New Delhi: One of the surprise hits of 2011 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' was equally loved and criticized for its portrayal of tough women. The film took a different stand on the politics of relationships in the modern world. IBNLive confronted Luv Ranjan, the director of 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama', on the subject of his film. Catch this candid interview.
Q: What was the reason behind making 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama'?
A: To be honest, the reason behind making 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' was that nobody had ever told this side of the story. It was never shown how difficult women can be, especially in today's time when we don’t have relationships dominated by men only. Women can really hurt you at times.
Q: Any special reason behind taking Delhi as the backdrop?
A: See, basically I am from Raj Nagar in Ghaziabad and have studied in Hindu College of Delhi University, so I understand the language and other traits of Delhi. I had Pune and Bangalore too as options to show a software industry but I finally chose Delhi.
Q: Your male characters fell in love despite knowing the dark side of the girls.
A: It's not like falling in love despite knowing the dark side, but it's more like exploring the dark rather grey side after falling in love. If you'll look at the film closely then you will find that the girls were not doing anything wrong as per their consciences. It was not that the girls didn't want the relationship to work but they wanted it their way. They were not torturing men intentionally. The story was primarily about the men who didn't understand that the relationship is not working.
Q: Even a blunt character like Liquid managed to make a mstake.
A: Liquid was an outspoken character but he was loud only among his friends. The girl was not bad. She had moved to a new city where she needed a friend and Liquid became her friend. He always knew that the girl has a boyfriend but he kept making a fool out of himself. In fact, I don't blame girls, I blame boys.
Q: The film has a pan India appeal.
A: Falling in love with someone who is already in love with someone is the most common thing we have seen. All three stories can be found happening around us. Chaudhary's story was urban in its nature but that was also not a strange story. You will find in a group of five boys and four girls that someone's girlfriend is someone's ex. You can't change it.
Q: How will you describe the character of Neha, the nasty girl opposite Rajat.
A: She was not nasty but a lot of girls want to run the relationships their ways but the way she handled the situation, made it very suffocation for the boy. The boy was a fool and tried to become someone else which he was not just to save the relationship. I maintain that the boys are stupid or innocent or whatever. Even in the general life, you will find that the biggest problem arrives when you leave your own identity.
Q: When did you realize that the film is going to be a hit?
A: I never realised it. When I saw the final edit, I was sure of just one thing that whosoever is going to watch the film, will like it. I was sceptical about the number of people interested in my film because I was a first time director and all the actors were new. The film didn't have a good opening but it picked up from Monday. My second week's business was better than the first week.
Q: You moved to Mumbai at a young age.
A: I was 19 when I shifted to Mumbai. I started as an intern and then started assisting some directors. I quit assisting in 2005. I started 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' in 2010 when I was 28.
Q: What are you planning now?
A: I am already shooting for a film tentatively titled 'Aakashvaani', and I hope this title remains till its release. Karthik and Nusrat are playing the lead roles in it, the pair that played Rajat and Neha in 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama'. The good guy and the bad girl of 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama'. Around 40 percent of the shooting is finished.(Laughs)
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