By Stacey Yount - BollySpice.com

His first film as director is I Hate Luv Storys, one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2010. We are talking about Punit Malhotra, who not only took on directing but also wrote the script of the film that stars Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor. Though a newcomer to being at the helm, he is not a newcomer to working in the industry. He sharpened his directing chops on films like Dostana (2008), Paheli (2005),Kal Ho Na Ho (2003), and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) as assistant director, and also had aspirations to be an actor. However, acting has taken a back seat and he is ready to release his first film to the world. I caught up with the director on the day he saw is first print and we had a fabulous conversation about the experience of making I Hate Luv Storys and Punit's feelings just a bit more than a week before the release.


What inspired you to make I Hate Luv Storys?

I basically wanted to make a love story. I just wanted to make a cute, nice love story and I had a lot of free time on hand (laughs). So, I started penning down some thoughts of mine and they kind of materialized really well. That is were it came from.

Tell us about casting Imran.

I wrote the story and it was set against the backdrop of a film being made in the Hindi film industry. I needed a guy who could really pull off the fact that he really does not believe in the rom-coms that are made in Hindi cinema. Imran Khan has that kind of body language - it is kind of an off body language - it is not really normal. I mean, even though he is the Hindi film hero, he does not look like a Hindi film hero. I think Imran suited his character so well and that is why I roped Imran in the film.

What about Sonam Kapoor? Why did you decide she would be perfect as Simran?

Sonam was basically Manish's suggestion - the costume designer who is also my uncle. When I met her and started narrating the script to her, I realized how much she was the character. She was just So the character. It just fell in place really, really well. She has played the character to the tee. She is just so good.

How was it to work with them?

It was great. I have never had that kind of working equation before on set. Normally they come on set like stars - they are the heroes, they are the heroines, they are the protagonists on the film. But, these guys came on the set like friends and I really mean that. I really mean it. Everybody's saying that perhaps that's the most clichéd answer, but we were actually kind of bullying each other, back slapping each other, making fun of each other. So, that worked really well. They are actually younger than me or perhaps we are the same age group so we were on the same wave length, so we could go up to each and say you know this is not working, this is not correct. Like I could tell Imran and he could tell me. It was a nice kind-of rapport that we build up. We became like friends. We would work for long hours and then after working those long hours we were not fed up with each other.

What has been the hardest thing you found as a director?

I think every day of shooting comes with its hardships. I can't pinpoint one particular thing that was hard. But, I would have to say in a larger picture, the insecurity of the audience accepting your film, that's really hard. Because you are doing it and you are putting a lot in your first film, you go out with all the power and you have everything going for you, but in one moment the audience can rip your film apart - it could shatter you. So, I mean that insecurity is something you really need to deal with.


The response to the promos has been outstanding...how does that feel?

Firstly, thank you. I know the promos have been received really, really well. It is every filmmakers dream to kind of get that and receive that kind of publicity and it was exactly my dream as well. Having said that, honestly I did not think the response would be so tremendous. I am honestly overwhelmed with the response that has been given to the promos. Every person who has seen them has come out and said it is fantastic and it looks so great, it is so fresh and young, it looks like it is fun. That is something that has made me REALLY happy and more confident.

What did you love about being a director?

I love the power I had on set. I could ask anyone to do anything... 'stand on top of your head', 'why?' and I would say, 'because I feel like it, you need to stand on your head'! (Laughs). So, that was fun! No, seriously, what I really enjoyed was the fact that I could give shape to the script. I could give an actual visual to what I was wanting to make. I could tell a story and this is kind-of fascinating.

How cool was it to walk on the sets the first time and see what you had written come alive?

To be really honest, I never though of it as cool. Every day on set was just another day of shooting and it was another day of work. That kept us really grounded because we were all there to achieve a certain kind-of target and we all set out to make a good film. We all approached set like it was work. It was fun, but it was work and we needed to kind of give it our best shot. That is what we all did.

Tell us about the scene or scenes that touches on the old filmi scenes?

The film they are making in the film is based on the big Bollywood sagas, and reminds me of a lot of these old Hindi films, you know it's reminiscent of them. It is actually a track in the film where we are spoofing it and not spoofing it. Looking at the same kind of love stories in a tongue in cheek way, which is actually quite cool.

Is that the song 'Sadka Kiya'?

Sadka is one of the songs that goes that way, but there are a couple of other songs as well.

How did you decide on New Zealand for a location?

We have shot a lot of films in New Zealand - that is Bollywood. I think this is the first film that got this kind-of exposure because we are using New Zealand as a location. Everybody says it is an integrative part of the film, but in this film it is actually a location. The unit in the film (remember it is set in the world of films) is going abroad to shoot and normally a Bollywood film would go to picturesque locations to shoot. In the film there is a whole dialogue, which is: Where is the most picturesque location they can get, and what better than New Zealand. It has beaches, it has water, it has green grasslands, it has snow-capped mountains. So they say we should go to New Zealand to shoot. The whole film unit goes to New Zealand. So, that is how New Zealand came about because it is so picturesque and so beautiful.

What is your favorite scene in the film?

I love the fact that Imran comes and lies to his boss one time. He reaches work really late and he comes to his boss and he is like you know I had a kind-of mishap last night. I love the way the scene has played out. It is really, really nice.

Have you seen the final cut? Are you happy with it?

I saw it just today; not the final but I saw the first print. My first copy came out today. I am on the moon; I am on the moon right now that is where you have actually called me!

Did it end up how you pictured it when you first started?

No, to be honest, it is not how I thought it would be - it is way better. I have my technical department to thank for that. Both my cameramen, Aamir my production designer, and more than anything else Manish, my costume director. It is all of them because they completely took charge of the look.

The soundtrack is also doing really well - people are really loving it. What are you thoughts?

You know if anyone says anything about the songs, I will get really mad. See, if you say my film is not good, I am really relaxed and won't get upset, but if you say the music of the film is not good, I am not going to accept that because I really think the music is really good. I am not being biased because it is my film, I am okay in saying another film's music is really, really nice. I had a blast working with Vishal and Shekhar. I think they are the two most wonderful people on this film. They gave me a lot of respect even though I was a first time director. They were able to let me bounce as many tunes as I could and they just kept going at it again and again, again and again. They gave me the best music ever.

What is your favorite picturisation?

There is a song called 'Bahara', which is not something they are going to promote in terms of promos, but once you see it in the film that is the best picturised song. That is the song where Sonam actually falls in love with Imran. The way it is shot is simply breathtaking. You need to see 'Bahara' for the way it is. It is shot on location and it is my big song if I may say so.

What do you hope audiences will love about I Hate Luv Storys?

If you are going to look for any kind of message in the film and think it is preachy, you won't be disappointed. If you really want to go and enjoy two hours of your life this is the film to go for. It is not like you don't have to think, it is not one of those, you are going to think, but you are going to sit back and enjoy a film. You are going to be entertained, which is most important. But these two hours of your life - I promise you will not regret, in fact, if anything you will enjoy.

What are your thoughts a week before the release?

I am numb. I really am numb. (Laughs) I was just writing on twitter that I am feeling really emotionally vulnerable, but really it is the fact that I don't understand anything right now. I don't know what to do. It is like not thinking, I am just really numb.

Do you think audiences are going to love it?

I have a strong feeling they will, but I don't want to sound over confident. I am hoping they will and Inshallah they will.

Describe the film in 5 words.

A young fresh, vibrant love story.

What do you think of Hindi cinema today?

I think it is the most exciting phase of Hindi cinema because the audience is accepting all kinds of exciting films. It is essentially the reason I am making I Hate Luv Storys and taking bits of a lot of films. It is a very interesting phase because there are lots of filmmakers experimenting with different kinds of films, lots of actors doing different kinds of roles and anything that is plain or simplistic people don't want to see. So, that is a really interesting phase.

So you were also an actor, any plans to do some films as an actor...

Well, if I have a beautiful lady cast opposite me, someone like you, then of course...

Stacey laughs and says thank you...

But, for the next 10 days the plan is only I Hate Luv .

The promotions for the film are in full swing. Do you like going and doing the promotions?

I actually quite enjoyed it and not even talking just doing the promotions. Just the fact that I got to interact with so many people and I kind of get their point of views. It is fascinating the amount of views people have and how every person has a different opinion some good, some bad. It is really, really fascinating. I am quite enjoying that.

You have fans out there all ready...do you have any message for your fans?

I don't know that I have fans. I have some really generous fans that call themselves Punitians. All I can say is that I love you guys ya. Thank you for all the love and thank you for all the respect. It is to soon. Hopefully you should see the film and then make that call. I just hope they are not going to want to take that love and respect back. Hopefully they wont be like shee ew what a bad film. I just hope I can live up to all that, so thank you for everything.

So, after IHLS do you have anything in the works?

Oh, I am going to go for a long holiday!

I Hate Luv Storys opens on June 30th in the US and Canada, July 1st in UAE and July 2nd in India, UK and the world. As Punit says, it promises to be an entertaining two hours at the movies that you will enjoy. From the response that the promos have garnered and from what we can see this is just the first step into a long career for the fab director in the Hindi film industry. I Hate Luv Storys definitely tops our list of films we want to see this year. We wish him the best of luck!