Though JO HUM CHAHEIN may not be a RA.ONE that could make waves at the box office, the small budget film could still remind you of numerous Yash Raj Films that have become part of Bollywood folklore. The reason being the film's debutant director, Pawan Gill, was a part of filmmaking at Yash Raj Films, for nearly three years.
Gill has learnt filmmaking from Aditya Chopra. Says Gill, “I have worked with Yash Raj Films from 2005-2008. I've grown up watching Hindi films and films by YRF are the ones that I enjoyed the most. So, immediately after completing my film programme from Vancouver Film School, I joined Yash Raj Films as a first assistant director on NEAL 'N' NIKKI (2005). After this, I worked on TV commercials at the YRF AD Cell and the DHOOM 2 (2006) videos, before being involved in a few writing assignments for film and television at Yash Raj.”
Adds Gill, “JO HUM CHAHEIN was a script I wrote for myself but with all the sensibilities that make a complete Yash Raj film. It's my ode to Yashji and Adi and their style of filmmaking, that I admire so much.” One of the film's songs, `Ishq hothon se...' has been shot in locations where films like DIL SE (1998), BUNTY AUR BABLI (2005), TASHAN (2008) and 3 IDIOTS (2009) have been shot.
“When I set out to make the love song of JO HUM CHAHEIN, one thing was clear on my mind, it had to sweep me off my feet, just like all the love songs of YRF. But I just didn't want the song to be something people can listen to and fall in love with; I wanted a song that people can listen to and make love to. Several songs have been shot in Ladakh before, so for `Ishq hothon se...', our aim was to attempt to shoot slightly differently.
And what about the reclusive Aditya?
“Adi is passionate about filmmaking. He makes films from his heart and always tries to connect to peoples' souls. That's what I've learned from him. But his prime advice is to make this soul connection in the right budget, so hope I've achieved all that,” says Gill.