Refuting claims that he was a victim of the clannish gang-like attitude of the Mumbai film industry Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty who earlier seemed to claim that his Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire deterred the Mumbai film industry from giving him work, says Bollywood has been very kind to him.
Says Resul, “In no way has Bollywood been unkind to me. Not at all. They have given me wings to fly. All my early experiment and thought process to formulate an idea of a “Sound Designer” in films originated and practiced in Hindi cinema with very sensitive artist from here in Bollywood.”
Resul admits there was a time when he was less in demand in Bollywood. “During the time I wasn’t invited to do many Hindi films I was busy working in other languages and countries that include Scandinavia, Russia, France, Hollywood, UK and other regional cinema.”
But he has only words of praise for Bollywood superstars. “SRK, Hritik, Salman Aamir… I worked with all of them post my Oscars.SRK told me once, ‘Everybody told me you are difficult to work with. But then I thought people said the same about me also, then there is something about this guy and I must work with him.I’m happy I did and you created the best sounding soundscape for Ra.One.’ I really enjoyed working with him!”
Resul also has words of praise for Aamir and Hrithik. “Aamir was always sensitive towards great sound work. When I worked on Ghajini, he said ‘If everybody in Hindi cinema worked the way you do, our cinema would be far different’.Hrithik was the biggest surprise for me. During Kaabil I found a new sound-man in him not just an actor. His mix notes were fantastic and till now I haven’t worked with another actor who is more sensitive to sound than him in mainstream Hindi cinema.”
Reacting to A R Rahman’s claims of a gang obstructing his work in Bollywood, Resul says, “I don’t know about any such gang. The fact that he said that someone must have really made him feel that way. I think he is beyond all these petty politics of a smaller association of people. We are talking about a global icon.”
Resul ends on a note of praise for Priyanka Chopra. “What Priyanka did is the best thing. She bravely left the country. She will find huge success there! I wish her the same!”
