We have seen famous actor-director jodis like Shah Rukh Khan-Yash Chopra, Govinda-David Dhawan etc. And now, in a rare instance, an actor-DOP jodi has emerged. Manu Anand, the cinematographer, has worked with Kartik Aaryan on Dhamaka (2021), Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and also on the promotional songs in Shehzada (2023) and Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023). In an exclusive interview to Bollywood Hungama, Manu Anand talked about his association with Kartik as well as director Anees Bazmee and a lot more.
How did this actor-DOP jodi come about with you and Kartik Aaryan?
Kudrat ka khel hai (smiles). Kartik was working on some films and I got a chance to work on them too. Then the DOPs of those two films (Shehzada, Satyaprem Ki Katha) were busy when the makers thought of shooting the song. Hence, I was approached. It’s a coincidence and also serendipity. It’s our third film together and the pairing just happened. But the output has always been great, be it the films or the songs. He trusts me and I guess that’s why, he tells the producers and actors to take me for the promotional song shoots.
How was it working with Anees Bazmee for the second time?
There’s also one more jodi at play – Anees Bazmee and I; we both worked together in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. There are famous directors who have had a great bond with their DOPs, like Steven Spielberg-Janusz Kamiński. When you work repeatedly with a director, aapki tuning bahut zabardast ho jaati hai. I met Anees bhai for the narration of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. It turned out to be the best narration of my life. Some directors read from the script while narrating. But Anees bhai remembers the whole film. He narrates with his full energy as if someone is giving a live performance! I immediately gave my nod after the narration. I was anyway a fan of his work and also of the comedy genre.
Usually, on the first day, the DOP won’t know about the director’s way of functioning and vice versa. But we hit it off instantly. He gives a lot of space and also a lot of responsibility with regard to the look of the film. He is receptive to new ideas and is also a secure director. Unki aur meri jodi miyan-biwi jaisi jodi hai! At times, he would complete my sentence and sometimes, I would complete his sentence.
How was it shooting the two legendary actresses, Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit, especially for the song ‘Ami Je Tomar 3.0’?
As a director of photography, it was a big responsibility as we knew that we had to make it a historic song since it featured a dance between OG Manjulika Vidya Balan along with dance goddess Madhuri Dixit. Wohresponsibility aapko darr ke aage khauff ke paas le jaata hai aur woh khauff aapko inspire karta hai (smiles).
I am very strict about the colour palette. Costume designer Niharika Bhasin ji made lovely costumes for both actresses. They are designed that way for a particular reason. It also looks natural. Lighting was not difficult. Jab aapke subjects hi itne khoobsurat hote hai, toh lighting karna aasaan ho jaata hai! Yet, I was particular that I wanted a chamak in the song. Hopefully, you’ll get to see that spark when you see the song in the film.
Since you have worked with Kartik Aaryan so many times, please tell us something about him that no one knows…
The passion that he has for his work is praiseworthy. Also, unki yaadadaasht mashallah hai! That’s why he was able to do the monologue so well (in Pyaar Ka Punchnama series). I worked with him in Dhamaka (2021), which we shot in just 10-11 days. It used to have 15-20 minute long takes. Hence, he had to memorize 15-20 page long dialogues. In case of a retake, he had to start from scratch. In 4 days, we had completed a shoot of 56 to 60 pages. Director Ram Madhvani has a zabardast way of shooting, which we calls the 360-degree shooting style. He would allow the actor all the freedom to move around while the camera would follow their movement. For that, the actor needs to remember a lot of stuff. This is when it struck me that Kartik has a sharp memory and could easily remember his lines.
Also Read: Singham Again’s release postponed in Singapore; Ajay Devgn-starrer and Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 banned in Saudi Arabia
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