Picture this: A 16-year-old boy doesn’t want to continue with his studies. His maternal grandfather, a veteran in the Hindi film industry, tells him to meet a renowned filmmaker. Just a few days ago, the grandfather had made the grandson sit through a story narration session and four days later, asked him to narrate it which he does with complete conviction. This had convinced the grandfather that the teenager will be able to carve a niche for himself in tinsel town and make him proud. And the boy does exactly that: successfully directing a blockbuster even before he turns 21.
Unfortunately, the grandfather, Anand Bakshi, did not live to see his grandson, Aditya Datt, make it big with his debut movie, Aashiq Banaya Aapne (2005). But the craft that Datt learnt from filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and his team, including directors Vikram Bhatt and Tanuja Chandra, helped him become an intense director and a better person. Basking in the success of his latest directorial venture, Commando 3, Datt talks to us about the art of filmmaking, his dramatic entry into Bollywood and his future plans.
Entry into Bollywood
“Education was a top priority at our home. So, when I disclosed my intentions of discontinuing with studies after class X, there was unrest. Only two people supported me – my entrepreneur father and my lyricist nanaji. The latter perhaps understood my state well, himself being a class VIII dropout. I told him I wanted to do something in films but don’t know what,” avers Datt. After a story narration session with his granddad one evening, he was asked to re-narrate the script four days later. “After I did it comfortably, I was sent to filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt,” he says. The rest, as they say, is history.
First shot at filmmaking
Kasoor was the first movie Datt was a part of in Bollywood. He worked as an allrounder - sat for writing sessions, aided Vikram Bhatt on the sets... “It was a natural progression about learning everything related to filmmaking. I learnt the craft of filmmaking with my failures. Though my debut movie, Aashiq Banaya Aapne, was a big success at the box office, the next three – Dil Diya Hai, Good Luck! and Will You Marry Me? – did not do well. However, I learnt from my mistakes and worked harder, analysed more than before and upscaled my skills,” shares Datt.
Favourite genre
The young filmmaker has dabbled at making a crime thriller, a romantic flick, a web series, and a drama film, all in different genres, and he likes them all. “It is difficult to pick out one as it is more of a story-specific process than a genre-specific one. The windows of cinema have opened so much lately and the platforms to explore your creative juices have increased manifold. It helps you explore your own creativity in different manners. When I was directing Table No. 21, it was all a completely new experience as was when I tried my hand at the Sunny Leone biopic, Karenjit Kaur – An Untold Story on OTT platform. And when the action genre arrived, I told myself, ‘You haven’t done this before so try it,’” he says.
On Commando 3
“I was clear about a few things when I took up Commando 3 – no repetitions from the earlier editions. Through Commando 3, I have tried to explore the characters more and each has a strong emotional connect,” says Datt, adding Vidyut Jammwal is a blessing to work with as he surrenders himself totally. “The belief he has in a director is the best thing one can ask for. He comes on sets to be told as to how to do a scene and he replicates it. He is a keen observer and I feel all actors should be like him,” feels Datt.
Future plans
There is nothing concrete happening in Datt’s life, he says. “Right now I am enjoying the success of Commando 3. But I might do a web series soon. For me to get interested in anything, it has to be really creative,” puts in the filmmaker who travels to busy and buzzing places for holidays. “We shoot at quieter places so I need hustle-bustle around me when I am not shooting,” explains Datt.