Saurabh Shukla, a versatile talent in Indian cinema, has shared profound insights from his early collaboration with director Shekhar Kapur on the critically acclaimed 1994 film ‘Bandit Queen.’ Shukla emphasized that this experience was a significant learning opportunity, particularly in understanding how to infuse humor into stories that grapple with dark realities.
The film, a biographical depiction of Phoolan Devi, directed by Kapur and starring Seema Biswas, delved into sensitive and often harsh subject matter. For Shukla, working with Kapur, whom he deeply admired, was an education in filmmaking. “Shekhar was the first film director I worked with… He taught me a lot, both technically and emotionally,” Shukla recounted.
Shukla was particularly struck by Kapur’s ability to find moments of lightheartedness even within the film’s intensely grim narrative. He described a scene depicting a chaotic robbery, where a villager’s ironic plea for a bottle of liquor amidst the mayhem perfectly captured Kapur’s approach. “Even in that darkness, Shekhar found a funny, human moment,” Shukla observed.
This discovery had a lasting impact on Shukla’s creative outlook. “I understood that without humour, it’s half, not a complete picture. That’s something I still follow,” he affirmed. He also acknowledged Kapur’s and Ram Gopal Varma’s talent for capturing authentic local flavors, attributing it to an innate sense of rhythm and sound in dialogue, a skill Kapur demonstrated by often closing his eyes to listen during shots.
‘Bandit Queen’ was celebrated for its cinematic merit, earning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and several Filmfare Awards. Saurabh Shukla, whose extensive filmography includes memorable performances in ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai,’ ‘Barfi!,’ and ‘Jolly LLB,’ continues to champion the principle of integrating humor, a key takeaway from his formative years with Shekhar Kapur.