11 May,2010 10:31 AM IST | | Special Features
Sanjay and Ankita Singh are over the moon. The son of the president of the Mumbai Congress Party, a qualified commercial pilot, a state basketball champion and a real estate businessman, Sanjay's first film as a producer, Udaan (produced along with Anurag Kashyap, directed by Vikram Motwane) has struck gold. It has been selected for the Cannes Film Festival. We meet the beautiful couple, who has just celebrated their second wedding anniversary, at their Bandra residence as they prepare to leave for France. "Cannes is my anniversary gift to Ankita!" says a beaming Sanjay, as he talks about his film and the things that drive him to success:
WHO: Sanjay and Ankita Singh
WHAT: Talking about the kind of projects Sanjay wants to work on as they prepare to leave for Cannes
WHERE: At their Bandra home
Going international
We are thrilled! This is the second time I'm representing India internationally ufffd the first time was at the under-nineteen junior level basketball championships and now at the Cannes with a film. It is a real privilege to represent India at such a prestigious forum and I'm excited.
I was thinking of getting into film production for a while, but was not clear how to go about it. Then Anurag told me about this script. I loved the film as soon as I heard the script, I wanted to be a part of its making. It's the best decision I have made. But it was funny, because some big names in the industry had turned it down before it came to me. Some even asked Vikram to spice it up with an item song!
Pay back
Making commercial cinema, where you spend Rs 50-60 crore and think nothing about it, is not my style. I want to bring about a change in the society by focussing on real people and all the issues they face. I've lived in the slums for 25 years of my life and know what struggle and honest hard work is. Financial concerns led me to drop my job as a pilot and get into a construction business that proved immensely successful. Now I'm motivated to give something meaningful back to society through cinema, sports or construction. A good film is a good film. That's the only lens I will look through while selecting my projects. But right now, I'm drawn to stories that reflect the real India, and in some sense, give hope or inspire. Udaan's father-son story is one that will ring true for a host of people and so is very relevant.u00a0
Next move
I've now teamed up with a French production house for my next film, also being directed by a Cannes festival winner, Manish Jha. It tells the story of a man who goes through a tremendous personal tragedy and instead of being beaten by it, comes through shining and creates a glorious destiny for his people. I'm even more excited about it than Udaan!
All for love
Recently we celebrated our second anniversary. Even though we had an arranged marriage, we clicked instantly. In fact, we decided to get married the very day we met. Ankita loves to travel. So this trip to Cannes, followed by a short holiday, is my extended anniversary gift to her. Wife Ankita adds, "Sanjay and I really get along well. Sanjay is very driven to give back to society in some way. I think it's beautiful and I will support him in his efforts in whatever way I can."
