Ketan Anand won rave reviews and awards for acting in Shakespearean plays during his school and college stints. In “Hare Rama Hare Krishna”, he performed with confidence as a hippy in a cameo. He showed promise as a director with “Toote Khilone”, “Hum Rahe Na Hum” and “Shart” undoubtedly was his best film.
Grounded and practical , Ketan Anand was affectionately termed Gusha Gai by Dev Anand.
After four and a half decades, Ketan Anand returns as an actor in an international film. Excerpts from an interview:
Please shed light on your character in the French film “Oujia: The Insidious Evil”
My dear friend Vivek Singhania persuaded me to return in front of the movie camera. It is a horror film for an international audience directed by Christophe Lenoir. I perform a small but significant role. It is an interesting character of a person who plays with the Oujia board and later commits suicide. Whoever owns the board after him is inspired to commit crimes due to its evil influence.
Are you remaking your late father’s classic “Heer Ranjha”?
Yes, I am planning to do so. Earlier some reputed producers wanted the rights of ‘Heer Ranjha’. I never sold them. My version will be different from that of my father’s. Chetansaab concentrated more on the romantic version of ‘Heer Ranjha’ by Waris Shah. I and my brother Vivek Anand are intending to shoot ‘Heer Ranjha’ on an epic scale incorporating the historical and political values of that era.
Are you also intending to direct a children’s film?
You are rightly informed. It is titled ‘The Magic Mantra’. It is a philosophical film, a co-production with Children’s Film Society Of India. The story is an emotionally gripping one about a child who has lost his father.
He wants to learn where his dear father goes to after demise. There is a blend of mysticism and supernatural elements in the film.
Which aspects of cinema you learnt from your illustrious seniors.
Assisting Chetansaab in ‘Heer Ranjha’, I learnt script writing, direction, how to handle actors and aesthetics. Working with Devsaab, I learnt many aspects of acting in cinema.
His enthusiasm was simply infectious. Goldiesaab taught me the craft of editing, post production work and total technique of film making.
I now intend to launch my nephew Surya Rishi Anand in a big way.
Your opinion of contemporary Hindi cinema...
Technically Hindi cinema has improved a lot.
But the earlier soul and passion are sadly missing in today’s films. They lack the Indian essence. Hindi cinema today is more on the way of copying Hollywood and Western films.
So you don’t get to see another ‘Pyaasa’, ‘Haqeeqat’ or ‘Guide’ anymore.
