Hindi films are tanking at the box office, where do you think we're going wrong?
Let's just leave it
if it's done, it's done let's not get into it again
we actors are labours, we get hired we have to work for 12 hours, it's in the contract
you have to the promotions for this many days
We got inspired by Britain's Criminal Justice and made 2 sequels of it
and now they'll make it after being inspired by this
it's a crime to do comedy in India
and seeing the criminals we do get a feeling of comedy so I think we need to balance it
Hi this is himesh and welcome to Pinkvilla
Today we have with us the director and actor of Criminal Justice Season 3
Welcome to Pinkvilla guys, it's lovely having you here
Thank you
My first question is to both of you actually
Season 1-3
Number 1; how according to you has the series evolved on the scale front and
and Pankaj sir for how has your character evolved in these 3 seasons
I think on scale front
I think the writing is more ambitious in the sense that this is the first original one
the first two were based on a British adaptation but
this is the first time we're doing something original so
the ambition has increased on the other hand
I think, the production value is we're trying to increase
Most importantly in the creative writing Madhav Mishra keeps growing as a character
his relationships, characters around him, on the personal side
as well as the professional cases that has become more and more interesting
as we go ahead and we learn more about him
so I think those are the things and the nice thing with a show like Criminal Justice is
of course, you retain central characters like Madhav Mishra
Ratna,
but you also get to bring in fresh actors in each season
last year we had Jisshu, I mean last season we had
so many wonderful actors
this time we got Swastika, we've got Purab
young kids also, Shweta has done an amazing job
so it's very fun because lot of the continuity is there
and each time there is something very fresh that you bring in to the team
And sir according to you how do you think your character has evolved?
in these 3 seasons, because in the first season you were the underdog
but as the series is progressing your character is having an evolution
so how do you view this?
It's the writer's job, we don't have much say in it
but of course we also keep it on mind that the last 2 cases that we had
that experience gets added to Madhav's life So,
for me also it has become easier to understand the character's behaviour
How Madhav Mishra is? Since, we have already done 2 seasons
Rest is basically the writer's job
But sir, what attracts you the most in this character?
What is the biggest USP of this character according to you?
Madhav Mishra's
His...
His way of handling
the way he handles his work, that's interesting
his sarcasm is very interesting
he is very sarcastic, he takes a jibe at you always
Sir actually that was my next question to you
it's a courtroom thriller but in this series
One of the USPs of this franchise is the fact that there's a lot of humour to the character
How was it to get that? for you as a director
See first of all it has to be from the writers so I think
The writers, producers and us we were all on the same page that
in this genre to make this unique along with the courtroom drama
you really connect to Madhav through his sense of humour and through that
I think you just enjoy the show a lot more so that's
that was there on paper then it was up to us
Pankaj Ji and I have felt a lot of times that there is a window for humour
maybe it's not there in the script but-
it could be a look but the Pankaj Ji talks or
anything, it could be the way, we just changed that
sometimes we added lines like there is scope to make it entertaining
so I think it's just about that
having that confidence that the character of the show is not changing but
we are enhancing them
you know
making it more appealing and more accessible
at the same time keeping the seriousness of the case and all of that
Keeping that in our mind so it's a very
it's a very enjoyable process
to find that right balance
because in theory it's all good but bringing it in to action is not simple
and again you can't do it if you don't have wonderful actors
who understands that because it can't be explained
actually, sir that is my next question, you know when we look at social media
there're a lot of actors who are appreciated for their excellent dialogue deliveries
or the way they react in certain situations,
but when it comes to you, many people say that your eyes are very expressive
your smile, your body movements express it
how do you take these comments and
And how do you define this approach of acting of yours?
This is what acting is.
How should I define it? This is acting
you must have seen your memes as well.
yeah yeah I've seen a lot of those memes
So I think earlier there weren't these small nuances
but now it's a thing and because
and social media has this microscope
yeah people have these microscopic lenses
and they notice every small detail and gestures
previously, people didn't notice such small details so we had to do
over-exaggerating things in the films
look at the courtrooms of our Hindi films
and now look at the courtroom in Criminal Justice
so they are very different
it's very real now like before it was more of a larger than life thing-
Although we have maintained both the things
it's a bit dramatic but at the same it's very real as well
correct and sir there's a dialogue in the trailer
where the dialogue is- it's about media trial
and that is an environment that happens even today
there's a lot of media trial for everything
so what are your views on this especially in today's times?
Both of you. When there're so many things on media trial
where the reality is different from what's being shown
We are trying to portray that only.
we are not directly commenting on it but showing it through the show that
we know that this is how things go!
For any high profile case
there are two trials going on so we are showing that only it's an additional-
here our point of focus is family how they get affected, like
Purab and Swastika and their child face it
where in one hand the courtroom trial is going on and on the other hand
the media is passing its separate judgements
so that is for the audience, it's a question How do they see this?
Maybe the members of the media to think about
individually every media organisation wants news and scoops and whatever
but it has its effects but now
but that is the point-
basically the dignity has gone away maybe in terms of reporting
Yeah yeah and we can't go back because we have so many technologies now
people have phones and access to things but
maybe we need to be more mature about how to handle all these things
and Sir, what do you have to say about the media trials that happen
and especially it happens with our industry the most
the media trials, what do you have to say about this
it's a very popular as well as a PR-driven industry
so firstly...
that has been shown in the series that we should be a little sensitive
before putting someone on a trial
and then people have the freedom to think
everybody has their own perception they should understand that their way
in this age of the internet, it's a huge network system
no one knows who's watching from where
Yeah that is the thing now basically,
there's this saying now-a-days because of the internet that
everyone is a critique today
everyone has an opinion basically on social media and all
and sir according to you, as you mentioned that
this is the first in the franchise which is original
so what according to the two of you is the biggest usp
and how did you get this idea of making an original
in this franchise
The biggest USP is sitting next to me
No no as Madhav Mishra, obviously Pankaj ji playing that
has become the usp
but I think for good drama shows, the characters are central
you have this character and the role of a lawyer is again a great part you know
so that's an opportunity for an actor as well
It's a fun experience and from the audience front
it becomes the identity and it should be because
like in a courtroom drama with the lawyer in similar way with a detective
in a detective show, you will associate with so
these archetypes are exciting, especially for this medium
more than cinema more than other media it's made for this
here you can tell a complex story as well
whether it's humour, drama, or emotion
but the centre to all these is the character
And sir as per you what's the usp of this season?
The USP of this season is that
we made the previous 2 seasons inspired by Britain's series
now, the opposite will happen they'll make series inspired by this
so it will reverse it, you've made 2 seasons
and now we are making this original and you adapt it for
the next season of Criminal Justice
So to the West, this is BBC India's offer
Like the east India company
Since we are sitting in this courtroom setup
we'll play a small segment here
in the first one, there are some silly accusations on you
that you will answer and the next segment
Whatever I'll say I'll speak the truth so let's start with the first segment
first allegation is toward Pankaj sir
Pankaj Ji, why are you not giving any updates on Mirzapur?
I am the actor, not the platform, that job is for the platform
but it's being made?
That's for the platform to say, I am an actor, a labour
we actors are labours we're hired to work for 12 hours, it's there in the contract
We have to come for the promotions for so and so days
so the proprietors will tell when it'll come we're just labours
Rohan: why are you not making Bluffmaster 2?
There have reports in the media so many times
that Bluffmaster is being made but
But, the film's title itself has the answer
if we make it our bluff will be over right?
until people are in utter confusion about whether it's being made or not
until it happens we will do justice to the film's soul
so that is the answer
But do you plan to make it or not?
Would you believe me if I tell you now
well you would also think no if I said yes and yes if I said no
Okay and Pankaj Ji, you've worked with Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan
but you haven't worked with Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn, so when will that happen?
You've done some small roles in the initial stage of your career
you should ask them, why are you asking me?
but many fans want to see it-
when it's supposed to happen, it'll happen
Life's script is in God's hands, so when what will happen how can we know?
Rohan you've made quite a few films for the ott
when will you make one for the big screen?
i think like
Pankaj Ji told we can't write the
scripts for timeline of what you're doing
Ideas and work on scripts are in progress
there are so many interesting works happening on ott
that you don't want to lose out on that because
what doesn't happen in films we're sitting here doing the 3rd season
you know that too is such a pleasure to be able to go back like
I did the 2nd season and I'm back for the 3rd so
from the first day itself you can pick up and extend the relationship
the way you work and be better at your job
so there are very interesting advantages for ott
also, keep that work exciting
but I'm hoping there will be a film very soon but you know
until it all comes together and then also I'll give the same answer
I am just labour how can I say so
This will be a conflict now
and the last allegation is for you Pankaj Ji
How are you so calm all the time?
My battery is on discharge always
so that keeps me calm always
No no, my personality is like that only
what will I even achieve by being over excited all the time
nowadays everyone is excited about everything so staying calm in midst of this is unique
it feels like what has he done? He has done nothing
but even on the set this calm when there are intense scenes
because sometimes actors, when they have high-pitched scenes
stay high-pitched even behind the scenes
no I think it's opposite I think he and I are quite similar
I think we both know that we want to do good work
let there be least tension, or else it becomes a distraction
you know you shouldn't even realise we're working but the work goes on smoothly
for me I think, different people have different way of working
No absolutely I agree with you
Okay, the last segment 'Jo Kahunga Sach Kahunga'
The first statement or question is for the both of you
Hindi films are not doing well, what according to you is going wrong?
We're not understanding the audience. It's simple.
I mean obviously, what we are thinking and what the audience is thinking is differing
and Pankaj ji?
Same answer
So we are going wrong in the content only basically
Yeah absolutely, we cannot self-assess the problems
Pankaj ji for you, many actors have confessed that they've done
movies just for the money, not for the script, have you ever done that?
yeah yeah one or two I've also done
okay you too, you won't take names- no no why would I take names now
Rohan, last 10 years you have tried too make a lot of movies
but the scripts were rejected from the production houses
is that true or false?
yeah not just last 10 years I think
for any person, you end up seeing the things that are successful
and the ones that fail you don't get to see
like Michael Jordan has given a lot of game-winning shots
and he has missed a lot as well, but you don't remember that
so I think you take it as a lesson
and you realise you have to work hard and where you'll reach you never know
you have to do things with conviction and the rest is not in your hands
but there's lots of time, there might be good reasons that they didn't get made
but you learn from each one and you keep moving
i think that's the
that's the ultimate- the only thing you can do actually
I don't think there's any alternative
Pankaj Ji do you aspire to be a writer or director?
Yeah but not a writer because it's a hard job
but I would like to be a director
but not now and i don't know when
For you... Rohan
One film or one subject which you want to make?
and you will make
I think
not even a film, I think the genre that I personally love is a comedy
i think there's such an opportunity because
very less of it are being made here
here also, we've brought in some comic elements, but I would love to
more and more comedy
you know crime and comedy
it is a crime to do comedy in India
and watching the criminals in movies gives you a comic feel
so I think we need to balance it out
I have done criminal justice, now a comedy would be great
a combo?
a combination
Okay last one for both of you
Pankaj ji, one character that you wanted to do but couldn't do it?
that was offered to you but you couldn't do it for some reason
let it be
what didn't happen let's not talk about them
why talk about that?
ok not offered but any one character or film that you've watched
and you felt like I wish I could do this
no I don't feel that way
what I have done is done
what's there in my fate will happen no matter what
and sure you'll give the same answer now
but one film
one film actually which you feel, you could have directed better
better? No
I don't think that
there are so many wonderful stories being told
like Pankaj ji said I don't
ever watch films with that perspective
nor I think like that
as a maker you are always just interested in what you can do
or enjoy what someone is doing
it's not entirely up your alley but you try to understand why someone has done it
I don't think for me it's a thing doing something right
Like Pankaj ji said when it's done, it's done
as makers, you are always thinking the day the film edit is locked
the master's done, it's actually over for you
I think I watched Bluffmaster the first time I think
15-16 years after it released because my father also
saw Sholay after 20-25 years for the first time
because your connections are so different because when you're working
that is alive, and once it's finished
you can't do anything to it so it's better to leave that alone
that's the way I look at it
okay perfect thank you so much it was lovely speaking to the both of you
and best of luck for criminal justice
thank you
Hi this is Pankaj Tripathi and you are watching us on Pinkvilla
Hi this is Rohan Sippy and you're watching us on Pinkvilla