Viveck Vaswani actor-filmmaker who played a significant role in moulding Salman and Shah Rukh’s early career, is acknowledged for speaking his mind.
In an exclusive chat recently, Viveck credited for making SRK turn ‘saleable’ in the early ’90s, opened up on the ongoing debate on nepotism, film industry privileges and why stardom cannot simply be inherited or handed over, notwithstanding who launches you.
Viveck Vaswani also recalled how the business of cinema has evolved over the years and why hard work, knowledge and discipline still remain the cornerstones of success.
Adding further he says he has seen a lot of other people being launched and he has seen Salman Khan trying to launch Zaheer Iqbal, Mohnish’s daughter Pranutan, Sooraj Pancholi, and his own brother-in-law Ayush Sharma who married Arpita and asks pointedly as to why they never turned stars?.
Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan never wanted to do films as he was happy doing serials, however, it was after his mother’s death he decided.
Viveck Vaswani pointed out on the fact that the answer lies in understanding the difference amid a launch and a career.
Sans Salman, they won’t be able to do anything because they have not learnt the business. But even if they do learn the business, that won’t automatically make them superstars.
As per Viveck Vaswani success in Bollywood be it for an outsider like Shah Rukh Khan or an insider with powerful connections ultimately comes down to intelligence, adaptability and sheer perseverance.
“It’s the same business for everybody. The same textbooks, the same history, the same understanding of Raj Kapoor, Vijay Anand, Bimal Roy, and Guru Dutt. Eventually, knowledge and qualifications are going to take one to success.
He also revealed that back in the days, he and Shah Rukh would go to filmy parties in normal clothes as their focus was more on interacting and getting work. He said but nowadays the youngsters are more trained and well groomed.
While he doesn’t dismiss the advantages star kids may have, he did stress on the fact that stardom can never be gifted.
And said Shah Rukh became a star because he really worked hard and achieve super stardom.
Being launched by a superstar is an opportunity, not a guarantee. Shah Rukh Khan turned out to be a phenomenon not because someone gave him a film, but because he worked relentlessly to make himself saleable, bankable, and irreplaceable. That’s the difference amid being helped and helping yourself.
When Abhu Khan helped Shah Rukh,his job wasn’t to give home film job was to give him a career. The launch is only the beginning; what you do with that opportunity determines your future.
Viveck Vaswani also highlighted an uncomfortable truth on the industry that access alone doesn’t sustain a career. He said: “You can’t survive on someone else’s name forever,” “The business is ruthless. You have to earn your place.”
Viveck is now a Dean of Pearl Academy and has launched many faces in the industry. Dhoom director Sanjay Gadhvi was his prodigy.
He told us: “I have launched enough people when I did Pathar Ke Phool – Sanjay Gadhvi (who made Dhoom 2) was my assistant. Sanjay Gupta (Kaante Director) was my assistant. When I did Gawahi, Ashutosh Gowariker was young and new and she gave him a lead role with Zeenat Aman. When she did
Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, it was Anant Mahadevan’s first film as a director. He has spent on his life working with new people. He teaches them and they’ve all emerged successful. So that’s terrific.”
News Edit KV Raman