Tisca Chopra talks in-depth about her experience of working in Aamir Khan's directorial movie, Taare Zameen Par (2007), in an exclusive flashback conversation with Lehren. The talented actress describes the film as a pivotal moment in her career because it garnered a lot of affection and praise from both reviewers and viewers. Chopra also revealed a few unique tales from the Taare Zameen Par sets, which included fresh talents like Vipin Sharma, Sachet Engineer, and Darsheel Safary. Learn some fascinating facts about Aamir Khan's filmmaking technique by watching this candid discussion with Tisca.
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00:00When you go away from the set or somewhere else and you say I was just shooting and I was shooting with Aamir Khan.
00:05When you get the reaction of Aamir Khan, then you realize that oh my God, you know, actually you were shooting with Aamir Khan.
00:11One thing that I will try very hard to put in my life is their focus.
00:16The way Aamir focuses on one thing, the rest of the world moves away and that thing remains in front.
00:23If an actor has such a focus, then any character can come up.
00:28Aamir and Amol gave me such a good platform to perform and I was able to perform so easily.
00:35After this, I will not let their name be spoiled because whatever work I do after this, I want their head to rise above that.
00:50I think someone was smiling at me that day.
00:55I was sitting and having lunch and I got a call that we are calling from Aamir Khan Productions.
01:01So I thought someone was pulling my leg because I don't know anyone in Aamir's office.
01:06So I said stop it. He said no, we are really calling from Aamir Khan Productions.
01:11So I said okay. He said he wants to audition me.
01:17So I said okay.
01:20Even then I felt that my friends were pulling my leg.
01:24So I said email me the scenes and let's see.
01:28So I checked my email and the scenes were there.
01:32So obviously after getting the scenes, I worked very hard.
01:36And when I auditioned, I was satisfied that I did as well as I could.
01:41After that, even if I didn't get the role, I wouldn't be very sad because I couldn't do better than that.
01:48Your filmy career started with a platform movie.
01:51You have worked in small and big screen roles.
01:54But working with Aamir Khan is a dream for many.
01:57So how was this experience for you?
02:00Actually my dream multiplied into three.
02:03Because working with Aamir Khan as an actor is something one can think of.
02:07An actor and producer can also think of it.
02:09But actor, producer, director is too much.
02:12It's like a dream come true, come true, come true.
02:16Fantastic experience.
02:18He has a very deep understanding of cinema.
02:22I think he already had the entire film in his mind.
02:26Even if we did small gestures, he would immediately capture it and put it somewhere in the film.
02:32He didn't miss any moment.
02:34And if we were missing anywhere,
02:37if we were slowing down or dragging,
02:39or if we were going a little fast,
02:41then he would, you know, just say.
02:44Yeah.
02:46Pick up a little.
02:47I mean, he was very clear, very clear.
02:49Very wonderful to act with him.
02:51You have been a capable actor.
02:53But what did you learn from Aamir Khan?
02:57I learned a lot, a lot, a lot.
03:00As an actor, it's obvious.
03:02There are a lot of things.
03:03I mean, I don't even know where to start.
03:06How much I learned from him.
03:09One thing that I will try very hard to put in my life.
03:13His focus.
03:14The way Aamir focuses on one thing,
03:17then the rest of the world moves away and that thing remains in front.
03:21If an actor has such a focus,
03:24then any character can come out.
03:27Because ultimately,
03:28believing something fully
03:31is the job of an actor.
03:33And it's very easy.
03:34I mean, a small job like putting on an odomouse
03:37or some ordinary thing,
03:38he does it with so much focus.
03:40I think I will try very hard to implement this thing.
03:43Let's talk about your role in this film.
03:46So how challenging was this role of Tiska?
03:48It's a very good role.
03:52I mean, in this role,
03:54I got to do a lot.
03:56Like you are seeing,
03:57I am not at all like Mayawasti.
04:00There is a lot of difference between Mayawasti and Tiska Chopra.
04:04But in my understanding,
04:06or my interest in acting is that
04:09where you see the character only,
04:12not the actor.
04:13It should disappear.
04:14So that remains a very good challenge for me.
04:18If you are still seeing me,
04:21then I won't enjoy it.
04:24And if we look at the big screen,
04:26it was a very good film.
04:27But off screen,
04:28any special moment that you have experienced?
04:31On the set?
04:33Yes.
04:34On the set.
04:35See, first of all,
04:36working in a film like this,
04:38we didn't know when we were doing the film,
04:40all of us,
04:41that the film,
04:42we knew that it would be a good film.
04:45We also knew that it would be a very good film.
04:47But we didn't know that
04:50audiences would stand in the hall
04:54and give a standing ovation to the film.
04:56People would come out crying.
04:58For the third or fourth time,
04:59it's only been a week since the release of the film,
05:01and we're going to see the film for the third or fourth time.
05:03I mean,
05:04we didn't expect such an overwhelming reaction.
05:07When we were shooting the film,
05:09we had fun,
05:10laughter,
05:11jokes,
05:12and all kinds of games.
05:13And obviously,
05:14there were kids on the set.
05:15So,
05:16when I joined the film's cast,
05:21I was the last person to cast.
05:25Everyone had been cast.
05:27Darshil,
05:28Ishan,
05:29Yohan,
05:30father,
05:31Aamir,
05:32of course,
05:33everyone had been cast.
05:34They just didn't get the mother's character.
05:36So, when I was cast,
05:37I went to Aamir's office for the first time,
05:41where everyone had a workshop.
05:43I was a little shy,
05:45because everyone knew each other.
05:47We had gotten to know each other.
05:49So, the kids were looking at me,
05:51like,
05:52this is our mother.
05:53Okay, okay.
05:54So, everyone was looking at each other.
05:57So,
05:58after a while, Darshil came to me and said,
06:01you'll play Uno?
06:03It's a card game for kids.
06:05So, I said,
06:06I don't know how to play Uno,
06:07but if you teach me,
06:09I'll play Uno.
06:10So, he and Sachit sat down
06:12and they started teaching me Uno.
06:15And the rules they had taught me,
06:18one would say it like this,
06:19and the other would say it like this.
06:21They completely confused me.
06:22And they cheated so much,
06:24that Aamir came after a while,
06:25and the three of them cheated so much,
06:27they defeated me in every round.
06:29My self-esteem was shattered.
06:31And when they woke up later,
06:33I saw so many cards hidden underneath.
06:35They all cheated so much.
06:38I was a newcomer,
06:39that's why I ragged a lot.
06:42If we talk about the music,
06:43which track did you like the most?
06:49I like the title track a lot.
06:51There are so many delicate words,
06:54such as Os ki boonde,
06:55and such words,
06:57you don't get to hear them.
06:59Generally, the lyrics are very heavy-duty,
07:02that they are put on your mind.
07:05But it's like,
07:06as you listen to it,
07:07it will grow on you.
07:09I like my own song,
07:10Maa, a lot,
07:11because in that,
07:14when we were shooting,
07:15and I was listening to that song,
07:16I used to cry listening to that song.
07:18I mean, the way Prasoon
07:19has written his lyrics,
07:21I don't know what he was thinking,
07:23or what he ate that day,
07:24or what he was doing,
07:25I don't know,
07:26but he's just written
07:27the most amazing lyrics.
07:29You have seen Aamir as an actor,
07:30producer, and director,
07:32so how do you see him
07:33in your personal life?
07:35Actually,
07:40he's a gentleman.
07:43A little bit,
07:47old-fashioned,
07:49a little bit,
07:51old-fashioned values.
07:57He's a very sincere person.
08:01He has a very strong
08:02integrity towards acting,
08:03towards the film.
08:08As a director,
08:09he made us so comfortable
08:12on the set,
08:16that we forgot that
08:17Aamir Khan is directing us.
08:20In a way,
08:21I know two Aamir Khans.
08:23One is our director,
08:24our friend,
08:27our co-actor,
08:28who used to play with us,
08:29laugh with us, etc.
08:30When you go away from the set,
08:31or go somewhere else,
08:32and you say,
08:33I was just shooting,
08:34and I was shooting with Aamir Khan.
08:35When you get the reaction
08:36of Aamir Khan,
08:37you realize that,
08:38oh my God,
08:39actually you were
08:40shooting with Aamir Khan.
08:41They forget that
08:43he is that mega star.
08:45No, easy to be with.
08:47Very pleasant,
08:48charming person.
08:50How did you manage
08:51so many roles together, Aamir?
08:53I mean,
08:54along with acting,
08:55camera direction as well.
08:56So, how did you
08:57match on the set?
08:59Hats off to him.
09:00I mean,
09:01it's not an easy job
09:02to manage for anyone.
09:05He is also acting,
09:06he is also looking at the monitor.
09:07But that is his focus.
09:09And,
09:11like I told you,
09:12when the film was being made,
09:13we had no idea.
09:15I was completely shocked.
09:17I knew that
09:18it would be a very good film.
09:19There would be such
09:20an amazing quality
09:21in the film,
09:22emotional.
09:23People are crying
09:24even the next day
09:25when they are thinking
09:26about the film.
09:27Everyone is touched
09:28on a different level.
09:29Children are touched
09:30in a different way.
09:31So,
09:32if you watch the film
09:33carefully,
09:34if you watch it
09:352-3 times,
09:36you will see
09:37many layers in the film.
09:38There are layers
09:39on top of each other.
09:40If you watch it once,
09:41you will get
09:42one meaning.
09:43If you watch it again,
09:44you will get
09:45another meaning.
09:46So,
09:47I think that
09:48an intelligent person
09:49doesn't waste
09:50a lot of energy
09:51in useless things.
09:52He doesn't have
09:53any interest
09:54in who,
09:55what,
09:56where,
09:57what is happening
09:58in the industry,
09:59with whom,
10:00what is happening.
10:01He is interested
10:02in his film
10:03and he is interested
10:04in his work.
10:05And,
10:06I think,
10:07as an actor,
10:08as a person,
10:09it is a big thing
10:10to learn
10:11to focus
10:12on your work.
10:13That is the main thing.
10:14And,
10:15in the end,
10:16the audience
10:17needs
10:18a sincere
10:19performance,
10:20a sincere work.
10:21Tiska,
10:22the blockbuster
10:23has already
10:24hit Tare Zameen.
10:25So,
10:26what changes
10:27can you see
10:28in her previous
10:29and current life?
10:30Means,
10:31after such a
10:32big success,
10:33what kind of
10:34phone calls
10:35and interviews
10:36have started
10:37coming?
10:38I will answer
10:39this in a very
10:40simple way.
10:41There are two things.
10:42One is the
10:43world's reaction
10:44and one is
10:45my reaction.
10:46There is
10:47a very big
10:48reaction.
10:49Phone calls,
10:50friends,
10:51a lot of
10:52phones from
10:53the industry,
10:54a very big
10:55reaction from
10:56everywhere,
10:57from the audiences.
10:58Wherever I go,
10:59people are
11:00holding me
11:01and hugging me
11:02and this kind
11:03of reaction is
11:04coming,
11:05which is very
11:06unexpected for me.
11:07I have never
11:08experienced
11:09anything like this.
11:10Secondly,
11:11my reaction
11:12has two things.
11:13First,
11:14I am very
11:15very happy
11:16because for
11:17many years,
11:18I have only
11:19worked on acting.
11:20I could not
11:21do anything
11:22great in my life
11:23but I have
11:24learned acting
11:25as a craft.
11:26So,
11:27it is a
11:28matter of
11:29satisfaction for
11:30me that
11:31what you were
11:32going to do
11:33has started
11:34happening
11:35somewhere.
11:36One thing
11:37is the
11:38satisfaction
11:39and happiness.
11:40Second thing
11:41is that
11:42this Friday
11:43we are
11:44going to
11:45have another
11:46Raja next
11:47Friday.
11:48This time
11:49comes and
11:50goes.
11:51So,
11:52I do not
11:53take this
11:54very seriously.
11:55My aim
11:56is to do
11:57good work
11:58and keep
11:59doing it.
12:00It is
12:01still easy
12:02to reach
12:03one level
12:04but to
12:05maintain
12:06that level
12:07or to
12:08go beyond
12:09that.
12:10Amir and
12:11Amol gave
12:12me such
12:13advice
12:14that
12:15whatever
12:16I do
12:17after this
12:18should
12:19make them
12:20proud.
12:21I would
12:22like to
12:23tell the
12:24viewers of
12:25Lehren TV
12:26that
12:27you get
12:28life
12:29only once.
12:30If you
12:31have seen
12:32Taare Zameen
12:33then you
12:34must have
12:35come to
12:36know that
12:37the message
12:38of this
12:39film is
12:40that whatever
12:41you want
12:42you can
12:43achieve.
12:44If you
12:45have thought
12:46about it
12:47then do it
12:48and enjoy
12:49your life.