Rajkumar Hirani is a National Award and Filmfare Award-winning director, screenwriter and film editor, best known for the films Munna Bhai MBBS and 3 Idiots, earning him a well-respected place in cinematic history. The filmmaker led a 5th Veda session with the students of Whistling Woods International, sharing some tips on filmmaking and beyond.
1. “Filmmaking is not just a passion but an obsession to reach to millions.”
Rajkumar Hirani is known for making films that break barriers and address some of India’s major social and cultural issues. He talks about combining passion with obsession, saying, “Passion is something you desire and obsession is the effort you put to fulfill your desire.”
2. “Advertisement is like 30-second storytelling. Speed and pacing are what you learn from ad-films, which in turn, is essential for movie-making.”
Rajkumar Hirani spent the early years of his career working in the advertising industry, even featuring in a Fevicol commercial. He discussed how his experience in advertising helped him become a better filmmaker.
3. “Observe life and human issues from a different angle — from a humorous perspective.”
Filmmaking is more than a profession, Rajkumar Hirani believes, elaborating on the learnings he has gathered because of the art. He shared how his perspective on life has helped him craft some of the most successful stories, from 3 Idiots to PK.
4. “Filmmaking is a collaborative effort. One can never make a film alone.”
Rajkumar Hirani’s first directorial venture was Munnabhai MBBS, which is now considered a cult classic. It broke all formulaic conventions associated with Bollywood films, skyrocketing his career. He discussed how his success would not have been possible without a collaborative effort from his team. Every element in filmmaking, be it the editing, the actors, the sound, the cinematography, contributes to the final product and should be done in sync with one another.
5. “Always remember, be dedicated to your work and success will follow.”
Quoting an idea that he used as the ethos of his film 3 Idiots, Rajkumar Hirani ended the session by encouraging the students to not just chase success, but do what they love.
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