An In Conversation session titled ‘Unscripted – The Art and Emotion of Filmmaking’ at the 56^th International Film festival of India (IFFI) in Goa turned into a unforgettable cinematic celebration as renowned filmmaker and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra took the stage during a candid conversation with acclaimed screenwriter Abhijat Joshi.

The conversation held the audience in a grip usually reserved for a Friday blockbuster. Opening the session, held on November 22, Joshi reminisced about the very first day he met Chopra — a November day he remembers vividly as the moment eventually shaped collaborations in films like ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’ and ‘3 Idiots’.

He, according to an official gist of the session put out by the organisers, then asked Chopra if his style had evolved from ‘Parinda’ to ‘12th Fail’, which recently won a National Award. Chopra’s answer was as raw as it was revealing.

“Every film reflects who I am at that point,” he said, adding, “I was angry when I made ‘Parinda’. You can see that violence in the movie. Today I’m calmer.”

He added that ‘12th Fail’ came from witnessing corruption around him. “The film was my way of saying let’s be honest for a change. If I can change even one percent of the bureaucracy, that’s enough,” Chopra observed, adding watching ‘1942: A Love Story’, in its newly restored 8K version, made him emotional as he would not make such a film today because he is no longer the same person.

Joshi affirmed that Chopra’s greatest hallmark is his unwavering loyalty to his own conviction. “He never cares about a film’s commercial fate, he values only its artistic fate,” he said, before steering the conversation toward the creative processes behind ‘Parinda’ and ‘12th Fail’.

Chopra spoke passionately about preparation, vision and the pursuit of visual truth. He elaborated on a famous shot from ‘1942: A Love Story’— even singing the song soulfully as the audience cheered. He described insisting on real birds flying across the mountain ridge and how his crew scattered breadcrumbs to make it happen. Seeing that scene yesterday in 8K, he said, “was joy.”

Then followed a cascade of hilarious and heartfelt memories. Chopra recalled writing ‘Khamosh’ in a tiny one-room flat where he would shout dialogues and “cut, cut!” from the rooftop, terrifying neighbours. Joshi confirmed: “Vidhu can get as excited as a child when conceiving a film.”

Another crowd favourite was the story of actor Jackie Shroff accidentally walking into the wrong apartment during rehearsals, waking up a startled woman and handing her flowers. “She told everyone she dreamt Jackie Shroff visited her,” Chopra laughed.

Speaking about ‘1942: A Love Story’, Chopra narrated his fierce determination to collaborate with R.D. Burman despite naysayers who claimed Burman’s time was over. When RD presented initial tunes, Chopra rejected them bluntly. “I called it bullshit. I wanted the soul of S.D. Burman,” he reminisced, adding that weeks later, came ‘Kuch Na Kaho’ song. Chopra sang the melody onstage, receiving thunderous applause. “This song exists because I said that one word,” he joked.

Chopra also revisited his famous National Award story. He narrated how he expected Rs. 4,000 in cash along with the award, only to receive an eight-year postal bond. His humorous recreation of his argument with L.K. Advani left the hall roaring. He also acknowledged Advani’s support later, including helping him attend the Oscars.

In a heartwarming moment, Kamna Chandra, the 92-year-old writer of ‘1942: A Love Story’and Chopra’s mother-in-law, joined the conversation, along with producer Yogesh Ishwar. Kamna spoke of labouring over each dialogue and the emotion she felt watching the restored version. “I felt like I’ve done something in life,” she said.

Yogesh detailed the meticulous 8K restoration journey in Italy, cleaning the film frame by frame and remastering its sound. Chopra said the restored version “looks exactly like what I had imagined.”