PremiumHansal Mehta on Shah Rukh Khan, songs, dance, and Lootere – 'I would want him to play the lead' | Exclusive
Hansal Mehta, who is presenting his son Jai Mehta’s directorial series Lootere, spoke to OTTplay's Shubham Kulkarni about the show and more.
Last Updated: 06.00 PM, Mar 21, 2024
Hansal Mehta has, over the years, given Hindi cinema some of the most revered movies that have connected with people much beyond their runtime and turned out to be timeless. The filmmaker is now presenting the audience with a show about pirates, titled Lootere, a story that is complex and intricate. It is directed by his son, Jai Mehta, and stars talents like Rajat Kapoor, Vivek Gomber, and others. But the question is, will Hansal ever make a movie that is vibrant, has ample songs and dance, and maybe Shah Rukh Khan making a cameo in it?
In the exclusive conversation with OTTplay, the filmmaker spoke about how he would love to have King Khan as his leading man and even praised him. Adding to this was his son, Jai Mehta, who revealed a hilarious anecdote from his childhood where he went to school for his admission and recreated Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic Darr scene when he was asked his name. During the chat, father and son also spoke about what excites them about Lootere.
Hansal Mehta On Working With Shah Rukh Khan
When asked about when he would make a movie that is vibrant and has song and dance with Shah Rukh Khan in it, Hansal Mehta was quick to say, “It all depends on the script. I would want him to play the main character; he is such a great actor. And talking of songs and dance, in the past decade, one of the biggest songs, Muskuraane, is from my film Citylights. If songs keep coming, they will be there. Songs and dance will both be there. I started my career with the hit song ‘Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar Mar Jaega', and Ashaji (Bhosle) sang it. Song and dance are a part of our cinema, our storytelling.”
Jai Mehta added, “I remember my parents were trying to enrol me in a school and I got rejected because when they asked me my name, I said, ‘Ka, Ka, Ka, Kiran....” Hansal Mehta explained, “Jai had opened his shirt to show idhar Kiran likha hua hai (that Kiran is written here). He was not talking, so the principal asked him what his name was and he suddenly opened his shirt, and I was like, 'What is he even doing?'”
Hansal Mehta on Lootere
When asked what excites him the most about Lootere, Hansal Mehta said, “Jai was excited about it, so I was on. I wanted him to explore something that he had not done before. Actually, I can tell you what doesn’t excite me. Something that makes me feel comfortable: if you feel that you have done something before and you can keep doing it, then you shouldn’t be doing it. You must feel uncomfortable; you must get nervous about being on set. You need to feel that you don’t know anything. And the moment you feel that way, you know it will work. That much complacency is something that I don’t want.”
“I was always aware of what Jai was capable of doing. He wants to do something fun, larger than life, and spectacular. This idea was given to me by Shaailesh (R.) Singh, who is the creator of the show. Initially, Vasan Bala were supposed to direct this but he got committed to Monica Oh My Darling! So I thought this was right for Jai,” Hansal Mehta added.
Lootere releases on Disney+ Hotstar in India on March 22. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else in the world of streaming and films.