Neil’s nightmarish experience in ‘Jail’
If preview-watchers are to be believed, dude-actor Neil Nitin Mukesh (of ‘Johnny Gaddar’ fame) has given a “knock-out arresting performance” in his upcoming maverick movie ‘Jail’ directed by the acclaimed Madhur Bhandarkar (of ‘Page 3’ and ‘Fashion’ fame). Considering that the ‘Aa Dekhen Zaraa’ hero has those debonair romantic looks, wasn’t playing a rugged role of an ‘undertrial behind bars’ a bizarre choice?
“Honestly, my priority has always been to project myself as an intense versatile actor and not just the run-of-the-mill romantic types. Secondly, ‘Jail’ gave me a golden opportunity to work with an acclaimed director like Madhur-sir who has a track record of three National Awards,” Neil justifies his decision, adding that he couldn’t believe his ears when he received a call from the reckoned director for the first time. “When he first called me up to offer this role after watching me in ‘Johnny Gaddaar’, I presumed that someone was pulling a wild prank on me,” he reveals in his characteristically forthright manner.
He remembers how he nonchalantly tried to dismiss off the caller at the other end until he realized that he was indeed Madhur Bhandarkar. “‘If you are Mr. Bhandarkar, then I guess I am Leonardo Di Caprio (of ‘Titanic’) I jokingly shot back’. It was only after a while that I realized with delighted shock, that it was Madhur-sir himself. It was a dream come true,” asserts Neil whose co-star in ‘Jail’ is model-actress Mugdha Godse (of ‘Fashion’).
Lest cine-buffs presume that the film is a grim, serious affair, going by its title, the affable actor clarifies. “There is also an intense romantic undercurrent to film with heroine Mugdha Godse, who plays a vivacious air-hostess and the vital support lead to my beleaguered character of Parag Dixit, a cool corporate executive who gets dragged into police custody as an ‘undertrial’.” According to Neil, the USP of Jail is the unique shock value in the realistic goings-on within the ‘jail’. “It will satisfy the massive common-man curiosity of ‘what happens’ when innocent guys are slammed behind bars,” reasons Neil who has also dared to shoot a ‘full Monty’ scene for the film.
Wasn’t it awkward doing the scene in front of the entire crew, besides the fact that the censors would eventually delete the portions? (Laughs) “Hmm I knew this would be coming. As of now, director Madhur has voluntarily decided to ‘pixilate’ the below-the-waist portions, and make them appear ‘blurred’, as a self-imposed censorship. So I guess it should be okay with the Censor Board guidelines. This touchy scene is very hard-hitting and an integral part of the script. It’s definitely not contrived for female titillation. Whilst shooting, those ‘stark-nude’ scenes, there was nobody on the sets except the operating cinematographer and the director. So my comfort-level was optimum. Since it’s all shot very aesthetically, I can assure my fans and family audiences, that they would all feel proud of my performance,” shrugs the ‘New York’ movie dude who was made to wear actual uniforms worn by jail inmates as they shot in authentic looking prison-sets.
“Believe me, the entire experience of being dumped ‘behind bars’ is so nightmarish and rattling, that after we finished shooting, I just wanted to get away and travel for a long leisure break,” reveals the talented actor, who will soon start shooting for his next untitled movie for producer Ramesh (‘Tips’) Taurani directed by Ken Ghosh ( of ‘Fidaa’ etc ) . Besides playing keyboards and singing (remember he is the grandson of the legendary singer Mukesh-saab) the actor’s latest stress-buster secret passion is ‘still photography’. “Whenever I connect with exotic nature and striking human faces that fascinate me, I candidly capture them on my hi-tech camera,” quips Neil who incidentally is an ardent fan of Kishore Kumar songs from yesteryear musical milestone movies like ‘Jawani Diwani’, ‘Padosan’ and ‘Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi’.
If preview-watchers are to be believed, dude-actor Neil Nitin Mukesh (of ‘Johnny Gaddar’ fame) has given a “knock-out arresting performance” in his upcoming maverick movie ‘Jail’ directed by the acclaimed Madhur Bhandarkar (of ‘Page 3’ and ‘Fashion’ fame). Considering that the ‘Aa Dekhen Zaraa’...
If preview-watchers are to be believed, dude-actor Neil Nitin Mukesh (of ‘Johnny Gaddar’ fame) has given a “knock-out arresting performance” in his upcoming maverick movie ‘Jail’ directed by the acclaimed Madhur Bhandarkar (of ‘Page 3’ and ‘Fashion’ fame). Considering that the ‘Aa Dekhen Zaraa’ hero has those debonair romantic looks, wasn’t playing a rugged role of an ‘undertrial behind bars’ a bizarre choice?
“Honestly, my priority has always been to project myself as an intense versatile actor and not just the run-of-the-mill romantic types. Secondly, ‘Jail’ gave me a golden opportunity to work with an acclaimed director like Madhur-sir who has a track record of three National Awards,” Neil justifies his decision, adding that he couldn’t believe his ears when he received a call from the reckoned director for the first time. “When he first called me up to offer this role after watching me in ‘Johnny Gaddaar’, I presumed that someone was pulling a wild prank on me,” he reveals in his characteristically forthright manner.
He remembers how he nonchalantly tried to dismiss off the caller at the other end until he realized that he was indeed Madhur Bhandarkar. “‘If you are Mr. Bhandarkar, then I guess I am Leonardo Di Caprio (of ‘Titanic’) I jokingly shot back’. It was only after a while that I realized with delighted shock, that it was Madhur-sir himself. It was a dream come true,” asserts Neil whose co-star in ‘Jail’ is model-actress Mugdha Godse (of ‘Fashion’).
Lest cine-buffs presume that the film is a grim, serious affair, going by its title, the affable actor clarifies. “There is also an intense romantic undercurrent to film with heroine Mugdha Godse, who plays a vivacious air-hostess and the vital support lead to my beleaguered character of Parag Dixit, a cool corporate executive who gets dragged into police custody as an ‘undertrial’.” According to Neil, the USP of Jail is the unique shock value in the realistic goings-on within the ‘jail’. “It will satisfy the massive common-man curiosity of ‘what happens’ when innocent guys are slammed behind bars,” reasons Neil who has also dared to shoot a ‘full Monty’ scene for the film.
Wasn’t it awkward doing the scene in front of the entire crew, besides the fact that the censors would eventually delete the portions? (Laughs) “Hmm I knew this would be coming. As of now, director Madhur has voluntarily decided to ‘pixilate’ the below-the-waist portions, and make them appear ‘blurred’, as a self-imposed censorship. So I guess it should be okay with the Censor Board guidelines. This touchy scene is very hard-hitting and an integral part of the script. It’s definitely not contrived for female titillation. Whilst shooting, those ‘stark-nude’ scenes, there was nobody on the sets except the operating cinematographer and the director. So my comfort-level was optimum. Since it’s all shot very aesthetically, I can assure my fans and family audiences, that they would all feel proud of my performance,” shrugs the ‘New York’ movie dude who was made to wear actual uniforms worn by jail inmates as they shot in authentic looking prison-sets.
“Believe me, the entire experience of being dumped ‘behind bars’ is so nightmarish and rattling, that after we finished shooting, I just wanted to get away and travel for a long leisure break,” reveals the talented actor, who will soon start shooting for his next untitled movie for producer Ramesh (‘Tips’) Taurani directed by Ken Ghosh ( of ‘Fidaa’ etc ) . Besides playing keyboards and singing (remember he is the grandson of the legendary singer Mukesh-saab) the actor’s latest stress-buster secret passion is ‘still photography’. “Whenever I connect with exotic nature and striking human faces that fascinate me, I candidly capture them on my hi-tech camera,” quips Neil who incidentally is an ardent fan of Kishore Kumar songs from yesteryear musical milestone movies like ‘Jawani Diwani’, ‘Padosan’ and ‘Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi’.
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