The last couple of years have seen the triumph of low-budget Bollywood films. With the success of no-frills movies such as Bheja Fry (2007) and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008), it has become evident that the average Bollywood movie buff's love affair with beefy heroes, raunchy rain dances and melodramatic tearjerkers is at an all-time low.
So much so, that acclaimed filmmaker Shyam Benegal's Welcome To Sajjanpur (WTS), a rustic tale set in a fictional Northern Indian Village, was greeted with an overwhelming response at the box office in India last week.
Buoyed by its success, Bollywood actress Amrita Rao, who plays the role of illiterate and gullible village belle Kamala, says she knew she had a winner in her hands from the very beginning.
Refreshing
"The simplicity and the novelty of the script was endearing. Urban comedies made on lavish and larger-than-life budgets are the norm these days, but I was sure that a story set in the Indian villages would be refreshing for the actors and the viewers alike," says Rao over the telephone.
The movie, in Dubai theatres this week, will also be screened at the London Film Festival on October 25 and 26.
"It's a classic cherry on the cake scenario. I knew the movie would be a hit with the Indian viewers but for it to be showcased at such a prestigious platform fills me with great pride. I feel as if I have taken a step nearer to my dream of being associated with some great movies," says Rao, who is known for her virginal, holier-than-thou roles.
After making her debut in 2002, Rao's five-year career graph is dotted with hits including Ishq Vishq, Main Hoon Na and Vivaah.
"I would never take up a role or agree to shoot for scenes that compromise on my comfort level. In short, I am willing to take on any challenge that does not include shedding clothes," says Rao, who sports a sari for the movie.
Getting her hands dirty
True to her word, Rao is said to have learnt the art of pottery in just five days for her role in WTS.
"Shyamji [Benegal] managed to hunt down a potter from one of the villages and brought him to Hyderabad film city to teach me pottery. So basically I was on a deadline to learn the art and shoot a pot-making scene within five days. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences ever," says Rao.
The movie was also shot on an express track spanning 33 days.
"It's a pleasure to work with a director who believed in making things happen rather than just talking about it endlessly," says Rao.
Surprisingly, Rao's next release, Victory, featuring struggling actor Harman Baweja (who is still reeling from his debut debacle Love Story 2050), is being touted as the most expensive Bollywood movie that will be made in 2009.
"As an actor, I want to do different kinds of projects. If my role as village belle Kamala has been well-liked then my character in Victory, a city-bred medical student, has the potential to be a bigger hit. 2009 is all about experimenting."
Amrita's score card
In just five years, the South Indian belle has worked with some of Bollywood's A-list directors and banners. Here is her take on her favourite co-stars …
Shahid Kapur in director Sooraj Bharjatya's family entertainer Vivaah: "Shahid and I are a perfect fit. We balance each other out in terms of personality and chemistry. The success of Vivaah proves that we work well as a team."
Zayed Khan in director Farah Khan's blockbuster Main Hoon Na: "He is a prankster on the sets and one of the few actors who never takes himself too seriously. He has got a great sense of humour".
Shah Rukh Khan in the same film: "By far, one of the best co-stars that I have worked with. His charm and personality are unparalleled."
Shreyas Talpade in Shyam Benegal's Welcome To Sajjanpur: "He is my current favourite. I respect him as an actor and he is now my new-found friend. "
Harman Baweja in the forthcoming release Victory: "The cliché ‘we get along like a house on fire' is our trademark."
Passage to England
Veteran filmmaker Shyamn Benegal's Welcome To Sajjanpur is not the only Indian movie to be screened at the 52nd London Film Festival. Five other films including actress Nandita Das's directorial debut Firaaq, Santosh Sivan's Tahaan, Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya, Shashank Ghosh's Quick Gun Murugan and Atul Sabharwal's short film Midnight Lost and Found will be doing the rounds at the fest.
