'16 December isn't a hero-centric film'

Model-turned-actor Milind Soman made an unimpressive debut with Esmayeel Shroff's Tarkieb in June 2000.

The film wasn't a runaway success, but Milind was not one to be disheartened.

His latest film 16 December proves that he's back with a vengeance. Directed by Mani Shankar, the investigative thriller also stars models Dipannita Sharma and Aditi Gowitrikar, with tunes composed by Karthik Raja, son of Tamil maestro Ilayaraja.

What's more, Milind also sings in the film. But fear not, he doesn't plan on changing professions again, he tells Ronjita Kulkarni:

Why the hiatus between Tarkieb and 16 December?

Actually, I have been working quite hard. I worked in six films after Tarkieb -- Agnivarsha, Roshni, Bhagmati, Pyaar Ki Dhun and Phir Bhi India Number 1 but 16 December just happens to be the first to be released.

I hope the other films don't release at the same time, but space themselves out.

Why are the films taking so long to be released?

I've been working with a lot of newcomers. Some of the directors and the production houses are new. They're unsure about promoting new kinds of films. This is the main reason why they are not made that often. That has been the main reason for the delay.

Besides, post-production takes time. Also the producers always want to release at a good time.

Is there a specific reason as to why you are working with so many newcomers?

I have an idea of the kind of work that I want to do. I want to work with people who have new visions of cinema. All the films that I have done so far after Tarkieb are proof of my convictions because each is different in concept, character and presentation.

Don't you want to work with big banners?

I'd love to work with big banners if they come to me with good projects. So far, they haven't.

How did you get the role in 16 December?

I'm not sure what made them ask me. But director Mani Shankar was very clear about the kind of cast he wanted and the way he wanted to project the film. He approached me in August 2000. He auditioned me for the role because the production house had insisted on it. We started shooting in October 2000.

Tell us about your role.

16 December is not a hero-centric film. All the characters have a place in the story. It's about a certain situation that exists in India today. It begins with a true story and takes off from that.

I play an ex-military person who has been court-martialed. I work with Sushant Singh and Dipannita Sharma while Danny Denzongpa is the chief. He wants me to investigate a financial scam.

The build up of this film sounds like that in Sarfarosh, where the investigation started from small-time traitors (the adhivasis) to the Pakistani mastermind (Naseeruddin Shah)...

No, it isn't like Sarfarosh. But the structure is more like Charlie's Angels, where it starts off as kidnapping but becomes much more devious than that. What we thought was just money leaving the country turns out to be funds for a terrorist organisation.

So it's not like any film that has been seen in India or abroad.

What are your expectations from this film?

I expect that people will like it. That's all.

If you are asking me how this film will affect my career, then I don't think about things like that. I do things that I enjoy. If the six films that I did fare well, that'll be great.

Tell us about the experience of working with Mani Shankar.

Mani Shanker is brilliant. And working with brilliant people is exhilarating.

He has a tremendous vision and is a great technician. The entire film has been done in-house. There are around 26 minutes of special effects, which he has done himself at his studio. And they are of the highest international standards.

He has also developed gadgets to enhance certain situations like military cameras and recorders.

Any special incidents while shooting that stand out in your mind?

Yes, we fought a lot!

When there is a lot of commitment and conviction, everyone comes up with their own inputs and sometimes we clashed. All of us had a lot of inputs. But now, all of us are very happy to be associated with this film.

You've sung a song in the film…

My song is not in the film, it's in the music album. It speaks about the thought behind the film. Like why is there terrorism? Why can't we live in peace? Why can't we live like brothers? It has soulful lyrics by P K Mishra and great melody by Karthik Raja.

When I was asked to sing, I said that I'll do so only if I liked the song. I heard it and really liked it.

How was the experience?

It was very scary. They just gave me the song and asked me to sing it. I have had no musical training. They didn't even let me practise. They told me to read the words, listen to the music and start singing. They recorded and mixed it and that was it. We finished the whole thing in a day.

I didn't have time to prepare for it or rehearse it.

But now when I listen to it, I really like it.

You've acted with powerhouses of talent -- Tabu and Nana Patekar -- and now with newcomers like Dipannita and Aditi...

There's no difference at all. I've learned from all the actors that I've worked with.

The kind of freshness that newcomers have is something that you can learn from. As you grow, a certain staleness creeps in your technique. But when you see someone with no experience at all doing a scene, you can learn from that.

In Agnivarsha, I've worked with Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Raveena Tandon, Prabhu Deva and Sonali Kulkarni. That has been a great learning experience also.

Tell us more about Agnivarsha.

The film is directed by a newcomer, Arjun Sajnani. He directed a play called Fire In The Rain, written by Girish Karnad and the film is based on that.

The film is mythological, set in pre-Mahabharat times. I play a young Brahmin and Sonali Kulkarni plays my love interest.

You are making quite a few films via your production house…

We have three projects at hand, but we want to make lots more. As yet, the films are untitled. We're waiting for the right kind of backing for the films.

What I have learnt from acting with newcomers is that even if you have a good product, you have to market it well. Otherwise, people won't even know about it.

I star in one of the films. South Indian star Shobhna may also be starring in one of them.

Plus Channel also produced a lot of small budget films but the venture flopped.

The films they made were not very good. Besides, they didn't market the films well. The only hype was that Plus Channel was producing them. To the industry, it may mean a lot, but to the common man, it means nothing. They feel like watching a film only when they see the hype around a film.

How do you plan to finance these films?

Private investors or production houses, who are interested in financing the films.

What are your future plans?

I want to do good work -- it could be in films, television, theatre or even modelling. But at the moment, I'm only doing films. I'm waiting for the release of my six films.