Rishi Kapoor's vulnerability in Mulk reminded me of Balraj Sahni in Garam Hava: Anubhav Sinha

It’s been two years since the release of Mulk, a film that Anubhav Sinha said marked his rebirth as a filmmaker. The story of a Muslim family trying to fight prejudice and regain their honour after a family member turns into a terrorist, the film had Rishi Kapoor and Taapsee Pannu in pivotal roles.
The late Rishi Kapoor's role of Murad Ali Mohammed in the film has been called one of his best performances and Sinha says that he still can't think of any other actor who could have pulled it off.On Mulk's second anniversary, a conversation with the director about Rishi Kapoor and the life he put into the character of Murad:
How did you come to cast Rishi Kapoor in the film?
I had never met Rishi Kapoor ji. It was a friend who took me to meet him. Before I met him, I was wondering pata nahi role karenge ki nahi. But surprisingly when he heard the story, he really liked the idea and agreed to do the film. I still do not know whom I could have cast as Murad Ali had Chintu ji not done it. It’s impossible for me to think of anyone else in that role. It was written for him and was brilliantly done by him.
Coming to your question as to why I cast him in the role, I wanted a person who looked very vulnerable, endearing and at the same time, very courageous when the situation demanded it. Someone you would want to stand up for, someone you would love. The moment I conceived the character, the first name that came to my mind was of Amitabh Bachchan. But then I thought but he won’t look defeated. Then slowly it shifted to Rishi Kapoor. And by the time I had finished writing, I knew that it had to be him. As a director when you are writing and casting, you are also thinking of an alternate. But I couldn’t think of anyone else. But thankfully Rishi ji agreed to do the film and I am so very thankful to him because he brought so much more to the character.
Rishi Kapoor made Murad Ali Mohammed a very believable character.
Yes, absolutely. And it’s funny because Rishi ji was someone who never really took himself or his acting very seriously. He was always very nonchalant about his work. And the performance he gave in Mulk, I think he himself didn’t celebrate it as much as he should have. It's certainly one of his best if not the best performance. He was never like maine kya badhiya kaam kiya. He was very casual about his stardom and acting. He had lived all his life being Prithviraj Kapoor’s grandson, Raj Kapoor’s son, so it all had become very routine for him. After a shot if I would say ‘Sir, aapne bahut achha shot diya, mazaa aa gaya’ he would be like a child and ask ‘Achha, really? Achha laga aapko?' He would for a few seconds just look me in the eye to see if I really meant it. It was almost like not believing in his own ability but he used to be so enthusiastic. He was very proud of the film.
Reportedly it used to take him three hours for the makeup and prosthetics and another hour to get it off. He didn't mind that?
I remember we were shooting in Lucknow in October-November and it was unusually hot for that time of the year. He would crib ki 'mujhe garmi lag rahi hai, ab mein aur shoot nahi karunga', but he would still continue to shoot. He would be sweating profusely but would always complete his shots.
(L) Balraj Sahni in Garam Hava and (R) Rishi Kapoor in Mulk (BCCL)
In an interview to us, Rishi Kapoor had said that it was the toughest role that he had ever played and he couldn’t ever imagine being cast in that role.
Actually it was that endearing personality of his caught in that bizarre situation that reminded me of Balraj Sahni saheb in Garam Hava. That distraught character, torn between choices, no support system anywhere, that’s the same vulnerability that Rishi ji brought into the character of Murad Ali, and that’s why his performance always reminded me of Balraj Sahini’s. The amount of love he got for the film is overwhelming.
Rishi Kapoor had a very distinct way of delivering dialogues, whereas Mulk required that typical UP style of speaking and that too in Urdu. How did he master that?
That was another quality of his, an eye and ear for detail. I insisted on the actors using a mic whereas he was adamant about dubbing for the film. I said in sync hi chalega or else that emotion will be lost. Then he said ‘look I am a Kapoor, and we speak only English or Punjabi at home. I will not be able to get the pronunciation of the dialogues right so let me dub for the film later’. So we went ahead with the mic but he also dubbed for the film. When he came to know that I am from Banaras, he said that I should be there when he is dubbing. While shooting also, he would sit and do a reading with me of the dialogues and the scene. That is how thorough he was.
What other memories do you have of working with him in the film?
I think I can write a whole blog on it. I have worked with him and Shammi Kapoor and I had a wonderful relationship with both. But Rishi ji, his attention to detail, his desire to do better was amazing. He would initially call me Anubhav ji, so I said sir please don’t call me that and he said no, you’re my director, main aapko Anubhav ji hi bulaunga. So we finally settled on Sinha sahab and he would call me that. What I love about him was that he was what he was in front of you, he was nothing more or nothing less.
I can’t say how grateful I am that he agreed to work with me because he worked with the best directors and had such a legacy. It was a memorable experience for me making Mulk with Rishi Kapoor.