Coming this Friday, Bollywood fans will get the chance to see Ken Ghosh’s Chance Pe Dance, a film starring Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza. This is Ken’s third film, and the story goes back to his roots and to Shahid’s as well because it is all about a struggler waiting for that one big break.The background to all this is the world of dance. Following up on an earlier interview about the film and while sitting outside Fardeen Khan’s house getting ready to go in the Dulha Mil Gaya release party, Ken answered a few more questions for me about Chance Pe Dance. Enjoy!
How was it working with Shahid on this film?
It was great. It was an eye-opener for me to see him grow as an actor. We have a dialog in the film that: ‘As much as acting happens on screen, there is a lot more that happens behind the screen’. Shahid has learned the acting on both sides, whether it is onscreen or off-screen acting; he has matured into not only an actor but also into a star.
How about Genelia?
Genelia is a sweetheart. I have said this before, I keep calling her my sunshine girl. She is not only my sunshine girl, but I think for the entire unit, because the entire unit perks up whenever she comes onto the set. In fact, yesterday we did an all-nighter, Shahid, Genelia and myself, where we spent the night in a car from 12 in the night to 7 in the morning. It was great fun.They interacted with the media, they hung around in the car. It was great fun!
When we talked last time, you were still in post-production. Now that you are finished, how do you think the film has turned out?
I am the worst person to ask about my own films because I hate whatever I do. It keeps changing. One day I will hate it, the next day I will love it. Now I am actually in a loving-it process. Then of course, some 3 days before the release, I will think it is the best piece of cinema ever created and then the day before release again I hate it. So, I am the last person you should be asking this. [Laughs]
You also said that what you imagine the film to be is always different than what it turns out to be…
Absolutely!
So, did this film turn out close to what you thought?
You know what, an assistant director of mine asked me the same question three days ago and I said, you know, there are a couple of shots that, yes, have come out the way I visualized them, but the beauty is that the film has surprised me in a lot of places. There are certain things that I have been able to capture which completely surprised me, which I didn’t expect at all and actually turned out better than what I thought it would be.
You mentioned that there were some ups and downs getting this film made. Now that you are at the end, was it all worth it?
Well, actually it is still not the end. The end is actually, and in fact I was just discussing this with Fardeen, the end truly comes on Monday evening after the film releases because you know what the first weekend business is, and you know what happened at the start of the week. I think that is when it is time to say goodbye to a film, finally.
How do you expect the film to do?
Well, I think the film will do very well because it is an interesting concept. Trying to detach myself from the film completely, the promos are very interesting. The music is very catchy. Shahid has a fan base and when I come in to see the film I am going to see a nice sweet, very sweet, cute film. I am going to be watching it with a smile. It will make me feel good. There is nothing heavy in the film. It zooms along. It is about an hour and fifty-eight minutes, which is really short by Indian standards, so it is a really nice breezy film that you can watch over a little less than 2 hours.
Do you have a favorite scene?
There are actually three favorite scenes of mine. There is one, which is the pre-interval scene, which is basically a Shahid monologue. I can’t describe the second scene without giving away the film, but it is actually another Shahid monologue; it is really interesting. Then there’s another scene between Genelia and Shahid, which is in the car. It is a Genelia monologue, that also has come out quite well. Actually, if I may add one more – being a father – there is another scene where Shahid’s father actually sees what he can do, which is so true about a lot of fathers who, you know, don’t realize the true worth of their children. Sometimes they need to be told by somebody else. When they suddenly see their child doing something he or she is good at and they turn around and say to that child, ok, where did learn that? I mean, suddenly you’re grown up and I didn’t know you had that in you. That is a real proud moment for any parent and for the child.
A favorite dance number?
For me, I think Shahid has danced the best in ‘Just Do It’. Everybody knows Shahid is a great dancer, but all the dances he has done so far, at least for me, have been too correct and too perfect. In ‘Just Do it’, for the first time, he has really enjoyed himself; he continued that in ‘Pe Pe Pepein’. Like, my brief to Shahid and Ahmed was just ‘dance like how I dance after I have had 5 Bacardi’s’. (Laughs) Like where you let your hair down and just enjoy yourself.
What are you most proud about the film?
I think the product in the end. When you walk out of the film, you will walk out with a big smile on your face. I think that if I achieved that it would make me proud. I mean, I will be standing outside theaters in Bombay when the film releases and hopefully I will see people coming out smiling.
Are you nervous for the release?
You know what, it has not yet kicked in. Somebody asked me if there were butterflies yet and I said the butterflies actually started two and half years ago when I started shooting, and it is still on. Right now I am here to support Fardeen, and I went also to show my support for Priyanka and them for Pyaar Impossible, and I was looking at their expressions and the nerves they had on their faces and I was thinking okay, next week my turn. It will probably kick in Wednesday or Thursday.
Give us 3 reasons why audiences should go see Chance Pe Dance…
One would be great performances by everybody! Great dancing by Shahid, and best of all an excellent on-screen couple with Shahid and Genelia. I think these are three very good reasons to watch the movie.
I would like to thank Ken for taking the time, and waiting to go into the party, to speak with me and wish him the best of luck for the release. Get ready for the smile inducing, dance-filled Chance Pe Dance! You can catch it in theaters this Friday!
