Mukesh Asopa as Rahul

I Crave Bollywood is on the move and was able to score an exclusive interview with actor Mukesh Asopa (of  ‘Karim’, ’No Place To Hide’ and ‘Opus Mundi’ fame). While in post productions for several other films, Asopa has managed to broaden his horizons and co-produce, write and direct as well as play the lead actor in his new film ‘Aisha and Rahul’. So welcome to the world of Asopa Films and enjoy the interview.

Can you tell us about this new banner Asopa Films Inc. and Twinkle Productions Ltd.?

Asopa Films Inc. (www.asopafilms.com) and Twinkle Productions Ltd. are two film production companies based in Canada who have joined hands for the purpose of producing and distributing films worldwide.  After my last visit to Mumbai, where I auditioned for a film at Aamir Khan’s office, Asopa Films Inc. Formed. It was an interesting experience.

The inspiration, which came from this journey, was that if you have something good to work for and you have confidence in it, you should take the initiative to work on the same and see it through to completion. If you want to achieve something, you need to work hard for it.

You are very busy as a producer, writer and co-director, not to mention the lead actor Rahul.  Which aspect do you enjoy the most and how do you keep up with it all?

‘Aisha and Rahul’ is the first project, so this required major planning to complete. I took the initiative to bring the ideas from paper to screen, which was a great challenge for me but the other producers supported me. Altogether, there were four writers, including myself needed to complete the script. Co-direction was again a challenge. It was written while keeping in mind the sequences and implementation of set coordination with the director.

All the above roles were new for me as a filmmaker and were very challenging with lots of hurdles but with the blessings of God, we were successful.  I was so much into each role that I find it difficult deciding which aspect I enjoyed the most.  I guess it was the acting because at one point, the water of Lake Ontario was freezing and all the crewmembers were wearing their warm clothes behind the camera. However, I had to get the scene done with as many as 5-6 takes in the frigid water. I especially designed this scene, so I had to make it perfect. As the lead actor, I was in the water for almost one hour. Again, God was with me and I was fine even the next day when the others became sick just from being at the beach on that very cold day.

Why the title ‘Aisha and Rahul’?

It is a story about Aisha (A typical desi girl brought up in the Western world) and Rahul (A boy from India new to the western world). By chance, they meet in a coffee shop. What happens next? Well, you will need to watch the movie to find out. You will definitely enjoy it.

What is the USP of your film ‘Aisha and Rahul’?

It is a story about very close friendship, which eventually develops with lots of fun and memories all around.

Why do you think this will appeal to audiences?

Rahul is one of those millions of people who come to Canada for study/work and they have the same experiences, which most of them do in their day-to-day life. Audiences will realize that there is a common thread, something that they must have gone through when they were new to the Western world. The comedy and the dramatic emotions add masala to the film. One musical number has dance moves rarely seen in movies made here.

Describe your approach to the film, your inspiration.

We had the script in mind for a long time. We all gathered with minute details to add on to it and to see how our hard work would create miracles.   My eldest brother in India supported me and inspired me to complete the project, which I was willing to do for quite long time. We added him as a co-writer.

Who are the other actors/actresses in the film?

Kamal Nandi plays the role of Mr. D’Souza (Aisha’s Father). He is a very experienced and talented actor with the fame of working with the Bollywood legends like Late Sh. Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand, Kabir Bedi, Mithun Chakraborty and Dharmendra. He acted in several films directed by Shakti Samantha, Basu Bhattacharya and Hrishikesh Mukherji.

Jas Dhanda plays Aisha. Jas did a couple of projects and was part of the film ‘Love Guru’ by Mike Myers.  Zahir Gilani, Yasmen Khan, Tree Ryde, F. Llyod Foster/Righteous Allah, Haris Nadeem, Kenia Del Toro-Dancer, Robbie Beniuk and Khushi Pandya are part of the cast also.

What can you tell us about the casting process and the development of the film?

We held auditions in Toronto for the casting process. A panel comprising of a producer, writers, director and cinematographer did the selection. We focused on all aspects while auditioning the candidates.  Mikhail Petrenko as cinematographer and Milind Swamy as director added their rich experiences and hard work for the development of the project along with other members of the team.

Where did you shoot ‘Aisha and Rahul’? Tell us about the locations.

For the locations we would like to thank The Toronto Film & Television Office (Economic Development, Culture and Tourism).We obtained permits to shoot on the beaches of Toronto, the streets of downtown (Wellesley, Peter and Richmond-Entertainment District, Cawthra Square Park).We covered the shooting of all home scenes in Pickering.

How many working days and footage did it take to make the film?

Before I answer, I want to share something about the camera we used. We shot the film with a Red One (at 4k resolution).The quality and shots came out very well. We sometimes accomplished the perfect scene in one shot, whereas sometimes there were as many as ten takes. We were very happy with both.

What were some of the things that surprised you during the film making process? Were there any unexpected events?

God blesses from time to time. On the second day of shoot, there was a heavy rainstorm, so we did all the indoor scenes.  The storm continued throughout the entire night. God bestowed a clear sky upon us on the third day for the outdoor shoot. On the fourth day, it was cloudy but mostly without rain. Thus, we were able to complete all our outdoor shoots.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in either developing the project or making the movie?

Taking initiative is in itself is a challenge. Making the team and organizing everything with my full involvement was not an easy task.  Producing, writing, co-directing and acting were not easy from several perspectives.  Again, it was necessity for the project to be completed within a certain period and with the best results.

What are some of the fascinating aspects of the film and its music?

Rahul’s dialogue delivery is one aspect. There was good quality footage with the Red One camera. The music video and the water stunts within the film are fascinating aspects too.

Are there any stunts and/or villains that we can look forward to seeing?

There are few water stunts for the music video of the film. There is no physical fighting but there are emotional arguments at several points.

When and where can we expect to see ‘Aisha and Rahul’?

We can expect ‘Aisha and Rahul’ to first screen in a few film festivals in 2009, the information of which will be updated soon.

Thank you so much Mukesh for doing this interview with I Crave Bollywood.

You’re welcome and thank you.

Keep checking back with I Crave Bollywood for sneak peeks of posters and other media treats on ‘Aisha and Rahul’. Also check out Mukesh’s personal website – http://www.mukesh-asopa.com/

The official website for Aisha and Rahul (www.aishaandrahulthefilm.com) starring Mukesh Asopa and Jas Dhanda now has downloads, trailers and more.