EXCLUSIVE - Apoorva Lakhia on Haseena Parkar vs Bhoomi: I hope Sanjay Dutt's film does well, he deserves it

Filmmaker Apoorva Lakhia is back with a gangster film, Haseena Parkar which is based on the life and times of Dawood Ibrahim's sister. In the film, we will Shraddha Kapoor in a titular role and in a never-seen-before avatar. 

In a tête-à-tête with PINKVILLA, Apoorva spoke at length about choosing this controversial subject, on why did he choose Shraddha for the leading role and about the clash with his friend Sanjay Dutt's film Bhoomi.

Here are a few excerpts...

You are back to direction after four years, what made you choose a controversial subject like Haseena Parkar?

It took three years to research only on it. The film came about at the post-production stage of Zanjeer. But, I thought it was an interesting subject as it dealt with the character which is very fascinating. What she has gone through, not because who she is but because of being someone's (Dawood Ibrahim) sister. And also about her family who went from poverty to live in a plush apartment in the city. Losing her family members like two brothers, son and husband show the woman of strong character who survives in a pretty much man's world. She received all brickbats for being a terrorist's sister and still managing to survive, it made the subject very interesting.

What research did you go through before commencing the shoot of the film?

I spent a lot of time with Haseena's family and the CBI crime branch officials. We met Meera Chadha Borwankar, who was the official of the jails and also criminal lawyer Shyam Keswani. We had to get all our facts right before writing the screenplay. Once we started writing, we had to take out few things and add on a few things. The process went on and on until two months before we started shooting for the film.

Could you explain about the casting process for the film as Sonakshi Sinha was initially a part of the project? 

I had a list and the first name was Shraddha, she agreed to do the film, so I did not feel any need to go to somebody else. The reason I wanted Shraddha was that I wanted someone who would look both 17 and 55 years of age. Shraddha fits into both and she is a fantastic actress. I am lucky that she said yes as she did an amazing job in the film and it's been great. 

Was it a conscious decision to cast Shraddha's brother Siddhanth Kapoor as her reel-life brother too?

Shraddha was cast after Siddhanth when Sonakshi was a part of the film, Siddhanth was already on board. He looks like a younger Dawood! If you look at his old pictures, he looks like Ibrahim which is very scary. That was the main thing in my mind.

Your film is based on Dawood's sister. Do you agree with people saying that the industry is glorifying criminals?

Firstly, they have to see the film before passing the judgement. If they watch the film and still pass their judgement, I don't give a f**k.

Do you enjoy making gangster films?

Actually, I enjoy making the films I do. Some have worked and some haven't, but they really get my juices going because I love doing research, I love making films on the underbelly of things. Those kinds of grey characters really intrigue me, that what makes them do stuff like that. Not only are those my favourite films I watch both in India and abroad. I find that whole genre fascinating. 

During Shootout at Lokhandwala, I only met Maya Dolas' mother, but I spend more time with the police because the story was from their point of view. In this one, I spent a lot of time with Haseena Parkar's family who is living in Bombay. That was very interesting to get different sides of the story and anecdotes from the family.

A lot has been talked about the film's clash with Sanjay Dutt's comeback film Bhoomi. Do you feel any kind of pressure now?

Every week a film is clashing with something or the other, we have been facing it since the time I started making films. So, I personally hope Sanjay's film does really well, he deserves it because he is my hero and a very good friend. But there are four films releasing on the same week which are of different genres. Hopefully, people will watch all the films.

Were you disappointed with the fact that the film got postponed?

I don't think there's so much at disappointment giving my film a shot that people can see it. Our perfect date was June, but then Jagga Jasoos came out which had all the screens. There was no way we could compete, then there was Jab Harry Met Sejal, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Bareilly Ki Barfi, so there was no chance for us to get the screens.

Did you show the film to Haseena's family?

I will show it to them when the film is ready.