On dangerous ground A fall out results in tussle for directorial credit

Subhash K Jha

Years ago, when he found the producer's interference excessive, director Rahul Rawail chose to have his name deleted from the credits of Rajendra Kumar's Love Story.

Today, filmmaker Govind Menon --- who assisted Santosh Sivan [of Terrorist, Asoka] and Priyadarshan [of Hera Pheri, Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar] --- seems unwilling for a creative ambush.

Following a fall out, it was a surprise for Menon when producer Vasant Chedda 'took over' Danger.

He says, "I don't understand this. The promos have my name as director. But I have been kept out of my own film! Chedda has billed himself co-director of Danger, but I have shot every single frame of the film. Why does he want to assume credit for my film?"

He adds, "We had no problem while the film was under production. At the Censor Board, I represented the film as its director. But before the film got a censor certificate, we fell out. And Vasant stopped communicating with me. He wanted the rights to my next script without paying me. I refused. He went ahead and did the Dolby Digital mix without me. I didn't want to get into a dispute with my producer. I didn't want to be branded a troublemaker so early in my career.

"Chedda tried to take off my name as director. I approached the Directors' Association who in turn approached the Producers' Association. We reached a memorandum of understanding --- I was to be credited as director of Danger.

"He is now telling people that he made the film. In France there are laws which make the producer the film's owner. Chedda is trying to claim similar ownnership. I am completely surprised by the whole thing. I haven't been paid a single penny for Danger," states Menon.

Danger has been inspired from the Hollywood noir film Bound [directed by the Wachowski Brothers, Andy and Larry, starring Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly]. "The producer wanted a thriller within a certain budget. And most of Bound was restricted to two rooms. Also, I am a big fan of the film noir of the 1940s which was influenced by German expressionism."

Vasant Chedda [who earlier produced Dev Benegal's Split Wide Open] seems adamant. "Govind Menon and I fell out like two brothers or two business partners. I was concerned about my product. Both of us were new to filmmaking. We parted amicably. I had to somehow complete the film. If Govind claims he has made the whole film, that is his prerogative. I have produced the film and have written the dialogues. I have also managed the technical aspects of the film. He can say what he wants. I wish him the best.

"When I turned producer, I was on my own. Danger was my film from the word go. In Hollywood, the protocol is to give a credit line separate from the director to a person who conceives and executes a film. Govind Menon and I agreed that Danger would be 'a film by Vasant Chedda'.

"How can he now say it is his film? Every rupee that has gone into making this film is mine. I started Danger with a certain conviction. I happened to watch Bound and decided to adapt it. Yash Chopra's Darr [Juhi Chawla, Sunny Deol, Shah Rukh Khan] was a fantastic adaptation of Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear [Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange]. So I thought, why not Bound?

He adds, "I am producing and directing a film with German and British actors. I am also making a Hindi film which I hope to start in August-September. Like Danger it falls in the noir genre."

Two artistes of the film are convinced that the producer is right. Jas Arora who plays the romantic lead, says, defensively, "I am not here to speak about any controversy." He adds, "I would give the credit to Vasant Chedda. Differences between Vasant and Govind Menon started from day one. Govind did not have command over Hindi, so Vasant had to intervene from the start. I guess Vasant kept Govind in the project because he is a good technician. But every time I had a problem I went to Vasant. If I were the producer, I would not have put Govind's name in the credits.

"In the first week of production, Vasant's wife was diagnosed with brain tumour. Us bande ne bahut himmat dikhayi [He showed great courage]. But Govind left us in a lurch. Without Vasant the film would not have been completed.

"Danger means a lot to me. Earlier I had a short role in Tanuja Chandra's Dushman. Vasant saw me in Dushman and he chose me out of 40 guys, man! I don't play a superhero in Danger, but I am very happy with my role," claims Arora.

Model Gautam Kapoor who plays a brief role, adds, "Out of the film's 35 shooting days, I shot for ten. Govind Menon co-directed, but it was producer Vasant Chedda who looked over the whole project."

Cinematographer Uday Devare has another story to tell. "Producer Vasant Chedda was nowhere on the sets for 80 per cent of the shooting since his wife was diagnosed with brain tumour. Only Govind and I know how we managed to complete the film. Govind wasn't offered any money on the table. Vasant wanted Govind's next script. When Govind asked for a token amount Vasant freaked out. That is where their relationship went sour. Govind and I did all the post-production work in Chennai when it wasn't our job. So much injustice has been done to Govind's and my career."

Rakesh Rathore, associate director of Danger who has worked with Subhash Ghai, Mukul Anand and Mahesh Bhatt endorses Devare's view. "Vasant Chedda was never creatively involved with the making of the film. Govind Menon is the director of Danger."

For now, Menon is shooting for his second feature film Khwayish, with Himanshu Malik and Reema Lamba: "We recorded a fabulous song with Asha Bhosleji. It is an intimate love story about a relationship that is over. The couple meet in the final year of college. I am introducing Reema Lamba in this film and have invested my money. It is a deviation from Danger."