Acclaimed filmmaker Ram Madhvani, creator of Aarya, joins Bani Anand on AfterHours Season 4, powered by Catch, for a candid and heartfelt conversation on storytelling, resilience, and the evolving landscape of cinema.
Directing Sushmita Sen in Aarya
He begins by recounting the emotional rollercoaster behind Aarya—originally conceived as a film nearly a decade ago, only to fall apart just weeks before filming. With disarming humour, Ram recalls “scheduling” 24 hours of crying and finding comfort in Bengali sweets. Yet from that setback emerged a reimagined series, elevated by the casting of Sushmita Sen, whom he describes not as a choice but a “gift.” Her fearless return to the screen aligned perfectly with Madhvani’s immersive “System 360” style, which eliminates cues like “action” and “cut” to allow truth to unfold on screen. Moments such as the Holi sequence in Aarya Season 2—shot in under two hours with minimal interference—are testaments to his philosophy: don’t cut life, capture it.
Reflecting on his roots in advertising, Madhvani describes it as his daily “riyaaz”, or practice—a foundation that shaped his instinctive, long-take approach to filmmaking. He shares that while cinema isn’t dying, it is evolving. Audiences are changing how they watch, and that’s not something to mourn—but something to adapt to.
Working on Neerja with Sonam Kapoor
His partnership with Sonam Kapoor on Neerja becomes a touchstone in the conversation. Stripping away glamour, Sonam surrendered herself to the role with emotional intelligence and precision. A scene where her character eats a chocolate biscuit—a moment inspired by Kieślowski’s Blue—was nearly missed in the intensity of the moment, until Sonam gently reminded him.
Madhvani also opens up about the recurring emotional core in his work—his nuanced portrayal of women. Though often praised for this, he clarifies it’s not a deliberate feminist statement, but a reflection of his reality. Influenced by the strong women around him, including his co-producer and wife Amita, Madhvani is drawn to the quiet strength, grief, adaptability, and contradictions women embody. In Neerja, it wasn’t just the protagonist’s heroism that moved him—it was also a mother’s unimaginable loss, a narrative that resonated with him deeply as a father.
Directing Kartik Aaryan and shooting a film in 10 days
Ram also discusses the high-stakes thriller Dhamaka, starring Kartik Aaryan, where he pushed the boundaries of format and process. Shot in just 10 days during the pandemic, the film became a case study in controlled chaos and creative innovation. He credits Kartik for his commitment to a demanding shoot schedule and for trusting a director who chooses long takes and spiritual surrender over rigid control.
Touching on representation, he reveals how the role of Amruta Subhash in Dhamaka was originally written for a man, but evolved in the writers’ room to reflect deeper emotional truth. For Madhvani, great storytelling isn’t about ticking boxes—it’s about capturing humanity, regardless of gender.
In an age dominated by likes, views, and constant feedback, Ram Madhvani emphasises the danger of outsourcing one’s worth to external validation. “I’m in the business of rejection,” he says with blunt clarity—and to survive, artists must learn “how to wear a condom on their soul.” It’s a striking metaphor that speaks to the emotional shielding required to remain open without being destroyed by vulnerability. Instead of turning to escapism through alcohol or distraction, Ram shares his quiet ritual of decompression.
Timestamps
(00:00) Episode starts
(01:24) When Aarya got cancelled
(03:49) Casting Sushmita Sen
(07:15) Is cinema dying?
(09:56) Why we need tragic heroes
(11:47) “Talent should be taken for granted”
(12:36) Ram Madhvani’s filmmaking process
(16:58) “I’m an actor’s director”
(19:14) Maximum takes he’s done for a scene
(21:00) Behind Aarya’s Holi scene
(23:30) OTT vs cinema
(25:48) Challenges in women-led action films
(26:56) On Sushmita Sen – “Your Majesty”
(27:48) On Sonam Kapoor
(29:33) Breaking down a scene from Neerja
(32:23) Representing women on screen
(34:32) Shabana Azmi as Neerja’s mother
(36:02) Should stories have moral responsibility?
(41:47) Making a film on validation
(42:41) “What’s your worth?”
(46:02) On Kartik Aaryan
(49:18) Is Kartik Aaryan the next big thing?
(50:48) Cinema and virtual reality
(52:19) “I don’t want cinema to die”
(58:29) “I use just 3% of what I shoot”
(01:00:10) Editing for social media?
(01:04:24) How Ram Madhvani unwinds AfterHours
(01:07:34) On his wife, Amita
(01:09:17) Game
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