In love, there will be pain, says filmmaker Mohit Suri, who aims to explore the deeper, often uncomfortable truths of relationships in his films, including his latest Saiyaara. Mohit, known for movies such as Aashiqui 2, Awarapan, and Malang, said he wants to push back against the idealised portrayal of love that is often seen in mainstream romance dramas.
“In love, there will be pain. There is a certain whitewashing in a rom-com where everything is hunky-dory. When there is separation in love, it hurts, and if it doesn't hurt, it's not love enough to let the person go. Maybe I put more spotlight on it.
"For me, love is not about dancing in the mountains and flowers. Even though I've done that in some context, like in Humari Adhuri Kahani, but not the dancing part. If love is not real, then it's not felt. I believe in it more than I fantasise about it, and that's why I try to make films about love,” Mohit told PTI in an interview.
Released on Friday, Saiyaara is an intense love story of a young couple, played by Ahaan Panday, who makes his acting debut and Aneet Padda, known for featuring in web series Big Girls Don't Cry and the Kajol-starrer film Salaam Venky.
Recalling the starting point of Saiyaara, Mohit said the idea was sparked by a wave of nostalgia while listening to the song Woh Lamhe Woh Baatein from his debut film Zeher.
“The song was taking me back to the moment when I met Udita (Goswami, his wife). When I made this song, I was standing under a hoarding of another film that Udita did, called Paap.
"I told a school friend ‘She's so beautiful, I want to marry this girl’. Now, today, 21 years later, I'm married to her and share two children,” he said.
Suri believes the music in his films is always born from the script, highlighting memorable tracks such as Agar Tum Mil Jao, Woh Lamhe Woh Baatein, Aadat, Tujhe Dekh Dekh, Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai, Chal Chale Apne Ghar, Haal-E-Dil, Sunn Raha Hai, Tum Hi Ho, Galliyan, Hamari Adhuri Kahani, and Phir Bhi Main Tumko Chahunga.
“The songs have always been situational. It's the film that inspired them. I find it so much easier when you have a script, a character, a situation. So, if the music of my film is good, it's because it's been inspired by the film.” The director also praised the newcomers Ahaan and Aneet for their dedication towards the film and said they were apt choices for the lead roles.
Mohit said the two actors watched his previous films to understand the nuances the filmmaker brings to his storytelling.
“It’s important to watch the films you're working on, the kind of person you're working with, because somewhere, something of yours bleeds into your film.
So, what I like the most about these two was that they were film buffs before they became actors and not fashion icons and so-called influencers,” Mohit added.
The director also expressed excitement over the sequel to his 2007 movie, Aawarapan.
Mohit's cousin, actor Emraan Hashmi, is returning for the follow-up, which will be directed by Filmistaan fame Nitin Kakkar.
"They are making a sequel for it 18 years later. I don't think many film directors can have this luxury that a film that didn't do well at the box office years is being made into a sequel or remake," Mohit said, adding that he would love to reunite with Emraan when he has an apt script for him.
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