Finally, after years of abstinence from what he was born to do, Ramesh Sippy is prepared to go back to direction. For the fans of Sippy's timeless cinema-and we refer not only to the pioneering Sholay but in addition to the equally powerful Shakti, Saagar, Seeta Aur Geeta and Andaz - the return of the maestro to movie-making is an important sign of the changing time in Bollywood where the giants had lost the need and how to create landmarks.
Says Sippy, "I'M aware I HAVE NOT directed a movie for a few years. But, I saw no reason to leap into it simply because of a time lapse. I've made films out of very powerful scripts previously. Then I directed Zamana Deewana in 1995, which was not that strong in content. Then I DETERMINED if I DISCOVERED no script worth shooting, I won't direct another film if I DID NOT get the precise script."
Fortunately, for Ramesh Sippy and for us his fans, the fitting script has showed up. And Sippy Saab is ready to explore a genre that he hasn't ever attempted before.
"It's thriller. An out-and-out thriller written for me by Sridhar Raghvan. Sridhar has worked extensively for our production company. He has written the script for my son's Bluff Master and Dum Maaro Dum. After I read Sridhar's script, I instantly felt I USED TO BE ready for direction again," admits the director who made the single-most influential film in Hindi commercial cinema.
There were a few false starts recently. It was reported that Ramesh Sippy was directing a romantic film. But, as he says he has already attempted essentially the most romantic film he could think of, namely Saagar. "The challenge for me is to venture into the unknown each time I direct a movie. Once I directed my first film Andaz, it was considered risky to do a love story between a widow and a widower. The joys in doing a thriller is that I HAVE NOT attempted this genre before."
The details at the moment are being worked out and Sippy Saab hopes to begin his thriller by year-end.
Sighs Sippy Saab, "IT IS A different world since I last directed a movie. Now everything in the course of the technique of filmmaking is more corporatized. So I'm tying up with a company house."
Though Sippy Senior says it's too early to speak of casting, just a little birdie tells us that Sippy Saab can be working again with Big B within the thriller.
Now if the teaming up of the Sholay, Shakti and Shaan combo of Sippy and Bachchan isn't thrilling, then what is?
