You entered the world of cinema at the age of 15 My name is JokerWhat was your view about cinema then?

It started as a fun thing when Rishi Kapoor asked me to join him saying that there were a lot of beautiful girls on the set! Once I reached there and saw Raj Kapoor working, I was mesmerized. It changed my life completely. Plus, I got to meet the girls too!

What did you think of her style?

He was like a conductor in a symphony. Raj Kapoor was precise and could control around 5,000 people including the cast and crew on the set. He was clear about what he wanted and would strive to achieve it, no matter what.

As a director, I see him as God’s gift to cinema. As far as music is concerned, he could play any instrument in the world. When the keyboard came to India he saw it and started playing it. I haven’t seen anyone else with this skill. He was a great teacher. When he was on the jury of the 1970 film festival in Delhi, I watched films with him. He had a deep understanding of cinema and his analysis of characters and scenes was precise.

Love Story, which featured Kumar Gaurav, was a blockbuster, although it was unable to build on that solid start. You have praised Ranbir Kapoor for imbibing the best from his great legacy. Does having family connections in the industry help?

You answered your own question! Nepotism does not work. Salman is not a product of nepotism, his father Salim Khan is a great writer. The same applies to Hrithik Roshan, whose father Rakesh Roshan is a great director more than an actor. Today, actors are mostly not a product of nepotism, they have made it on their own.

If this is so then why do some actors accuse the industry of nepotism?

What does nepotism mean? Look at Alia Bhatt. Just because she is Mahesh Bhatt’s daughter, does it mean nepotism? He didn’t push or encourage her. He was cast by Karan Johar and he made it on his own. She didn’t click because she is Bhatt’s daughter. There may be some people who practice nepotism, but you cannot weigh everyone in the same scale.

What changes have you seen in filmmaking over the years, especially when it comes to the perception of content and scripts?

The audience’s tastes haven’t changed and you never know what will really work. The stories are the same, but, what makes the difference is the way they are told and visualized. Today, you have adult content, which works in some movies, but not every movie requires it. Acting has completely changed. The beginning of acting in the talkie era was Parsi Theater and Sohrab Modi. He was the king of Parsi theatre, who gave us cult dialogues like ‘Kaanoon ke hath itne lambe hote’. That became acting, and over the years has changed to a more naturalistic form of emotion.

Do you think cinema today is leaning more towards technology rather than content?

Yes.

Does this influence you as a filmmaker?

I’m upset because, one, a director who doesn’t know what he’s doing and has no right to be a director is making a movie, and two, he wants to use technology that he doesn’t know about. There is no information. He doesn’t know what it can and can’t do.

When you come to universities and colleges and interact with future filmmakers, what message do you, as Rahul Rawail, share with them?

That they should not depend on technology. It is here to stay. Therefore, use it only when it is needed and not just for the sake of using it. I tell them to hone their imagination. You cannot teach imagination, but you can sharpen your mind towards imagination. Cinema is changing. It is no longer just cinema, but an audiovisual experience. You have it in the form of reels, videos, movies, streaming. Today it has become easier. You don’t need to read a manual to learn something. All the tools at your fingertips today. Media communication is also important with in-depth journalism because you ultimately have to communicate what you have done. These are all skills one must develop with visual storytelling and also be skilled in management.

RD Burman has given music in many of your films. How was your working experience with them?

He was absolutely brilliant. I was 18 years old when I met him and worked with him. He would listen to the scene and create a tune with fake words in a matter of minutes. Every music director uses dummy words to help the director understand the tune. RD and some other famous music directors used Hindi swear words as dummy words! At the age of 15 I was in awe listening to all these talented filmmakers, having serious discussions with musicians of all kinds. abuses (Insult). Pancham’s dummy choice of words was the best.

Is there anyone who comes close to him today?

We have some great composers, but Pancham was way ahead of his time.

What is your perspective on regional cinema, especially Kannada cinema?

I believe the term ‘regional cinema’ is a misnomer. This is Indian cinema, which I have been promoting for a long time. Hindi cinema is not Indian cinema. I have seen amazing films in regional languages ​​and they can give Hindi films a run for their money, be it story, technique, writing or acting. I watched Sinjarin the Jasari language of Lakshadweep, which won a National Award in 2018. Kannada has done very well in the last few years with films Kantara And kgf,

Despite this, Kannada content is struggling to make inroads into streaming platforms. What do you think is missing?

The material may be good, but still not as good as stated.