Mumbai: In an exclusive interview with IANS, directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru shared their thoughts on the re-release of Sanam Teri Kasam. The duo expressed their excitement and gratitude as the film, which originally captured hearts with its emotional depth, finds new appreciation through its re-release. "It's overwhelming to see the love for the film even after all these years," said Radhika. Vinay added, "The film's emotional connection with the audience continues to grow, and we are thrilled to see it resonate with a new generation of viewers." The directors reflected on the film’s journey, their creative process, and the support it has received since its re-release.
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00:00First of all, I would like to congratulate you, Sanam, for coming back to the cinemas and making such a big hit.
00:09It has been a cult classic over the years.
00:12Do you ever expect this kind of love when you first made the film?
00:16Thank you for having us here.
00:19Thank you for having us with you.
00:23Yes, it is wrong to say that I am not happy.
00:29Of course, I am not happy.
00:31As a writer and director, when you work on a film,
00:39you are writing a story, but there is a part of your system
00:48in which every dialogue, every heroism, every movement, every moment of the film
00:58is written from your mind.
01:02It is part of your blood stream.
01:07So, when the film was released for the first time,
01:11we were very sure that the film would not fail.
01:14Because we used to shoot on the set.
01:16So, the chemistry was such that,
01:19because it is a tragedy,
01:21whether it is a hero, a villain, a co-artist,
01:25there used to be always an atmosphere that people used to break out in tears.
01:30Because there was no emotion.
01:32So, we were very sure that the film would do well.
01:35But when the promotion started for the first release,
01:42we had a new boy and a new girl.
01:46So, when they used to go for the promotion,
01:51we used to ask them, where did you go?
01:53What did you do for the promotion?
01:55They used to give us a promotion.
01:57So, our studio was not able to do the promotion.
02:03But we were very confident.
02:06So, when the film was released,
02:08on the first day, it was sold for 1.25 crores.
02:16So, we thought it was good.
02:18On the second day, it was again sold for 1.25 crores.
02:21On Sunday, it was good.
02:23On Monday, it was again sold for 1.25 crores.
02:25So, we decided to maintain the film.
02:30So, we thought if it stays for a while, it will spread word of mouth.
02:33Like, there is no promotion yet.
02:36It's a cult film, word of mouth.
02:38But on Monday, we told our studio to hold the film.
02:45So, they were already upset.
02:47What did we say?
02:48That the film is being held.
02:50And just to support it, we withdrew it.
02:53So, before that, we used to say something.
02:55In fact, we were standing outside the Gatey Galaxy after 3 weeks.
03:02A man came up to us and said,
03:04Sir, you are Radhika Rao Ganesh Akumar,
03:06director of Sanjay Dekha Sanjay.
03:08We said, yes.
03:09He said, Sir, I am going to show the ticket of JN Theatre at Gatey Galaxy.
03:15Sir, I want to tell you,
03:16our film has been off-screen for the last 10 weeks.
03:19And if you do any promotion,
03:21it will be for a rupee.
03:24So, Radhika and I said, what do we say?
03:26What do we do?
03:28So, we were a little heartbroken.
03:30But we only knew this much.
03:31We were very confident.
03:32That this film has the soul in the right place.
03:39And then, the journey started.
03:42Not a single day in these 9 years,
03:46when we felt that the picture is not correct.
03:51Telephones, e-mails, messages on Instagram, Twitter,
03:57we had no idea what to say.
04:00And finally, we knew that…
04:03No, no, you continue.
04:07So, finally we knew that…
04:11So, the public always used to tell us that
04:15when we released the film,
04:18it was our mistake that we didn't go and watch the film.
04:21And we didn't fill up the theatre.
04:23You release the film once again.
04:25This time, we will fill up the theatre from north to south, east to west.
04:29This is what they wrote to us.
04:31They kept writing for 9 years continuously.
04:34I used to think that there are small kids,
04:3716 years old, 18 years old,
04:3810-15 thousand,
04:391 lakh kids,
04:41who keep writing to us continuously.
04:43We didn't know that it was not 1-2 lakh,
04:46it was lakhs of fans,
04:48and their genuine emotions.
04:50So, we used to tell them after 2-4 years
04:53to re-release the film once.
04:56We knew that the film will be a success
04:58because we get messages directly.
05:00Anyway, they kept waiting.
05:02Luckily, a period of re-release started.
05:05But before that, we used to tell them
05:08to re-release the film.
05:10And now, rest is history.
05:12All the promises that we made,
05:14we just need to re-release the film
05:16and the audience will work.
05:18My second question is,
05:20re-release has created history.
05:22So, what do you think makes the film so timeless?
05:26What makes the film so timeless is,
05:29what makes a book timeless,
05:31a novel timeless.
05:33It's a great story,
05:34with great characters,
05:36great chemistry,
05:38and great music.
05:40That's what makes the film timeless
05:44because love stories are timeless.
05:46And Vinay ji will explain to you
05:49why the film is timeless.
05:53No, I am telling you,
05:56we were working on it.
06:01When we were writing the story.
06:04We used to tell everyone,
06:09our baseline was,
06:11love story is seen in the curse.
06:14And we used to tell everyone,
06:16the film can never be
06:18a film that doesn't connect.
06:20It's a film for the youth.
06:22If it has an English title,
06:25or western emotions,
06:28it will be good.
06:30But we always told them,
06:32Radhika ji and my film,
06:34it is seeped into the value system,
06:36our culture,
06:38our values,
06:40it is seeped into that.
06:42So, when Radhika ji and I were writing the story,
06:45generally what happens in love stories,
06:49rich father,
06:51rich son,
06:52poor daughter,
06:54Hindu son,
06:55Muslim daughter,
06:57or he doesn't agree with his parents,
07:01So, when Radhika ji and I said,
07:03let's do this,
07:04there is no magic,
07:05it will be a good story.
07:07At that time,
07:08we were working on Shiva Puran.
07:10And in Shiva Puran,
07:12while we were reading it,
07:14Radhika ji and I,
07:15we said,
07:16we have found out,
07:17we have found the Buddha of our story,
07:19who separates the lovers.
07:22In a chapter of Shiva Puran,
07:24it is written that,
07:25if the wedding of the daughter,
07:28is not blessed by the father,
07:30even God's wedding won't succeed.
07:32And that is the Shiva and the Satya.
07:35But if the same wedding is blessed by the father,
07:38it becomes the eternal love pair,
07:40which is Shiva and the father.
07:42So, when we said this,
07:44even in our Sanatanikasam,
07:46when her father says,
07:50that you know,
07:51I will paint it.
07:54She says,
07:55I will try.
07:56Papa, please don't do this.
07:58But he doesn't listen to her.
08:00Before leaving,
08:01he tells the watchman,
08:02you have to come for the food.
08:04And he does the painting of the girl,
08:08alive and she is there.
08:10She is looking at the father,
08:12in the last rites of her second wife.
08:15And in the second half,
08:17she looks sad,
08:18becomes ill.
08:19The boy tells her,
08:21that nothing like this happens.
08:25I will go to the best doctors,
08:27you will be cured.
08:29He says,
08:30Dua, Badhua, parents,
08:31whoever is there,
08:32her father permitted her.
08:34He said,
08:35you can do anything.
08:36So, we were very sure.
08:38No, what you are saying is,
08:39why people have watched it,
08:40because they are seeing a Keechmeri photo.
08:42And they are seeing,
08:43Sanam Tere Kasam,
08:44and Tera Chehra.
08:46And they are seeing only songs,
08:47but actually they are seeing
08:48the story of Shiva and Satya.
08:50They are seeing the story of Shiva and Satya,
08:52under the guise of this whole thing.
08:56So, the story of Shiva and Satya,
08:58has been going on for generations.
09:01It is in our blood,
09:02in our minds,
09:03in our hearts.
09:04So, when you are saying,
09:05what makes it so timeless?
09:07This is what makes it timeless,
09:09because it is a timeless tale,
09:10it's inspiration is timeless.
09:12Yes.
09:13So, how can it go wrong?
09:16It cannot go wrong.
09:17Yes.
09:18And I wanted to ask you one more thing,
09:20Harshvardhan Rane and Mavra Hoken,
09:24what was the reason for bringing them?
09:27Mavra Hoken, who was a Pakistani,
09:29didn't you feel that
09:30Indian actors should have them?
09:33See, the casting process,
09:36is an organic process,
09:39when you are looking for a talent.
09:42So, like we said,
09:44we are looking for a process,
09:47and in that process,
09:48you select the ones you like,
09:52and you go along with them.
09:54But,
09:55when we create a story of a new boy or a new girl,
09:59then it doesn't happen with us,
10:01then we are not in any corner of the world.
10:05We will get that person,
10:06and we will see that,
10:07she or he is casted.
10:09So, there is no such thing,
10:10but there is merit,
10:11which suits the story.
10:13Harshvardhan had said one more thing,
10:15that to get this role,
10:16he had gone to the producer's office,
10:18and another person had already been signed,
10:21so can we know who that person was?
10:24Harsh had said,
10:25that he had come to the film late,
10:27and he had also interviewed INS,
10:29that he had come to the film very late.
10:32So, who was that actor,
10:33who played Harsh's role?
10:35That poor actor,
10:37he is a successful actor,
10:38we don't know where he is.
10:39Why should we take his name?
10:41He is a young boy,
10:44but a young sweet boy,
10:45who is doing well for himself.
10:47So, there is no need to take his name.
10:50But it is true that,
10:52In which office?
10:54He had an audition in this office.
10:56Okay.
10:57Harsh had an audition.
10:58Yes.
10:59So, we were 10 days away from the photo session,
11:05which we were going to do with another actor,
11:07Mahabharat.
11:08And 10 days ago,
11:09we both decided for some reason,
11:11that we won't be able to make a good film with that actor.
11:15Okay.
11:16So, at the last minute,
11:17I saw his photo in Tableau India.
11:20He was doing some work in Hyderabad.
11:23So, I told my assistant,
11:25that you call him,
11:28this boy is looking good,
11:30audition for him.
11:31Because the whole office was back in the audition,
11:34but 10 days were left,
11:36how to get a new boy?
11:38So, I saw his photo,
11:39and I told him,
11:40this boy is looking good.
11:41So, he came to this office,
11:43took the audition,
11:44and we liked the audition a lot.
11:47We signed him just 10 days ago.
11:49Can you tell us some anecdotes,
11:52like, did you have any problem during the shooting,
11:54or any such anecdotes,
11:56like, did you have fun during the shooting?
11:58We are in the middle of a battle right now.
12:02Let me tell you that,
12:04it's been a week since the release.
12:08And, well,
12:10the studio was not supporting us.
12:13So, we have a mentor,
12:15Mr. Salman Khan.
12:16So, we met Mr. Salman,
12:18and we showed him the film.
12:21So, he said just one thing,
12:24that it's a super hit.
12:27So, we met Salman,
12:29and Salman is our mentor.
12:31He says,
12:32but the problem is,
12:33no one knows that this is your film.
12:35So, the film is a super hit,
12:37so nobody but I know.
12:39So, we were shocked.
12:41We said,
12:42because,
12:43if we, right now,
12:44any one person,
12:46we have a career,
12:47we have done 200 albums,
12:49and,
12:50so,
12:51right now,
12:52our No. 1 is Nana Gandhi,
12:53I looked at him,
12:54I asked him.
12:55But, if we believe that,
12:57if we,
12:58I mean, we have a lot of sense of music.
13:00So, we believe that,
13:01if there is a person better than us,
13:03who has a sense of music,
13:05that person is Salman Khan.
13:07And Salman Khan said,
13:08your music is outstanding,
13:10your dialogues,
13:11I mean, to die for it.
13:12I mean,
13:13I mean,
13:14your film will not stop.
13:16He said that,
13:179 years ago,
13:18and today,
13:19when all this is happening,
13:21so, we were just,
13:22like,
13:23in complete awe and shock.
13:25Yeah, that's true.
13:26And he was so compassionate.
13:28He says,
13:29nobody knows your film,
13:31but what do you want me to do for you all?
13:34So, we were so,
13:35we were so,
13:37we were so flummoxed.
13:39Like, Salman,
13:40tweet it now.
13:41So, he tweeted about this film
13:43in 10 seconds,
13:44even at that time.
13:46But, looking into his eyes,
13:48we understood that,
13:49he said,
13:50you people should have come to me earlier.
13:54Okay.
13:55This,
13:56this is the only thing in the re-release.
13:59In fact,
14:00I said,
14:01you should have come earlier.
14:02I said,
14:03Salman,
14:04but,
14:05we have,
14:06because we told our producers,
14:07we don't handle marketing.
14:09So, we told our producers that,
14:11like,
14:12all films get promoted,
14:14if you go to Big Boss,
14:16then suddenly,
14:17in marketing,
14:18there is a smell,
14:19because,
14:20if you stand next to Salman sir,
14:21then the film gets an awareness.
14:24So, Salman sir said,
14:25Yes,
14:26so,
14:27then,
14:28the producer and the studio,
14:29they said,
14:30that,
14:31who will give you a chance in Big Boss?
14:34Have you made a masterpiece?
14:36Are you Bansali?
14:38They said this to us.
14:40That,
14:41do you think you have made a masterpiece?
14:43And, that time Padmavat was released,
14:44a little earlier than us.
14:46So, we said,
14:47why should we compare with any other director?
14:50We think,
14:51we have made a very good film.
14:53But,
14:54there is no,
14:55there is no,
14:56that this is not a masterpiece.
14:57So,
14:58nobody will give you a chance in Big Boss,
15:00no one will.
15:01So, we,
15:02and Salman was there,
15:03that day,
15:04he said,
15:05why didn't you both come to Big Boss
15:06and take your picture.
15:08So,
15:09we said,
15:10this happened with us.
15:11He said,
15:12why didn't you all
15:13take the initiative
15:14and come to me directly.
15:15I am a hundred percent
15:16just going to support you.
15:17Because,
15:18your movies are great.
15:19Yes.
15:20So,
15:21well…
15:22that day,
15:23nowadays,
15:24I feel
15:25He had so much compassion in his eyes for us. He said, you guys should have come to Galaxy today.
15:30You guys are welcome. Why didn't you guys come to me? You guys should have come today.
15:34100% I support Bigg Boss.
15:40One more question. Despite the film's cult status, it didn't perform well at the box office during its initial release.
15:47So do you think the industry failed to recognize its potential back then?
15:50What is industry? The man from the industry recognized it as a mentor.
15:54So who do you consider to be the industry? If you consider them to be the industry, then they recognized it.
16:01Himesh ji. I am telling you. Himesh ji was such a small picture.
16:07No one thought of him. He was a very big composer at that time.
16:11And no one could afford him in such a small picture.
16:15Himesh ji was travelling with me and he asked me to tell him.
16:19Himesh ji said, for this picture, Himesh ji is the right person to give the music.
16:24We narrated the story.
16:27There was a scene where he said, don't put the garland on his photo.
16:32And he puts the garland on himself.
16:36After hearing that scene, Himesh ji got up and said, I will do the picture. The picture will be super hit.
16:42And you won't believe, we didn't have a title at that time. We were doing a working title.
16:47And Sanam, I swear to you, the title was Himesh ji's registered title.
16:51And he said, I will give you my title for free. Sanam, I swear to you, give this title.
16:56Take it because your picture is super hit.
16:59So what is the industry? If the industry is Salman, if the industry is Himesh ji, then they always believed in it.
17:05It was a studio story, who did not keep faith in this film.
17:11When you say industry, I don't want to tarnish the entire industry.
17:18I want to say that there were a lot of people in the industry who believed in the film.
17:22But those who were last in the relay race, they didn't have faith.
17:28They didn't support, but then anyway.
17:31We always got the support of the industry.
17:34We have been doing this for the last 20 years.
17:37We have always had the support of the industry.
17:40But the problem with this film is that when Aditya and I wrote the story,
17:44we knew that this story was going to be a hit, as I said.
17:48The graph of this story is of the Shiv century.
17:54So that story cannot fail.
17:56Today, you see, 5 crore people are bathing in the pond.
18:00So we knew that certain people who are making films,
18:06if you are making a film for youngsters, then there should be a little western touch,
18:11there should be a little western morals, there should be a little English name.
18:15So that is what we kept there.
18:18And the story of this film was a song.
18:20In fact, when Aditya and I went to UNLG, we told that scene.
18:23He was a fan.
18:24He said, I got your title song.
18:27He made a point.
18:33So Himeshji felt the thing.
18:36Salman saw it and he said it is a blockbuster.
18:39So anyone from the industry who was seeing it,
18:42he was just blown away with the whole thing.
18:45And I have another question for you.
18:49When we reached the climax of the film,
18:53when the father curses his daughter,
18:59the regret that he had when she was dying,
19:05what regret did the father say?
19:07And he himself says, does he have a father like this?
19:10Does he treat his daughter like this?
19:12And then we were thinking, how will the father do it?
19:16How will the father go?
19:17How will he treat his daughter?
19:20Then we saw an interview of Amitabh Bachchan.
19:23We saw an interview of Amitabh Bachchan.
19:26He said, I was at that stage of my life,
19:28when everything looked dull.
19:31So my father, Haribhanshah Bachchan,
19:36he took me from this side to that side of life.
19:40We saw our climax.
19:41This is the father.
19:42The father who is completely broken.
19:44The father who lost his daughter due to curse.
19:47He can only hold on to this line.
19:50If it is of the mind, it is good.
19:52If it is not, it is even better.
19:54Because he is God.
19:56And this line of Haribhanshah Bachchan,
19:59this is the climax of our film.
20:02Some critics also believe that,
20:05especially in Sanam Tehri,
20:07it was heavily emotional and melodramatic.
20:10So how do you respond to that?
20:12Sir, why do you have to respond?
20:14Audience has responded, sir.
20:16Audience has responded,
20:18so how do we respond to that?
20:20Actually, you should take their interview, sir.
20:24No, we have already taken it.
20:26You tell us what they said.
20:29I also want to hear what they wrote.
20:31And unfortunately, when people are saying,
20:34that people are not going to the theatre,
20:36and people are going to the theatre
20:38after the re-release of this film,
20:40because when they do optics,
20:42and people stop the journey of good films,
20:46it will be like this.
20:48Please get their interview done on INS.
20:51And please send it to me.
20:53I want to see it.
20:54See the releases of this week.
20:56Sanam Tehri Ka Sang.
20:58Two new releases.
21:00I will leave them.
21:02Every man can make his own film.
21:05Christopher Nolan's Industrial,
21:08Sanjay Bansali's Padmanabh.
21:10It's so ironical.
21:12It was released at that time also.
21:14And yes, about Bareilly.
21:16What were the ratings given by the critics?
21:21And what is happening according to that?
21:25Sir, all the ratings are due to the audience.
21:27Fans make the movie.
21:29What is the relation with their ratings?
21:31Those who gave wrong ratings,
21:33it's like a poll.
21:35Exit poll is wrong, sir.
21:37Ask why the exit poll is wrong.
21:39Let's play a fun segment.
21:42Rapid fire question.
21:44Sanam Tehri Ka Sang. Describe in one word.
21:48A love story seen on a cross.
21:52Your dream collaboration.
21:56Salman Khan, Salman Khan, Salman Khan.
22:00I said it.
22:02That's it. Salman Khan, Salman Khan, Salman Khan.
22:06Always, always, eternally.
22:09One Bollywood cliché you hate.
22:13I love all Bollywood clichés.
22:15I hate it when they call it a cliché.
22:19A film you wish you had directed.
22:25Rain Row.
22:28Raj Kapoor's Rain Row.
22:32Favourite song you have worked on.
22:36Numbers wise,
22:381.6 billion views for Rain Row.
22:412.4 billion views for Rain Row.
22:45Favourite song or numbers?
22:49All songs.
22:51Whether it's Kheech Meli Photo, which we love.
22:56Rain Row, which we love.
22:58Sanam Tehri Ka Sang, which we love.
23:00Sanam Tehri Ka Sang, we love.
23:02That whole theatre thing.
23:05Mas Mas Do Re, which we loved.
23:10These are our favourite songs.
23:14Who is more likely to...
23:18Who cries first while watching an emotional scene?
23:24Surprisingly, yes.
23:28Who comes up with crazier ideas?
23:30Who argues more while working?
23:36Who takes longer to say final cut?
23:40None of us.
23:42Both are very quick.
23:44Very quick to say yes or no.
23:46We were shooting once.
23:48Salman was telling me.
23:50We have been co-directing for 20 years.
23:52Salman was getting the shots.
23:54I was sitting on the monitor.
23:56Salman said,
23:58this is exactly what I was saying.
24:00So he said,
24:02both of you are Siamese twins.
24:06If Sanam Tehri Ka Sang
24:08had an alternate ending, what would it be?
24:10No alternate.
24:12We don't believe in weak lines and no alternates.
24:14If you had to re-write the ending,
24:16what would it be?
24:18Sir, we don't believe in re-writes, endings.
24:20That was the only ending.
24:22But,
24:24as I said,
24:26Shiv and Sati.
24:28Sanam Tehri Ka Sang 2 is left.
24:30That is yet to come.
24:32There is no need to re-write it.
24:34But the story that we already have,
24:36Sanam Tehri Ka Sang 2,
24:38will continue there.
24:40One last question.
24:42Are you making a sequel?
24:44If yes, what would be the storyline be?
24:46Oh, I have pre-answered that.
24:48He has already answered that.
24:50He has the storyline when we wrote the storyline.
24:52So, we have heard it twice.
24:54And what is the same Sarkar Swayamvi?
24:56Sir,
24:58we will answer all the questions today.
25:00You will come here next time.
25:02But,
25:04the story is ready.