In his first production venture, Abhishek Bachchan has set the standard high with ‘Paa’. In his first interview, with Shashank Chouhan of spicezee.com, after the release of the film, junior Bachchan recounts his experience in the film and tells us why Aishwarya is taking keen interest in AB Corp Ltd.

Shashank: Do you think Indian audiences are ready to fully appreciate such films, or is it that such films need to be made and ABCL is taking on the task?

Abhishek: Well, I think the answer to your question is in the collections of the movie – the collections are huge – thankfully! Our complete thanks to the audience, so I think with the collections being so big it goes to answer the question that the audience is prepared to see this kind of cinema and is wanting to!

Shashank: You are playing the father of your father. How does it fit-in your mind space?!

Abhishek:Very easily. At the end of the day, it is just another role that you are playing and you have to play, you can’t allow yourself to get so personal about these things. Somewhere you have to cut off from your self and be a bit clinical about what you are doing.

Shashank: But why not other way round- Amitabh Bachchan could have been the father and you the son…

Abhishek:Balki was very keen to show a father in his early thirties and the role of Amol Arte was of a young politician. I am in my early thirties and my father is 67 – There would be too much of a generation gap, if a 67 year old was a father of a 13 year old.

Shashank: Auro has told us how tough it was getting into his make-up. How tough was creating a character like Auro?

Abhishek:I think Auro was beautifully written by Balki and when you have got such a definite framework it always makes the actor’s life a lot easier… not to say that the actor does not have any contribution – the actor’s contribution is immense but when you have a definite framework, you know what you really have to do – so it does aid you a lot. Getting into the make-up was something which was very cumbersome, but not for the rest of the unit. We worked around Paa’s make-up and while he was doing his 4-5 hours of make-up, we used to try and finish up as much work without him so that when he was on set, we minimized his time on set and in make-up

Shashank: Auro also said he was a very childish on the sets…

Abhishek:He was a 13 years old, you are meant to be childish, it is allowed. He did his job perfectly. He was very good at doing his job so as long as you are doing your job well, I don’t think anyone will have any complaints.

Shashank: How did you choose Balki for such a sensitive theme?

Abhishek:I didn’t choose Balki – Balki chose us. It was Balki’s concept and Balki’s script! He came to us with it, so Balki chose us!

Shashank: How did you and your father prepare for this kind of film?

Abhishek:Well, we basically sat down and spoke a lot and decided that the father-son relationship we wanted to portray on screen was that which was very close to what our real life relationship is. But apart from that there was no extensive rehearsal or research that we went into it.

Shashank: You play an on-screen politician. Is politics something you would like to do in near future?

Abhishek:Not at all.

Shashank: How was it working with Vidya Balan again? She says there is something magical in your eyes…

Abhishek:Vidya is a wonderful performer, this is my second film with her. We have worked together in Guru and I really think that she is wonderful at what she does. She has been an incredible support to the movie and has really done a fantastic job!

Shashank: What are your upcoming projects?

Abhishek:My next release is going to be Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavan’ in summer and then there will be Ashutosh Gowarikar’s ‘Khele Hum Jee Jaan Se’

Shashank: How is it like working with Mani Ratnam?

Abhishek:Working with Mani Ratnam is always a memorable occasion for anybody and this is my third film with him, so it was as memorable as the last two.

Shashank: We have heard Aishwarya is taking keen interest in ABCL apart from Amitabh Bachchan and yourself…

Abhishek:First and foremost, it is AB Corp Limited – it has been renamed AB Corp Limited and Aishwarya is part of the family, being a member of the family her opinion is always asked for.

Shashank: What do you think about her landing a project with Ben Kingsley?

Abhishek:I am not too sure whether that is confirmed as of right now, so it would not be prudent to comment on it

Shashank: Do you enjoy producing a film or acting in it?

Abhishek:Acting in a film!