'Attack On Saif Is A Wake-Up Call'

'The incident has underlined that you can't leave anything to chance or take anything for granted.'
'You have to ensure that your family is taken care of 24x7.'

Shreyas Talpade impressed everyone in his debut Hindi film,Iqbal, as a deaf-mute cricketer determined to wear the national colours. In the 20 years since, he has showcased his natural born talent in film after film, from Dor to Om Shanti Om, from Welcome to Sajjanpur to Golmaal Returns, from Kaun Pravin Tambe? to his latest, Emergency.

Emergency, a historical biographical drama written, directed and co-produced by Kangana Ranaut, sees him play Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shreyas is happy with the performance.

"My first question to Kangana was, 'Will this be a propaganda film?' She told me to read the script," Shreyas tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya. "When I did, I found it to be the most neutral script which, if anything, is biased towards Mrs Indira Gandhi, not against her."

Emergency has evoked mixed reactions. While some have loved the film, others are criticising it for distorting history.

When you make a biopic, particularly a political biopic, you have to be prepared for charged emotions and mixed reactions.

Some people will like it, some will say, 'Yeh dikhaya nahi' or 'Isse nichchey dikhaya.]

What was your first reaction when Kangana approached you to play Atal Bihari Vajpayee?

My first question to her was, 'Will this be a propaganda film?'

She told me to read the script. When I did, I found it to be the most neutral script which, if anything, is biased towards Mrs Indira Gandhi, not against her.

The character has a graph and her journey in portrayed so authentically that at the end, you wish she hadn't been assassinated because she was starting to change.

Yes, we couldn't cover everything, but that's because of time constraints rather than design.

But the film has been mired in controversies, including backlash from the Sikh community for misrepresentation which resulted in the release getting delayed.

Yes, there were controversies, but Kangana, as the film's producer, did agree to certain cuts.

She deleted some scenes and changed a few more. In the end, I would say it's an unbiased, classy film.

Has anyone from the Congress contacted you since its release?

No, no one has.

A week before the release on January 10, you shared a reel on Instagram which showed glimpses of your transformation into Vajpayee. How long did the prep take?

Around two-and-a-half to three hours daily.

Three hours! How did you handle it?

(Laughs) I would surrender to it and try to enjoy the process or else I would go to sleep.

It was tough getting the hair fixed and stuffing my cheeks with cotton wool, but for another film, I had to paste on a beard and a moustache every day and that's even more uncomfortable because you can't eat or speak, there's no freedom of movement and there's all that sticky gum too.

(Laughs) I tried to mentally prep, telling myself its only say 50 days of discomfort out of 365 days in a year. Once we start shooting, I tick off each day, 'One down, 49 to go now... 36 more... Now, 25 left...'

Was this the biggest challenge you faced as far as this film was concerned?

Playing Atalji itself was a challenge because he was a revolutionary, a statesman and a political leader who was globally admired.

So expectations were huge and I knew people would pounce on me if there was even the slightest slip.

It wasn't just about transforming myself physically and imbibing his mannerisms, there was also his voice and the way he spoke.

Since Atalji was a poet, his speech had a lyrical quality to it.

Plus, there were the pauses, even in the '70s when he was a young, dynamic leader.

He had a slight lisp too which we avoided, but the pauses were a part of his DNA and had to be incorporated though we made them shorter since this is a two hour film.

Let's rewind to the first shot...

It's the one in jail, after all of us are arrested, and Atalji says, 'Kisne socha tha ki loktantra ka aise hi gala ghutega, har aawaz jo uske khilaaf uthegi, kuchal di jayegi.'

We did the first take, Kangana wanted one more.

Walking up to me, she said in my ear, 'I want you to do it the way you were doing while rehearsing just now.'

Surprised, I told her I had just been speaking to myself then and she replied, 'So, speak to yourself on camera too.'

I did, and after the second take, even the sound recordist beamed, 'Perfect, that's Atalji's voice!'

I pointed out that maybe the cold I had was helping and he laughed, 'Then make sure you have a cold throughout the shoot.'

In fact, later when he heard (Anupam) Kher sahab recommending some medicines, he intervened saying, 'Don't take too many ki effect chala jaaye.'

(Chuckles) You never know what works but I'm glad I got the sur right in two takes.

For me, the first shot is always the most difficult because while you have done your prep, learnt your lines and rehearsed the scene, are ready with make-up and costume, if your director still wants multiple takes, well then, you are lost.

Has that ever happened with you?

Oh yes, when we started Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal, I gave 15-20 takes for the film's first shot.

After a point, even Neeraj Vora was making suggestions on how I should try this and that, but even together, we could not figure out what Priyan sir (Director Priyadarshan) had in mind.

When the same thing continued into the next day, I finally asked Priyan sir where I was going wrong.

He surprised me by saying, 'You are doing it absolutely right and I love that you are giving me so many variations. Whatever I like, I'm taking from different angles. Keep going, and be yourself, I don't want you to act.'

After that, we were on course and the shots were okayed in one or two takes.

Later, a common friend confided that Priyan sir had told him that like Akki bhai (Akshay Kumar), I'm one of his favourite actors, which was both comforting and a relief after the first day's horror show.

Now, I rehearse in front of the director. If my improvisations work, great, otherwise I tweak my performance to what they have in mind -- all this, before the first shot!

Did you watch Ravi Jadhav's biographical drama, Main Atal Hoon, which released exactly a year ago, on January 19, 2024, with Pankaj Tripathi playing Vajpayee?

No, I consciously didn't watch it because if I had, it would have played on my mind throughout the Emergency shoot and I didn't want that happen.

I needed to trust my director's vision more than anything else and play Atalji the way Kangana wanted me to.

But I will see Main Atal Hoon now.

Let's move to the attack on Saif Ali Khan. Given that you live in Mumbai too and have a young daughter, does it make you feel insecure and unsafe?

That attack is scary because Mumbai is known to be one of the safest cities.

It has raised several questions about security and whom we can trust.

I'm not saying Saif was complacent, he fought off the intruder and saved his kids from harm even if he did get injured in the process.

My heart goes out to Kareena (Kapoor) and him. I'm equally concerned for their young children (Taimur and Jeh), as it won't be easy for the boys to wipe out the terror of that night.

The incident has underlined that you can't leave anything to chance or take anything for granted. You have to ensure that your family is taken care of 24x7.

The attack on Saif is a wake-up call for all of us, much like my health scare.

Has life changed since that heart attack in December 2023?

Oh yes. Earlier, I would want to spend time with my family, but work was always priority.

Today, while work is still important, health and family are my priorities.

God has given me a second chance and I can't abuse it.

I have to respect every moment that I'm alive.

Your wife Deepti was your superhero, saving your life that day with her presence of mind and prompt action. On December 31, 2024 you celebrated your 20th wedding anniversary. How has the journey been?

Amazing! My advice to all youngsters would be to find the right partner and start a family because nothing else can bring you as much happiness.

Deepti and I have been married 20 years and were seeing each other for four years before that so that makes it a 24-year journey.

I knew as soon as I met her that she was the one, it was like that song from Apna Sapna Money Money, 'Dekha jo tujhe yaar, dil mein baji guitar.'

It is important to listen to that guitar and trust your instincts.

If it tells you she is the one, just grab her like I did.

My first film, Iqbal, happened after marriage. Deepti has been with me through all the good times and the bad, and as you pointed out, she saved my life as well.

It's because of her that I'm talking to you today.

Is your daughter, Aadya, a young Deepti or a young Shreyas?

I would say a young Deepti.

I was hardly around during the first four years of her life but that has changed over the last year and we have a special bond now.

I've been shooting outdoors the last eight-nine days and yesterday, Deepti and Aadya came here from Mumbai.

As soon as my daughter saw me, she came running, hugged me tight and started crying.

It was the most beautiful feeling to know that another person was missing me so much that just looking at you would make them cry.

I would want everyone to experience this.

Children are precious, they have so much to say, so much to teach you, they complete you.