A recurring question that comes director Luv Ranjan’s way is about his allegedly one-sided and biased views in Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Pyaar Ka Punchnama2 which follows three men whose lives take a turn for the worse when cupid strikes. They find partners who leave them emotionally battered and financially bruised. But Ranjan is unfazed by the criticism and believes, “Eventually, people will have their opinions. When I am told that I indulged in woman bashing in both the films, I ask them whether they have watched Akaash Vani — about a woman standing up for her rights. Most of them haven’t,” he says. Ranjan is back with another slice of life romantic comedy Sonu Ki Titu Ki Sweety which pits a perfect fiancé against a cynical best friend who tries his best to wreck the relationship between his best friend and the woman he very much despises.
Detangling relationships
The thread of tussle between friendship and love runs in all his films and the director believes that in the urban milieu, the value of friends has gained utmost importance. “Earlier, in marriages, the family was an important factor and now even friend circles are very critical. After marriage, priorities change and at times, it does become difficult to balance the two sides. Earlier it was about ‘saas-bahu’, now it is about being accepted by friends. Like most of my stories, this one too deals with a ‘what if’. So, ‘what if’ your best friend doesn’t get along with your partner?” he asks adding that the tongue-twisting title of the film stemmed from the dynamics his characters share in the film. “It is about Sonu ka Titu and Titu ki Sweety. My intention wasn’t to have a phonetically difficult title as the idea was to keep the simplest one possible.”
This, like his other films, combines the changing dynamics in relationships with a generous sprinkling of comic elements. Despite Ranjan’s grasp on comic timings, when it comes to filmmaking, the director’s preferred medium is drama. “If you see both the Punchnamas , especially the last 30 minutes, things get serious. Though the films are remembered for their humour, you can see my love for the genre,” he adds lamenting that Akaash Vani, a film closest to his heart didn’t have many viewers. “If the film was released today, it may have had a very different result. When you make such a film, you don’t realise that people may not be up for such a subject right now. If they see the film and don’t like it, it is acceptable. Whoever has seen the film has liked it but most people haven’t seen it. I think that’s my best work,” he adds.
Casting calls
Sonu Ki Titu Ki Sweety brings back the cast from Akaash Vani and PKP2 — Nushrat Bharucha, Kartik Aaryan, and Sunny Singh Nijjar. In fact, Aaryan and Bharucha have headlined the director’s four films till date. While auditioning for his debut film, Ranjan found Aaryan on Facebook when he responded to an ad posted by him. “He was studying engineering at that time. He was 20 years old during his audition, very young and inexperienced. When Nusrat came to test for the role, she ended up waiting for 11 hours. I was surprised to see her patience. She didn’t look fidgety or bothered by the fact that she has to wait so long.” But the greatest revelation for Ranjan was Sunny Singh Nijjar whom he found during the making of Akaash Vani . “When we met him for the first time, we were sceptical whether he would be able to play this vile character. He is a very quiet guy and not somebody who can have great conversations.” But Ranjan was assured of his find’s talent once the camera started rolling. Nijjar who played an abusive husband in the film was a “different beast in front of the camera”.
The director’s conviction in his actor paid off as Nijjar went on to bag best male debut ( Filmfare and Stardust ) awards for PKP2. “ It is interesting to see him pull off characters like the outgoing and loud Chauka ( PKP2 ) and short-tempered and manipulative Ravi ( Akaash Vani ).” When asked why he returns to the same set of actors, Ranjan points out that he doesn’t have any reason to not cast them. “They are hardworking people and fine actors who fit my vision perfectly. We started our careers together. In future, if I were to make a film where they don’t fit, it will be a different story,” adds the director.
