FILM INTERVIEW: ABHISHEK BACHCHAN & BIPASHA BASU

Duo Leads Star-Studded Cast of Bollywood’s Remake of ‘The Italian Job’ in ‘Players’

By: Simran Mody

January 3, 2012

Despite the surprise hit of No One Killed Jessica at the outset of 2011, the first weekend of January is traditionally a poor one for Bollywood’s box office. Studio 18 hopes Players, its remake of Hollywood’s The Italian Job, will make it two straight years that a film has set a positive tone in the New Year. Of course, it helps to have a star-studded cast of Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Bobby Deol, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Johnny Lever, and Omi Vaidya.

In speaking to the media, both Mr. Bachchan and Ms. Basu spoke of how Players sets itself apart from films such as Dhoom, as well as the liberties they each were afforded in making the film come to life.

Simran Mody: Abhishek, is Players similar to Dhoom? If not, what separates the two films?

Abhishek Bachchan: Players and Dhoom are two different films. Dhoom was a cops-robbers face-off, and all the main characters in Players are thieves. However, the genre of both films is the same. Both films are action-thrillers, but director-duo Abbas-Mustan have given a different treatment to Players.

SM: Bipasha, speaking of the co-directors, how did Abbas-Mastan give you the space you needed to make your character play out well?

Bipasha Basu: The directors Abbas-Mastan have shot the film in a very Indian way. As compared to the female lead in The Italian Job, my character has lot more space in Players. Also, while the Hollywood hit captured that time, Players reflects the present age, and the change in look and feel is apparent and important.

SM: So Abhishek, Players really has no comparison by Bollywood’s standards, but as an action flick and as a film where you get to reprise a role defined by the great Michael Caine, what does this film signify to you?

AB: I enjoy doing action films. Actually, in the last two-three years, I have done more experimental films, and I was really looking forward to get back to my original love. When Abbas narrated the film, I was all excited to start it. I knew he is the man who can handle the remake properly. Being from a British boarding school, Michael Caine used to be my hero. I have watched his The Italian Job many times. There was a time when I used to know all the dialogue by heart.

SM: What are your thoughts on the Hollywood remake directed by F. Gary Gray? And what are you contributing to this film to separate Players from the two Hollywood counterparts?

AB: Mark Wahlberg did a superb job, as he portrayed a completely different character from what Caine had done. He gave his own spin to the character. Similarly, when I approached the film, I also tried to do something different. I took it as a challenge to portray the character in my own way but by maintaining the essence of the originality in it. Usually, in our films, we see thieves steal either for greed or money, but there is an emotional reason attached to it.

SM: Bipasha, you are in a Hollywood film -- Roland Joffe’s Singularity (with Josh Hartnett). Tells us about jumping the bridge into American film...

BB: It is a period film. I am happy the way my character shaped up, and I now wait for its release next year. I am proud to be part of such a project by a director like Ronald Joffe. My other upcoming release (in Bollywood), Jodi Breakers, has also shaped up really well, where I am paired opposite an actor of R Madhavan’s caliber.

Viacom 18's ‘Players’opens worldwide on January 6, 2012.