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Most filmmakers prefer directing one web series at a time. And even that drains them as the shows are lengthy and all steps take a lot of time, be it the pre-production, shoot or post-production. Suparn Varma, however, is an exception. He is all set to create history as he will have three shows as a director this year. The all-rounder, however, corrected this writer when we sat down to discuss in his Vincent van Gogh-themed study in his beautiful home for a Bollywood Hungama exclusive interview. He reminded that his show, Lootere, will also be premiering soon. He said, “Lootere will be out in November. Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai (which featured him as a creative producer), Rana Naidu and The Trial are out. Sultan Of Delhi is coming up next!”
EXCLUSIVE: Suparn Varma talks about Sultan Of Delhi and creating HISTORY by becoming the first director of India to have 4 web show releases in a year; also speaks highly of Ajay Devgn: “He is a born director. He understood facts, figures and distribution even when he began in the 90s”
Suparn Varma then spoke about this aspect and also about Sultan Of Delhi, which he has co-directed with Milan Luthria. Set in the post-independence era, this Tahir Raj Bhasin-Mouni Roy- Anupriya Goenka-Mehreen Pirzada-Harleen Sethi starrer will release on Disney+ Hotstar on October 13.
How do you manage to be a part of so many shows, that too of different genres? Moreover, it is often said that 1 show is equivalent to 2-3 films…
I love to multi-task and work all the time. I don’t even see it as work and for me, it’s the best thing in the world. I want to do it for the next 50-60 years and then maybe relax till I live till the age of 142!
At the trailer launch of Sultan Of Delhi, Milan Luthria said he has known you for a long time…
I have known him since I was writing Zameen (2003). I met him in Bablu Pachisia’s office. Milan was supposed to do a film with him. Babloo sir asked me to meet him. I loved Kachche Dhaage (1999) as a journalist. I discussed cinema with him and we bounced off ideas.
Then, 4 ½ years ago, my producer Namit said that they were trying to adapt a book ‘Sultan Of Delhi’ and asked me if I could write the screenplay. This was a time when I was writing The Family Man Season 2 and was soon going to go on floors with the show. I agreed. The process of writing it took 2 ½ years. We first wrote it in the present-time and decided to go back and forth. Then, we decided to stick to the past.
Milan and I have similar views. We love masala, art, horses and cowboys! And we also love Feroz Khan. We had a great time writing the show.
2 days after directing, he asked me if I could co-direct with him. This was a time when I was directing The Trial and Rana Naidu. I was producing Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai as well. Yet, I took it up. We worked around my dates and I managed to shoot Sultan Of Delhi as well, at the same time. We had a good time. Now, it’s ready for release.
You make it sound so easy!
It is. At the end of the day, when we are having fun, it is easy. Also, I know the show inside out. I can even narrate it backwards. I created the world and hence, directing it was simply walking into my imagination.
Sultan Of Delhi is not the first time you have co-directed. You helmed Rana Naidu with Karan Anshuman and The Family Man Season 2 with Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK (Raj and DK). Often, directors have a different style. Hence, how do you manage to work that out with your co-directors?
Whether it’s with Raj and DK or Karan Anshuman or Milan Luthria, I discuss the pattern, the theme, the way we plan to cut, the genre of acting etc. It also helps when I write the show. I had written The Family Man Season 2 and Sultan Of Delhi. With Rana Naidu, Karan and I have been friends for the last 15-16 years. So, we speak a common language. And in all three shows, we hired a common DOP. He balanced out the style. The lighting would be uniform, for instance. Ultimately, collaboration and conversation are the key. There’s no space for ‘I am right’ and ‘I am wrong’. It’s all about the best interest of the show and we worked towards it.
Usually, only one director handles an episode…
In all the episodes of Sultan Of Delhi, while certain scenes are directed by Milan, the rest are helmed by me.
However, when you direct, he isn’t present on the sets and vice-versa. Is that correct?
Yes. Ek myaan mein ek hi talvar reh sakti hai! You can’t have two directors on the set unless they are Raj and DK! They are one mind and one soul in 2 bodies. They work seamlessly. I simply love them.
We have seen old Bombay in many films and shows, especially in recent times in Jubilee and Bambai Meri Jaan. How was it depicting old Delhi in Sultan of Delhi?
We did a lot of research. The first episode is set in the gatta (cardboard) colony. Many such colonies had sprung up in various parts of Delhi after partition. The refugees from Pakistan used to stay there. It was the time when people struggled to survive and were also used and manipulated and a time when a nation was born. There’s nothing born on this planet without birth pains. The characters are children of partition. They are scarred in a very different way. Their love and emotions are not coming from a very rational place. The characters are all survivors. And survival is an ugly thing. That’s the psyche I wanted to go into. At the same time, we wanted to make it at a scale that is romantic. We desired to make a mass entertainer full of grey characters.
Will there be a second season?
Of course. I have the story for 3 seasons in all, in my mind at least.
Talking about your beginnings in the film industry, the first 5 films which you wrote – Chhal (2002), Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai (2002), Qayamat (2003), Zameen (2003) and Janasheen (2003) – released in a span of less than 1 ½ year. It must be a dream-come-true moment for you, isn’t it?
Yes, it was. I had a great time writing those films. I was writing a lot and was writing fast. Then, I turned director after writing 6-7 films. At that time, there was an unwritten rule that if you turned director, the industry stopped giving you work as a writer! That doesn’t happen today. In the present day, I am writing, directing, showrunning, producing, creative producing etc. But then, you are either a writer or a director. I had a great time writing 6 films and I could have written 6 more.
You worked with Ajay Devgn in Qayamat and Zameen. You reunited with him 20 years later with The Trial (2023), which he produced….
Yes. And now, we are hopefully working on something else too.
What are your thoughts about Ajay Devgn?
Ajay is a born director. He understood facts, figures and distribution (even when he began in the 90s). When I spoke to him for Ishq (1997), our interview was all about direction, production, distribution and the market. It’s in his blood. He understands it inside out.
Your courtroom drama Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai got an incredible response from the audience. It must have been an overwhelming feeling…
Yes, it was. It has become a pop-culture reference. Now, every political party mentions ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ on the posters! It was an important film for us. It makes a crucial point about faith. We are a country of faith. Ours is a unique culture since we have gurus. A lot of great ones are not on social media. But there are some who have misused faith and they affect millions. Also, it’s about a small town lawyer who used the system to show that it works. He was not fighting the system. He used the tools to his advantage. And the powerful opponents in their ego assumed ‘Kya kar lega yeh?’. A lot of people asked us how the defendant’s side didn’t see it coming. And we told them that it was simply due to ego.
Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai had a direct release on Zee5. Many believe that had it been released in cinemas, it would have been a huge hit…
Zee5 has a reach in 195 countries and the film has been seen by millions. Also, in hindsight, it’s easy to say ‘Theatre mein release karna chahiye tha’. If it had not had a good opening, it would have been declared a flop film. We live in a culture where money dictates whether a film is good or bad. The film deserved a chance and it did so well on OTT that it was released in cinemas after releasing on OTT. It happened for the first time ever in the world! Eventually, we made it with a lot of love and care and the movie made money. We were blessed with insane amazing numbers in the history of OTT.
You also dabbled in horror with Aatma (2003) and the TV show ‘Darr Sabko Lagta Hai’. Do you plan to revisit the genre?
Yes. You’ll hear something very soon!
Is there any update on the Shiva trilogy, which you’ll be co-directing with Shekhar Kapur?
I have written the show’s bible. Now, it has gone to the producers in the US. They are working out the logistics and modalities.
What next?
I have Lootere. I have a bunch of shows and movies, which I am directing and producing. I am also creative producing and showrunning. My bigger aim is also to do something in Kannada and Telugu cinema. I am language agnostic and I want to explore cinema in every medium and form possible. There’s a lot of great talent and we have just one life. So, I’d live it to the fullest.
Finally, when will The Family Man Season 3 be out?
It’ll mostly happen next year.
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