00:00Madhuri ma'am, congratulations for Mrs. Deshwande.
00:03First thing first, you have collaborated with Nangesh Kuknoor for the first time.
00:07So what is one thing that you have discovered about him on the sets which, you know, people didn't know earlier?
00:14I don't know. This is the first movie series I'm doing with him. I've never worked with him before.
00:19This is the first series I'm doing. So I don't know what he's like otherwise.
00:24But my impression of him is that he's like laser beam. He's like a laser beam.
00:30He's very focused on the characters, on the different characters and he knows exactly what he wants.
00:35So you have almost completed 40 years in the industry and, you know, we read so much when you spoke about it.
00:43What change, how was it like being directed in 80s and 90s and how much the scene has changed now?
00:52You know, from Abudh to Mrs. Deshwande.
00:55I think at that time there were only five or six very organized producers like maybe Yash Chopra, B.R. Chopra, Subhash Ghai Muktaads, Rajshri Productions and a few more.
01:13And the rest was like pretty unorganized. Today it's very organized. It's, you know, we relied more on spontaneity.
01:25Today we can prepare for a role. You get everything, bounce, grip, this, that.
01:30You have the amenities like you have, you know, these, what is it called? The RVs where we can chill, you know, after every shot or get ready.
01:42And at that time we didn't. We used to just sit wherever we were in the sun, just an umbrella over our head.
01:49And so there are a lot of things where the comfort of the actor has taken care of. And also because the character is so prepared that you know what you're going to wear, you know what your look is going to be.
02:07We do a lot of prep for the roles. We have readings and you know all that, which never used to happen then.
02:16So you're talking about how, you know, actresses or actors, they used to sit just at any place because there were no vanity vans.
02:24Yeah.
02:25And we have heard everyone narrating very interesting anecdotes that when we went to the washroom, can you tell us about some interesting stories?
02:34Yeah, I mean, we used to go, if we were shooting at Ooty, we used to find some jungle to go to. And then our hairdressers and all used to, you know, stand with all shawls and this and that.
02:46I don't want to remember those days. They were quite, but through it all, I think we enjoyed ourselves. I mean, we loved what we did.
02:55And we all came together because of that love. And we were ready to make those sacrifices. At that time we didn't even know it was sacrifices.
03:03It was way of life at that time.
03:05Okay. You did Fame Game and now Mrs. Desh Pandey. Both the characters have shades of grey in it. Do you think these kinds of roles attract you these days or you attract them?
03:20I think it goes both ways because, you know, when your character is very layered, there's so much to do. And I love it because, you know, you peel every layer, there's a new layer and you get to play very complex characters. And I enjoy doing that. So I think it's both ways. I'm attracting those kinds of roles. And those kinds of roles are coming to me right now.
03:44You have done all kinds of roles when you were at the peak of your career. So why are these grey shades?
03:54Like we would like, love to see Madhuri doing comedy more and more, what you have done in the 30s.
04:00So, you know, are you getting such kind of...
04:02Oh, next year you'll see that.
04:04Okay, I'm waiting. So, one more question that always like, I always think about it that, of course, you must be getting a lot of, lot and lot of offers. But why do we see so less of Madhuri on screen?
04:18Well, I want to do roles that are exciting. I want to do characters where every morning I get up and I say, hey, I'm going to work on this film or on this series and be very excited about it.
04:30I want to work with filmmakers like Nagesh or who I know will do full justice to the characters that they have, you know, they are, they have scripted rather.
04:43And I think everything has to come together. Like, you cannot be a one man show. It's not possible. The character has to be well written. You have to have a good director, good writers, good producers who can take the whole project to fruition.
05:00And so that's what I'm looking for. And those are the kind of projects I want to do.
05:07As an artist, you have done multiple projects as an actor. Today, a lot of women directors are also, you know, entering.
05:15Oh, yes, absolutely.
05:16Do you have any such thoughts in your mind that I want to direct?
05:20Well, a lot of people ask me because I've been working for 40 years. So that brings with it the kind of experience because you've seen so many directors, worked with them, learnt from them.
05:32But I think I have to be ready for it, you know, and right now I'm not, but at some point, maybe.
05:37Okay. We want to know when you're not doing any project or not making any content or not holidaying, then what are you doing in leisure time?
05:47Well, you know, I like to spend time with my family. So either I'll be with my kids, just chilling, talking, you know, having conversations or, you know, cooking or planting something or something or the other with them.
06:04And of course, my husband, now I've taken to racing cars. So we go on tracks and we race cars. Something that interests all of us and brings us together. I enjoy doing that.
06:16Okay. These days on social media, we read a lot about that 3 a.m. friend.
06:21If I ask you, who is that 3 a.m. friend from film industry, who would be that?
06:28I think, I don't know from the industry, but I have few friends outside who I can always call.
06:34One thing also I have noticed about you that, yeah, we have seen you attending important events.
06:40But you're not that much a party person, you know, a group that you go out and go out and party.
06:46Why so like, well, I have a few friends I party with. Maybe you don't see them because they are not within the industry.
06:53They are from outside the industry. And my husband has his own set of friends, which are like doctors, entrepreneurs, you know, from all walks of life.
07:04So maybe you feel because of that.
07:07Okay, so 40 years of your journey and you have seen all the phases in these 40 years. The current phase that is going on so much, you know, it's kind of a chaos also, you can call it and probably change also if you talk about the positive side of it.
07:24No, what chaos are you talking about?
07:25I mean, chaos at the box office.
07:27Oh, that way.
07:28At the box office.
07:29Yeah.
07:30Yeah.
07:31What do you think, the reason of course is one of the reasons is COVID. Other people say that, you know, good scripts are not coming.
07:40There are a lot of reasons. What according to you, as a, you know, part of the industry, what can happen in your eyes?
07:48Well, there are a lot of reasons. I mean, there's not only one reason.
07:53Of course, if the film is bad, it's not going to work. If the film is good, it will run. And you have seen a few films running now in the theatres.
08:01So it's not as if films are not running. I think if you go to see that even the cost of the tickets are very high. So when one family goes there, they have to spend a lot of money.
08:12So they really have to budget and think that which film does not watch. Also, because of OTT, you know, movies at your fingertips, your watchers,
08:22your fingertips, you're watching it at home whenever you want, when you get the time. Nowadays, even coming from work for people, by the time they get home,
08:30it is 8.30, 9.00. It's become, you know, a little difficult. Weekends is the time when they can actually go when they have vacation.
08:40So all these things and they can, on OTT, you can watch film, watch the film anytime, you know, you want at your convenience. And I guess it's cheaper to watch a film at home.
08:50You can have all the popcorn and everything, you know, made at home and enjoy it. So a lot of reasons. But I don't think, I don't see a bleak future.
09:01I just think some things could be corrected and, you know, make the cinema experience better for the people.
09:11Okay. Before we wrap up, there's been very, very important question about Dharmji. You have worked with him.
09:18If we ask you like, would you like to share some of your memories with Dharmji?
09:24Well, we have done a film with Dharmji in which we were like juniors, literally like we were like little babies. And he was a, he was a thorough gentleman, very sweet, well spoken, very down to earth.
09:40Never took his, you know, success seriously. Always. You would always see him praising others. He would always encourage, you know, everyone. And he loved poetry. He loved to write poetry.
09:57So he used to recite some of his, the poems he has written, used to recite them to us. And what a handsome man.
10:07I always thought he was one of the most handsome men in the industry. And it's a big loss to the industry.
10:15Thank you so much for talking to INS.
10:18All right.
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