I'm a trendsetter - I don't follow trends: Rajkumar Santoshi

By Ruchika Kher

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) The latest in line of romantic comedies to hit the screen is director Rajkumar Santoshi's "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani", though the filmmaker who returns to the genre after 15 years says he is not following any trends, but has in fact been a trendsetter himself.

"I never do what everyone is doing. My work talks for itself. I have never got into this 'everyone' business and herd mentality. I always did what I felt like and when I felt like. So it was not a trend that I followed and returned to comedy because it clicks nowadays," Santoshi told IANS in an interview.

"Since the beginning I have been one of the trendsetters. When I made an action film like 'Ghayal', people were making more of love stories. Then when I made a comedy with 'Andaz Apna Apna', no one was making comedies at that time.

"So for me my decision to make a particular film depends on my frame of mind and the kind of subject I touch. Nothing else," he added.

Santoshi, who started his career with Sunny Deol's "Ghayal" in 1990, forayed into comedy with "Andaz Apna Apna", starring Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, in 1994. Later he went on to make dramatic and serious films like "Ghatak", "Pukar", "Lajja", "The Legend of Bhagat Singh" and "Halla Bol".

Now after one and a half decades, the filmmaker is again exploring comedy with "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani", starring Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor in the lead.

So why such a different name for a film?

"I suggested this name. If you see my career, you will notice that I have always kept a name that talks about the subject. So in this film too, Prem is the hero's name and it is a love story and love encompasses strange situations and emotions, so the name of the film completely compliments the subject," he said.

Asked to throw light on his decision to cast Ranbir and Katrina, the director said: "Katrina and Ranbir were my original choices for this film. Both are young and I am making a young love story so who else should I cast? They suit the role completely. They were apt for it."

"Both of them have given extremely good performances. Both Ranbir and Katrina are talented people and believe in hard work. I am very happy with their work," he added.

Santoshi also revealed that like most of his films "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani" also conveys a message.

"This film too will convey a message in its own subtle way. I'm trying to say something through this medium that the audiences will come to know when they watch the film," he said.

The romantic comedy is slated to release Nov 6.

(Ruchika Kher can be contacted at ruchika.k@ians.in)

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