'If Border Is Anyone's, It Is Sunny Uncle's'

'Sunny sir keeps me distracted from my morning sickness.'

The 1997 hit Border is getting a sequel more than two decades later. But this time, filmmaker J P Dutta hands over the reins to elder daughter Nidhi Dutta.

Nidhi takes over production duties while Anubhav Singh directs the multi-starrer.

Nidhi, who is expecting a baby with Director Binoy Gandhi, chooses the production route to build her career, rather than become an actor like her mum Bindiya Goswami or a director like her father.

"When I was young and people would ask, 'What will you be when you grow up?', I would say, 'I want to help Papa'," Nidhi tells Patcy N/Rediff.com.

What are your first memories of being on a film set? As a child, did you accompany your father on his sets?

It's not a very proud thing to say -- even though I am proud of it -- but my mom never really cared about us missing school.

For her, birthdays were important.

If it was Papa's or Dadaji (O P Dutta, who wrote the dialogues for his son's films)'s birthday, mom made sure we went on set, no matter where they was shooting.

My earliest memory of being on a film set was Kshatriya (1993), the film Dad made before Border (1997)

But I properly remember going to Bikaner for Border. We had gone for my birthday and celebrated with everyone in his tent.

His tent was very close to where they had made the bunker and the trenches set in the middle of the desert.

Mom was pregnant with Siddhi at the time but she also came.

I remember Sunny (Deol) uncle in his costume and playing with me.

How old were you then?

I was nine.

I know so many people from film families, who say that 'Oh, our parents never brought work back home or they never discussed their work at home.'

In my family, it was the opposite. Our dining table conversations would be movies.

There would be no other conversation because everyone was working together.

My mom did the costumes for Border and Refugee.

My dad was producing and directing.

My grandfather was writing the dialogues.

I remember when Papa came home after recording the Sandese Aate Hain song and playing it to Dadaji and mom.

Stars kids usually gravitate towards acting or direction. Why did you decide on production and script-writing?

Production came naturally to me.

I started assisting Papa on Umrao Jaan.

When I was young and people would ask, 'What will you be when you grow up?', I would say, 'I want to help Papa.'

He is a one-man army.

But he cannot give too much time to his creative process because he also produces.

When Paltan came along, I felt things had to change.

So I suggested that he handle the creative aspect and I would handle this (production) side of things.

I did that film single-handedly, bringing Zee Studios on board. From then on, he asked me to handle the business of the company.

Coming to the writing part, I'm as shocked as everybody else is.

When the story came to me suddenly, I decided to write it.

I think my grandfather has blessed me with his writing skills.

So that's how Border 2 has happened.

What was your inspiration for Border 2?

My father and I had a meeting with the late Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat. We lost him in an helicopter crash a couple of years ago.

When I first met him during Paltan, he had handed over 22 stories of soldiers that he wanted us to make movies on.

At that point, I was busy with Ghudchadi, which we produced along with T-Series. It is my husband Binoy Gandhi's first film as director.

I still remember my dad telling him, 'Sir, who will make these 22 stories? I'm 70.'

General sir had looked at Papa and said, 'She will make them.'

And I'm making it now.

From those 22 stories, I was keen on making three of them as one film.

I started looking for writers who would weave the story together.

Later, I decided to do it myself.

Why didn't you think about making a Web series with so many stories?

When it came to me, I didn't know how to start.

These were different stories from different timelines. You can't bring them together.

How much is J P Dutta helping you?

He's here in Dehradun, as we speak, but isn't coming on set.

He understands that a director needs space.

He's giving Anurag (Singh, Border 2 Director) that open hand to make the film.

Was it difficult to convince Sunny Deol to be a part of Border 2?

I think after Dad, if Border is anyone's, it is Sunny Uncle's.

So it was not about convincing him. It was about getting him on board and then all of us making the film in the best way we could.

Why did you decide on Anurag Singh to direct Border 2?

I think Kesari was the deciding factor for Bhushanji (Kumar, T-Series chairman and Border 2 Producer) and me.

We needed somebody who understands not only Bombay and Delhi but all of India, understands what it takes to give you a film that will touch every part of India.

After watching Kesari and the song Teri Mitti Mein, you realise that the filmmaker knows his craft and his emotion.

Border was such a big hit when it released.

I remember going to the Screen Awards.

I was about 10 or 11. We were walking the red carpet, which was covered on one side.

The public had actually climbed on the opposite buildings to watch the red carpet.

When we entered, people started screaming my father's name and 'Border'.

They sang Sandese Aate Hain.

We won the Best Story, Best Director and Best Film. I remember holding the three awards and walking out proudly.

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You're producing Border 2 as well as expecting a baby. Is it tough?

I cannot even put into words the dream I am living now -- to bring both my babies into this world at the same time!

This baby is growing up on a firing range, between all the blasting and gunshots and bullets!

It's a Border baby, as the media has termed it correctly.

It's not tough because God has been kind and my health has held up.

When a pregnant woman is at home, she has five-six family members taking care of her.

I have 280 people taking care of me on set.

So how are you balancing morning sickness and Sunny Deol? :)

(Laughs) Sunny sir keeps me distracted from my morning sickness.

Tell us about Varun Dhawan in Border 2.

Varun is going to be the biggest surprise package of this film.

I've known him through my husband and he's an absolute pleasure to work with.

And too much fun!

Sunny Deol's Gadar 2 was a huge success. Are you expecting that kind of success?

I'm expecting more, God willing.

What is your favourite Bindiya Goswami film and J P Dutta film?

My mom's favourite movies would be Gol Maal and Shaan.

For dad, nothing that tops Border. I also really love Kshatriya.

Tell us about working with Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan on Umrao Jaan.

One wants to be a part of films which have powerhouse actors on set. This not only had Aishwarya but also Shabanaji (Azmi).

Abhishek being a part of the movie was another green light for me because he's family.

He did a lot of bullying because I was an assistant and like a younger sister to him.

My grandfather was supposed to make this film with Nimmi in 1979.

It never got made because another film on courtesans was getting made.

But the story was very close to his heart.

Few years later, Rekhaji's Umrao Jaan released.

My grandfather asked Papa to direct it on the sets of LoC Kargil.

I think it's a family norm; we don't say no to our fathers.

So it had to be done.

Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff.com