Madhuri Dixit is to films what Sachin Tendulkar is to cricket: Gajraj Rao – Times of India

What about Maja Ma appealed to you the most?

It’s a family drama and though the colours and spirit have a Gujarati vibe, it isn’t stereotypical or language-centric. The name Madhuri Dixit was enough for me to do this film. The greatest motivation was her presence in the film. Unko itna dekha hua hai, unko itna admire karte hai, so to be able to work with her and be offered an important part alongside her was a big deal for me. I am from Delhi, and since the time I was doing theatre there, I remember flocking to cinemas to watch her movies like Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Prahaar. I feel Madhuriji’s journey is reminiscent of Rekhaji as both were able to strike a fine balance between stylised commercial cinema and hard-hitting films (like Mrityudand). The way they smoothly switched their persona for different kinds of cinema was admirable.

Did you ever think that one day you would be paired opposite Madhuri Dixit on screen?

I never thought it was possible. When Anand Tiwari first offered the role to me, I thought it must be some part, but when I read the script, I figured it was Madhuriji’s husband’s role! My friends in the US couldn’t believe it. They called to ask, “Gajju, are you sure that you have been paired alongside Madhuri Dixit as her husband? You are her hero!” I told them it’s not a hero-heroine story. It’s a family story. I don’t belong to the Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor hero zone. You need a certain talent and traits for those roles, and I don’t have it. I can act a little, and I am glad I got this part. I come from a theatre background, and the universe I belonged to only permitted me to admire someone like her from a distance.

Being such a talented actor, why did you feel that working with someone like Madhuri was a long shot?

Agar aap gully cricket khelte ho with a tennis ball, and someone tells you, ‘Gajraj, now you get to play a proper match with Sachin Tendulkar at the Wankhede Stadium’, this was that feeling. Madhuriji is to films what Tendulkar is to cricket. They both have excelled in their craft. The experience of working with her and being around her for promotions surpassed my expectations. When she enters a set, she ceases to be Madhuri Dixit. On set, she was Pallavi Patel (her character in Maja Ma). She is aligned with her character on and off the camera.

Are you glad that cinema is finally moving away from the typical hero-heroine subjects to character-driven stories like Maja Ma?

Event films, like Baahubali, demand larger-than-life characters because they are made on a certain scale. I like what Tom Cruise, Shah Rukh Khan or Tiger Shroff bring to the table. You need that hero-like charisma for these big-ticket entertainers, and we need such stories, too, because they are aspirational. Aap hero ko filmon se hata nahi sakte because real life mein hero bahut kam hote hai. Like a parallel universe, two kinds of cinema can co-exist. Amitabh Bachchan ruled as a superstar, but at the same time, there was also Amol Palekar who the common man could identify with. Rekhaji did potboilers, but also did Umrao Jaan. There is space for both kinds of cinema.

Has OTT changed the game for actors, and would you say that the medium is more age and gender inclusive?

OTT has democratised things because there is no Friday pressure. Theatres need big faces for big openings. Audience shaayad Gajraj Rao, Ritwik Bhowmik, ya Srishti Shrivastava ke naam pe theatre mein nahi jayegi. Niche audience aayegi, but most may not turn up. So, theatres need actors who are talented and have certain stardom. OTT doesn’t have those restrictions, so you can tell a story freely. You can cast actors strictly on the basis of their acting calibre and not stardom. The script is the new hero on the web because people have the power of a remote. It’s a golden period for actors and technicians. Look at Raveena Tandon, Sushmita Sen and Juhi Chawla…they are doing such good work on OTT. Maybe it was difficult to write relevant parts for them in commercial cinema due to box office demands. Good writers are now in demand because they have that freedom.

The story of Maja Ma revolves around a family. What was the mood like on set?
The bonding and interaction between the family members in the film — Madhuriji, Ritwik and Srishti (who play out children) and me is incredible. There was warmth, love and laughter on set. No one rushed home once the shoot was over. We played antakshari and dumb charades, and huge credit goes to MD for bringing that energy on set. With other stars, their entourage can be overwhelming, but her team is like a fly on the wall. They’d quietly sit in the corner. Unlike many successful stars, she doesn’t wear her superstar status on her sleeve. Working with her felt like a beautiful dream.