Gadhvi: 'No Kidnap without Sanju!'

Just like you can't take way Sholay from Ramesh Sippy, maybe Dhoom will also always remain Sanjay Gadhvi’s calling card. But the 'Dhoom man' doesn't mind that. Yet he is all set to move on to meatier films with his next release Kidnap and he feels it will make people take his work more seriously.

You have cast Imran and Minissha who were clearly signed before Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and Bachna Ae Haseeno happened. So how did you decide on these two names?

Kidnap was always a Sanjay Dutt vehicle. So much so that if he wouldn't have agreed, Kidnap would never have been made. I was very clear about that. For the kidnapper's role I wanted a boy (we don't have too many young guys in the industry) and not a man. Because if I would have cast Hirthik or Abhishek, it would have become a man vs man conflict. And Sanju's character would have appeared much older than I had visioned. Shibani, my writer told me about Aamir's nephew and fixed a meeting. In three seconds I knew he was my Kabir. I didn't find him exactly good looking but I thought he had an interesting face with expressive eyes.

Minissha got Bachna... after Kidnap. I was impressed with her work in Yahaan and felt she looked liked Sanjay's daughter and of a similar age to Imran. She has a girl-next-door vibe about her and your heart will go out for her when she gets kidnapped.

In a way, Imran and Minissha have been cast in roles that are against their image. Isn’t that a risk?

After Dhoom people feel I like to give makeovers to my actors. That's not the case. Audiences today have become much more demanding, so you can't ignore the look of the character. Even actors realise that. I wasn't aware of Jaane Tu... when I signed Imran. In fact I was shocked when I saw him in Jaane Tu... as a romantic, chocolate boy – just the way fans were when they saw promos of Kidnap. Now that it's a hit, it's a plus for my film but the pressure has also increased. There is the baggage of that film's success. I have always found Minissha to be a fine actor. But I thought she was a little plump. So we worked on her look and I think the results are great. I have stuck to the script and her appearance doesn't look unrealistic.

We have read some quotes in the media where you say Kidnap is more special than Dhoom. Are you trying to dissociate yourself from Dhoom?

I think I need to clear this. I am extremely indebted to Yashraj for giving me the opportunity to make three films for them, when I had a non-starter like Tere Liye behind me. I am known as the Dhoom director and I feel very proud about that. It's a series that a huge section of the audiences loves. I am told it has catapulted me into the league of a big director. But unfortunately there is a perception that films like Dhoom are packaged entertainers which are very easy to make. So you aren't taken seriously and people think this is the only stuff you can do. People respect you only if you do something meatier or substantial. Kidnap in that sense has a lot more gravity. But Dhoom was in no way an easy film to make.