102 Not Out director Umesh Shukla on casting Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor: Both said yes to film in 10 mins

Umesh Shukla’s baptism to the world of theatre and cinema happened at a very early age. The director was all of nine when he stumbled upon a film reel while taking a stroll close to his father’s one room chawl in Bhuleshwar area of Mumbai. Without even seeing the content of the reel, he invited fellow kids of the chawl with the lure of showing them a film at chaar aana apiece.

“My father was shocked that where will I project the film in a chawl room. I anyhow managed by borrowing my grandpa’s dhoti and tying it to a cot. I was surprised to see that even parents of kids had gathered in huge number to see what was I up to. When I inserted the first slide it was a scene from a marriage reception. Thankfully, when I inserted the second slide it had actor Sanjeev Kumar handshaking the newlywed couple. This was followed by loud cheer and whistle. I often say to people that my debut film had Sanjeev Kumar in it,” chuckles Umesh.

The journey that started with one-room chawl in Bhuleshwar and which witnessed films like Oh My God! and All Is Well, has now reached 102 Not Out. Umesh is all geared up for 102 Not Out which incidentally brings together two doyens of the industry — Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor after 27 years. So how did he manage a casting coup of such a proportion? “The hook of the film is about a 102-year-old father who decides to send his 75-year-old son to an old age home. When I narrated the plot to Bachchan saab, he listened for just 10 minutes and thereafter declared that the hook of the film is strong enough to come aboard. Similarly, Rishi ji too gave his nod to the film in flat 10 minutes. Both the characters have turned out so cute in the film that you will think of taking them home after the film is over.”

For trivia’s sake, Umesh, before donning the director’s hat, started his career as an actor. It was also a phase when he used to assist Paresh Rawal for his plays. It was in 1994 that while doing a play based on Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, which saw him performing dual duties of Norman Bates and his mother, landed his first film offer. “The role of Norman Bates and his mother were both very complicated characters that I played on stage and because of that play, I got my first break as main villain in Yaar Gaddar which had Saif Ali Khan and Mithun Chakraborty in lead. At that time, I was more focused in pursuing a career in acting.”

The next question ought to be what made him quit acting. “I had gotten bored acting in films. I had to wait for long hours in the van and I only used to wonder when will my turn come to face the camera. I am from theatre background, and there I used to write, direct and act. I found direction more challenging as I felt that it was more like conceiving a baby and then delivering it. As a director, you get to live all the characters.” Umesh later on learnt the ropes of direction and writing, by assisting Neeraj Vora, Priyadarshan and Abbas Mustan for their films.

About 102 Not Out, Umesh reveals that it was a conscious decision by both the actors not to see the original play. “The play is based on a real incident and both Amit ji and Rishi ji wanted to bring their own interpretation to the film. They were wary of getting influenced after seeing the play and thus decided against it. It’s interesting to note that none of them are Gujarati and they are playing Gujarati characters in a film for the first time in their career. You will also get to see them speaking Gujarati in the film in certain scenes,” informs Umesh.

Umesh has fond memories of shooting the film but there is particularly one incident which brought tears to his eyes. The incident happened on the 15th day of the shoot when he was required to can a shot of Amitabh Bachchan sleeping on his bed and Rishi Kapoor quietly coming to his room, seeing him and then going back. “After the shot was over and despite saying ‘cut’, Amit ji did not wake up from his bed. I got a bit worried thinking what has happened to him. There was no one on the set who could dare to wake him up. Anyhow, I mustered courage to inform him that the shot is over and lights were needed for another location. When I nudged him, he woke up, and then he said such a beautiful thing which still makes me happy and brings tears in my eyes. He told me that after 15 days of shoot, the set now feels like is own home. For me, it was really something.”

That Umesh is down-to-earth and has a head firmly on his shoulders is evident from his soft spoken and genial behavior. After the interview got over, he gave his mobile number and requested to message him the feedback on his film. And this act was repeated with every journo in the room This only reinforces the belief that the man has just started.