Mumbai: Acclaimed actor, screenwriter and filmmaker Saurabh Shukla, known for his versatile acting and impactful writing, recently reflected on his early collaboration with director Shekhar Kapur on the 1994 biographical action-adventure film ‘Bandit Queen’ and described it as a profound learning experience that taught him the importance of finding humor even in the darkest stories.
The film is based on the life of Phoolan Devi, as told in the book “India’s Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi” by Mala Sen. Seema Biswas played the lead role in this film directed by Shekhar Kapur.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shukla shared, “Shekhar was the first film director I worked with, and I was a fan of his films Mr. India, Masoom and 3rd Bandit Queen. When I met him, he was a big man to all of us. He and cinematographer Ashok Mehta. He (Shekhar Kapur) taught me a lot, technically and emotionally.”
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Reflecting on his experience during the making of Bandit Queen, Shukla recalled that despite the film’s serious and intense subject matter, Kapoor was always looking for moments of humor.
“It was a gruesome, gory film, but Shekhar would find humor in it. There was a scene we shot, ‘Jo edit ho gaya aur film mein aaya nahin’ (which didn’t make it to the final cut)… So there was a robbery scene in a village. People were running here and there in panic… There was a liquor shop where two dacoits were throwing bottles, and a villager watching them said, ‘Itni Nikal’ Rahe, Ek Aad Hum Bhi Give’ (You are taking out a lot, give us one too). Even in that darkness, Shekhar found a funny, human moment,” he said.
The Jolly LLB actor said that this perspective left an indelible mark on his creative instincts. Shukla said, “In that film, in the company of Shekhar, I understood that without humor, it is half, not the whole picture. This is something I still follow.”
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He praised directors like Shekhar Kapur and Ram Gopal Varma for their ability to authentically capture local dialects and sentiments, even if they were not from those regions. He said, “Shekhar did not know the language… yes, he knew Hindi… his Hindi was from South Delhi, but he understood the rhythm. I have often seen him during a shot with his eyes closed and just listening to the rhythm of the dialogue. That rhythm, that sound is natural…”
Bandit Queen won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi, as well as the Filmfare Critics Awards for Best Film and Best Direction that year.
On the work front, Saurabh Shukla is recognized for his memorable roles in films like Satya, Nayak: The Real Hero, Yuva, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Barfi!, and Jolly LLB.