"I wanted to direct a Bollywood film for a long time, but I was waiting for the right subject. It was when I wrote 'Bodyguard' that I felt the story had a universal appeal and would work with the Hindi speaking audience," says director Siddique.
"I put forward this idea to one of my close friends in Mumbai who had been pressuring me to do a Hindi film. For the hero's role, when I suggested Salman Khan, she immediately put me through to his sister Alvira, who agreed to produce the film", added the hit director.
"A week later, Salman saw the movie, with subtitles, and called me to say he is doing the film, and I would be directing it."
"Initially, I was apprehensive about making headway in Bollywood, since I was not familiar with neither the language nor culture. So I watched a lot of Hindi films and observed their preoccupation with visuals and colours."
"I realised that at least in terms of cinematic philosophy, Hindi films is the opposite of Malayalam cinema, where simplicity is appreciated. However, fundamentally, human emotions are the same everywhere. We laugh at the same brand of humour, and cry in similar situations. The difference lies in the culture and the way of life."
"Bollywood is fast-paced. I realised that the same pace which I adopted for Bodyguard in Malayalam will not work. So, I reworked the screenplay to suit Salman's action image."
"My hero in Malayalam (Dileep) was a soft gullible chap, while in Tamil I focused on his romantic side (played by Vijay). But in Hindi, my hero plays a professional bodyguard, and does not study in college like in the Malayalam version. The common thread is the inherent innocence of the hero. In fact, in the Hindi version, it is a notch higher."
"What impressed me about Bollywood is their shrewd marketing, something still in the nascent stages down south. When I did the Malayalam version, it was a tedious process, as I was more or less running the show alone, right from direction to marketing. But when I began the Hindi project, I just needed to focus on my job, and leave the rest to an efficient PR team."
"On the sets, they maintained a disciplined secrecy, and made sure nobody clicked pictures. But once the film was set for release, they started promotions systematically, be it stars appearing on TV and radio or giving interviews. It was a great team effort."
"Even during the shoot, which started at noon and went on till midnight, the actors never complained. As for Salman, he is a professional with no airs. On location, very often it is a struggle to control the crowds in Kerala, but in Bollywood, it is done meticulously, and the director faces no botheration."
"As for my future projects, though I am getting several offers from Bollywood, I have a lot of commitments in Tamil and Malayalam.I am waiting for the response of the Hindi version, and then will decide on my future course of action. Hopefully, it will be a hat-trick of hits for Salman, after 'Dabanng' and 'Ready," says Siddique, the well-known Malayalam director.
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