/> For Shimit Amin the leap from the gritty cops film Ab Tak Chappan to the world of female hockey players in Chak De India....is astounding!

Man, what a leap in time and pace!

Says the softspoken movie maker, "For me it's just the script. I react to the script. It didn't matter which genre. But yes, the thought of doing a hockey film was challenging. Because nobody had done it.

It gave me a chance to explore an entirely untried genre. Jaideep Sahni's script was something I wanted to put on screen. I've come from the US and this film gave me a chance to connect to one new part of Indian culture."

But the audiences responded somewhat warily to the theatrical trailer of Chak De India where all the hockey playing girls were brought on screen one after another.

"We were experimenting with the trailer format by putting a music video. We clearly wanted to introduce the thirteen characters through the film. It was a broad canvas. Some people did like it. Others didn't.

The trailer was an experiment, just as much as the film. Chak De India doesn't have romance songs and the formula. My film is about characters who'll hopefully involve the audience within five minutes of playing time."

Casting for the roles of the female hockey players was a grueling task. "It was very difficult to cast. We had to find girls who could play hockey and speak lines that were quite complicated. We had to go to different parts of the country and find women who could play sports. We looked for girls who were firstly athletic, and then see if they could hold the hockey stick."

Shimit discovered how poorly hockey was treated in this country. "When I'd go out on Sunday mornings searching for female athletes, every single green patch that I passed had boys playing cricket. No hockey anywhere, forget female hockey players.

I couldn't even see one female cricket anywhere. I'd be so envious. If I had to make a cricket movie my life would be so much easier. But we loved the script so much we wanted to be true to it as much as possible."

Finally after months of search, semi-athletic females were chosen. "We had to choose semi-actors and train them to play hockey and to act. For three months we would wake up at 4.30 every morning and they'd play hockey for five hours and then undergo physiotherapy.

It was nerve-wracking. We didn't know if it'd work. But all the actors, hockey players and actors-players helped one another. They all became one community. The cast never felt it was acting. Finally they looked convincing as a team."

An expert from the US had to be roped in to train and choreograph the team. "We had lots of experts on the game helping out. It became more than a movie. It evolved into a project."

Shimit Amin whose first and so far only film Ab Tak Chappan came a good three years ago, is flummoxed by rumours Chak De India had to be re-shot.

"Not a frame has been re-shot—any crew member can vouch for that. There was another rumour about the hard disc crashing. It didn't happen. Even if it did there was nothing to panic about. Any computer- savvy guy knows hard discs are backed up and can easily be replaced."

The idea behind the film was to revive the sport. "Shah Rukh Khan had played hockey and his passion for the game remained. Once you play hockey you remain hooked to it.As for Shah Rukh, you'd be surprised to know how similar in attitude he is to Nana Patekar who starred in my first film.

They both understand the cinematic medium completely. Their knowledge of the medium is astounding. Look at the varied work Shah Rukh has done...from Mani Kaul to Aziz Mirza to Aditya Chopra. "

Would audiences like Shah Rukh as a burnt-out hockey coach?

Shimit has an answer. "I've known Shah Rukh for years. During Asoka I worked in his company, doing promos. He knew what I am all about. As for his image, to date people consider Shah Rukh's performance in Swades among his best. And that was different.

We never thought of his image or anything else. I was just interested the whole world /community of hockey, just as the whole relationship between cops and crime interested me in Ab Tak Chappan. "

He's all praise for his producers. "Ram Gopal Varma was so supportive during Ab Tak Chappan. And now during Chak De, Mr Yash and Aditya Chopra were completely supportive. Aditya knows his job fully. At the same time he's very non-interfering. Chak De is far more complicated in terms of technical effects."

Does Chak De India abide by the 'Yashraj' mood?

"We just went by what needed to be done in the script. Now that I've done it I'm not bothered. I do want people to be charged about a neglected sport. Beyond that I'm not getting performing anxities."

He perks up. "I'm glad films on sports are being made in Mumbai. There's just 3-4 genres to explore. I've done what I wanted to do in Chak De India...What am I doing next? I wish I knew. But it has to be the story that interests me.But yes, I've a contract for three films with Yashraj films."

Finally has Shimit become a hockey player? "No no...I can't play any sport. But Shah Rukh wasn't just a hockey player from before he actually went out on the field and played for the film."