Umesh Mehra is a young 72, throbbing with creativity. The son of prolific filmmaker F.C. Mehra of the top banner of Eagle Films, the ever-genial writer-director now executive produces the new season of his father’s cult TV production, the satire Office Office, which first aired in 2001. The new series, on Doordarshan and its OTT channel, Waves, is Office Office Chali Mussaddi Ki Beti.
Excerpts from the interview:
How did this new season happen, and why this serial in particular?
The story began three years ago at the Tashkent Film Festival. I am like a big star over there (Smiles) after Ali Baba Aur Chalis Chor and Sohni Mahiwal, and our I & B Ministry and DD officials who had come there observed that! They wanted us to do something together! I was hesitant to work with a government setup again, but they assured me that things had changed!
Then one fine day, the top Prasar Bharti officials organized a very professional meeting in Mumbai. I bounced off some ideas, and they asked me, “What about Office Office?” I replied, “Today, the biggest channel in the world will not be able to afford it as my actors—Pankaj Kapur, Manoj Pahwa, Deven Bhojani and Sanjay Mishra—have now become big! But I can turn the show into a modern one with a new outlook and cast and call it Mussaddi Ki Beti. I thought of this variation on the spot and it was approved instantly as well!
My production team and writers backed my idea. We wrote 13 episodes and they were approved! We began shooting on November 25 last year and by now 52 episodes have been delivered!
But why have neither you nor your brother Rajiv Mehra, who directed Office Office, been the director?
Rajiv said that he would not be able to work around a new version, and so we chose Rajan Waghdhare, who has done a couple of shows for us. As for me, I have always been a big-screen director. I have never been creatively involved in Rajiv’s past shows.
So what was your creative involvement here?
I got the writers, approved every script and all the casting and locations. The rest was up to the director. And we had a great one!
The title-song is by Anu Malik, an Eagle favourite.
I wanted a solid title-song that can create magic, and Anu composed the mukhda in 40 seconds flat and I coined the lyrics there and then! (Laughs)
How was the cast decided?
By auditions. Shruti Sharma, who plays the protagonist, has done work on television and a small role in Heeramandi. We have deliberately cast only young actors.
A point I always wanted to ask: did you act in Shah Rukh Khan’s Asoka?
Of course! Shah Rukh had done Chamatkar and Ram Jaane with us and he asked me to do a small role as Chandragupta Maurya. But did you know that my father actually wanted me to be an actor and I had even applied to the Film & Television Institute of India? Luckily, I was rejected!
Why ‘luckily’?
Right from college, I would attend script and music sessions and narrations, and was drawn more to the creative aspects. I became fourth assistant to Shammi (Kapoor) uncle on Manoranjan, the guy who is lowest in the hierarchy, summons actors on sets and moves furniture! I was also very interested in editing and would spend all my spare time with the film editors. By the time I was assisting Shammi uncle on Bundalbaaz, I would even give suggestions.
And then you made Hamaare Tumhaare with Sanjeev Kumar and Raakhee.
And simultaneously, Ali Baba Aur Chalis Chor! Did you know I would shoot Hamaare Tumhaare here by night, fly to Tashkent to shoot for Alibaba… by day and come back for Hamaare… again! Yes, Hamaare… released first.
How did the co-productions with Russia take off?
That’s an interesting story. Dad had gone to the Tashkent Film Festival and we had decided on two co-productions: one was Pathaan¸ an action romance to be shot in Afghanistan, which Yash Chopra was to direct, and the other was Mirza Ghalib with Gulzar. The first did not take off because of the political changes in Afghanistan, while we thought that the poetry needed for Mirza Ghalib would lose its essence in the Russian translation. After discussing many subjects, my father suggested the legend of Alibaba and told them that I would direct it!
Looking back, with hits like Sabse Bada Khiladi, Mujrim, Jaal and Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi as well, do you have a favourite film?
Sohni Mahiwal! It was a most satisfying six-month start-to-finish shoot with great music.
You have worked with the finest actors. Who are your favourites among them?
Zeenat Aman, who was in Alibaba…, Ashanti and Sohni…, was around my age and more of a buddy. Dilip-saab was the easiest of them all. When we met for Qila, I told him, “I will not teach you how to do a scene! Please do not teach me how to direct!” He did test me but was surprised at how I handled my scenes. But I have never gone on sets without a complete script with shot divisions and I am planning my new film in the same way.
So the Eagle will soar again?
Yes! My father was a clerk in the Air Force. The squadron in which he worked was called ‘Eagle’ and so he decided to name our banner as Eagle Films. Dad was straightforward and hot-tempered and when he had a showdown with a corrupt superior, he was suspended. My family had come here after Partition, and with mouths to feed, dad bought a film and took the reels by train to Kabul and showed it there. Soon, he was doing this on a regular basis.
Then one film was not being completed due to lack of funds, and my father got down to complete it and that’s how Sipahsalar (1956) with Shammi uncle was made. From then on, he rapidly established himself, bought the Minerva cinema in Mumbai and the Plaza in New Delhi along with him and then, from the 1980s, we also began making serials too, like Mama Ji, Zabaan Sambhal Ke, LOC—Life Out Of Control, Shararat and others.
Which genre of film will you make now?
A film I enjoy, not one that will win awards!
