Manoj Tiwari, director of 'Hello Darling', tells Jyothi Venkatesh that 'Hello Darling' sets out to tackle a serious issue like sexual harassment of women at work place in a light way.

What is the reason that though 'Hello Darling' isn't a star studded film which was launched two years ago is being released only now?
Though I'd have been happier if it had been completed at a stretch without a break in between, the fact is that there are several factors which have contributed to the delay in the making of "Hello Darling'. First of all the recession came and several films just came and went away without creating any ripple at the box office.

Then there was 'Yuvraj' from the same banner and hence the focus was more on that star studded project than 'Hello Darling'. Thanks to the dismal failure of 'Yuvraj', Subashji's banner also had a set back though he did make profits out of the project.

Why didn't you opt for bigger stars for 'Hello Darling' and cast Javed Jaffery in the lead with Gul Panag, Celina Jaitley and Eesha Kopikar?
My film does not boasts of any stars in the cast. Javed isn't a star. Frankly speaking, I cast Javed only because no star worthy his salt would come forward to do a negative role like the one Javed has done in my film.

I wanted an actor with no image and did not want a star that automatically comes with his image as the baggage. A star does not necessarily mean that your film will be a hit. 'Tashan' did not run even for one day though it was from Yashraj Films and had the biggest of stars like Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor because content was just not there in the film. If you get a star as well as content it will be like sone pe suhaga.

Is it true that you had wasted Shreyas Talapde by deleting his song after you had shot it with him?
I plead guilty to the accusation. It was very kind of Shreyas to have come forward to shoot for a song, because he felt that he owes it to Subhashji who had given him a break with his film 'Iqbal' but I decided to cut it from the film because I felt that having the song with Shreyas would be tantamount to cheating the audience who will expect more of Shreyas in my film.

How did you start your journey in films?
I started off as an assistant to Sangeet Sivan in films like 'Zor', 'Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dilko' and 'Apna Sapna Money Money', Padam Kumar in 'Champion', Sunny Deol in 'Dillagi', Guddu Dhanoa in 'Shaheed Bhagat Singh' and last but not the least Subhash Ghai in 'Kisna' before I was asked by Subhashji to direct 'Hello Darling' for his banner Mukta Arts.

I am proud of the fact that Subhash Ghai who has not given any assistant of his a break as a director in the last 35 years of his career reposed his trust in me and chose me to direct a film for his own banner.

In what way is 'Hello Darling' different from Subhashji's earlier films?
My film is definitely different from the kind of films made by Subhashji earlier. It belongs to an entirely different genre altogether. It isn't a comedy film at all. I'd say that it sets out to tackle a serious issue like sexual harassment of women at work place in a light way. I have driven home the message that whether a woman is good looking or ugly, she is bound to face the problem.

What message do you set out to drive home through your film?
Though it is out and out an entertainer, I drive home the message that women should wisely and boldly tackle their problems at workplace when they are subjected to sexual harassment instead of taking rash decisions like resigning from their jobs or committing suicide.

What is your approach as a director?
As a director, I have confidence in my subject. In fact, I'd even go to the extent of stating that even if Mukta Arts had not produced the film, all the actors would have acted in my film.

I believe that a filmmaker should be able to connect to his audience by talking to them in a language which they understand. 'Ghajni' and 'Wanted' worked everywhere because the audience could connect to the subjects but 'Kites' did not work because Rakesh Roshan alienated the audiences by not being able to connect to them.

Considering that you are a new director, how tough was it for you to enforce discipline on the sets?
On the very first day when I started shooting, Esha Koppikar sent word through her assistant that she would report on the sets only after my writer came.

I told her assistant that she need not report at all on the sets till the writer came and started shooting with the other actors present and then she came rushing to the sets and told me that she was waiting for the writer to come to perfect her lines.

I told her that there was a guy present on the sets to coach every one since the writer need not come every day to the sets. Since then she reported at the dot every day on the sets.

Is it true that Esha refused to do a bold scene since she had got married?
Esha refused to open the zip of her blouse when I needed her to do a scene in which she was required to seduce Javed and ultimately I had to cheat by shooting the scene by showing Javed's close up reaction to her opening her zip. A new director should know how to cheat when the artiste is not comfortable enough to do a scene the way he wants it to be done.

Do you think that since Esha Koppikar is married, the film would suffer?
My film depends on its subject which is its USP and it does not matter at all whether Esha Koppikar or for that matter any heroine in my film is married or pregnant.

What next?
Though I was signed by Mukta Arts only to make one film, after seeing the rushes of 'Hello Darling', Subhashji has signed me to direct two more films for his banner. I am all set to launch two films shortly, one for Mukta Arts and one for an outside producer. I have kept the working titles as 'Saavdhaani Hati Durghatana Ghati' and 'Nandlal B.A Beema Agent'.