like a mother-child relationship where I try to bring to the table everything that's needed for its survival – whether it's the actors, musicians, money or any other support.

So, whoever comes on the board also understands that. That's the way I invite them to the film – 'it's not about you becoming a bigger star, or what your last film has been or what you want to do. Rather, you have to deliver what this film demands.'

Sushant started his career in films with your movie Kai Po Che! – how has he evolved as an actor since then?

It has been a while since we did Kai Po Che! Back then, he was new to the film industry which is quite a different world from television; but he has evolved over the years. He has become more of himself. He is actually quite a reserved guy, but when it comes to work, he is extremely prepared.

When he comes to the set, he is so well-prepared that I could approach a scene with multiple angles and he would know which way what would go. It's always a pleasure to work with him.

What about Sara. Is she a method actor or one with natural instincts?

She is still discovering herself. In this business, sometimes you would be asked to behave like a method actor while the other time you just have to dance to the beats of a Bollywood song. So, everybody has to be ready for everything.

For me, it doesn't matter where you come from or who you are. I am making a movie and it's going to be a very demanding task. So to know that the person has got the potential and will be perseverant is more important than anything else. And, after my first interaction with Sara, I felt that she has got what it takes. She realised that the kind of films I have made, the people I have worked with and the actors she is going to be cast opposite are very serious players. And, therefore, she has to come to this film with her game set.

Also, we supported her in her orientation. She has never been to a film set or a film school despite coming from a family of film people. She had different points of view and it was very essential to prepare her.

The movie went through a rough patch. Did it affect the script in any way?

The script is sacrosanct, it didn't change at all. It was my duty to protect it irrespective of all the problems or hurdles that come my way, and I did go through some crazy amount of difficulties. But fortunately, I managed to maintain the schedule, the script and, most importantly, the budget.

But, even for once, didn't you lose hope about Kedarnath's release?

Not even for a second did I feel apprehensive about the situation. I agree that I have seen many failures in my life. But in this case, I just knew that this movie has to be delivered anyhow.

What was the idea behind making this film?

The reason why I have made this film is my love for Shiv. Over the years, I have been trying to understand him. And the best thing I have learned till date is, if you have the spirit to serve people and sacrifice something for the larger good of your community, or for the larger good of mankind, you have Shiv in you. I want this thought to reach out to all the Indians out there to know who we are, what separates us and what makes us greater than anybody else.