Sooraj Barjatya and his penchant for heartfelt family dramas were all the rage back in the ’90s, and his secret ingredient still works wonders today.
The ace director also recently made his OTT debut with the show Bada Naam Karenge, as a showrunner. One who has followed his trajectory of films can instantly feel the warmth of the show.
Not just viewers, but the ace director says that Amitabh Bachchan, too, had once appreciated his signature style of storytelling.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Sooraj Barjatya recalls a moment while shooting for Uunchai (2022) with Amitabh Bachchan, and the compliment he received.
Barjatya says, “I remember Mr. Bachchan once told me, ‘Sooraj, in your films, one suddenly realizes that life can be simple. Life can be simple and there’s joy in those simple things, this was when we were shooting for Uunchai.”
Sooraj Barjatya’s Favourite Films
Upon asking him the kind of films he grew up watching, and how that impacted his outlook towards making films, he rewinds back to his favourites.
Sooraj Barjatya says, “We have grown up watching movies by legends like Bimal Roy and Raj Kapoor. But the films that made the biggest impact on me were our own Rajshri films which we grew up on, and LV Prasad movies. They influenced my understanding of cinema, and finding my voice, greatly.”
“I Just Wanted To See How Rishi Kapoor Ji Would Dance To Om Shanti Om In Karz”
The ace filmmaker is not on social media. Like every individual who has seen the world of cinema before this phenomenon, Barjatya fondly recalls the craze back when films used to be released.
He says, “Those were very different times. I remember there were times when we would go and buy costumes for the actor, or sometimes the actor came and we just picked up subsidies. It was never about to create an impact. But today you have WhatsApp messages to check everything. The technical bit is okay, but life was simpler at that time. The entire marketing used to be just for trailers and posters, and then we used to do a lot of songs and radio plays. But there was magic at that time, things were hidden.”
He adds, “I clearly remember, Om Shanti Om was such a rage when it was released. I was a youngster and I just wanted to see how Rishi Kapoor ji would dance and what he would wear. But now songs are released 15 days prior, so I know exactly what I’m going to see. So there are lessons, but the magic of cinema will always remain.”
Sooraj Barjatya’s Films With Its Ensemble Cast
One of the other trademark styles of a Sooraj Barjatya film is the ensemble cast he would bring together. Massive sets, and a starry cast that got the excitement soaring all the more.
Hum Saath-Saath Hai was a musical blockbuster with the lead cast featuring Salman Khan, Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Tabu, and Mohnish Behl. As was the stellar lineup in Hum Aapke Hai Koun..! with the lead cast featuring Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Renuka Shahane, Mohnish Behl, and Anupam Kher.