‘Was Salman Khan the one cause for the success of a movie?’
IMAGE: Rajkumar Santoshi with spouse Manila and daughter Tanisha, who makes her debut in his new movie, Gandhi Godse: Ek Yudh. Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar
Film-maker Rajkumar Santoshi has gifted cinema followers with some effective movies, a few of which have gained cult standing at the moment.
From juggling quirky comedies like Andaz Apna Apna and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani to critical topics in Ghayal, Damini and Lajja, the director has confirmed his versatility.
Santoshi returns to the films with Gandhi Godse: Ek Yudh.
“I’ve at all times been clear that if you need to make a movie, it is best to first work arduous in your content material. After you have got chosen your topic, you possibly can take into consideration who could be the right match for the function. Nowadays, it is all concerning the actors. ‘Oh, Varun Dhawan has been giving hits recently, so let’s make a movie with him because the hero’,” Santoshi tells Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh within the first a part of an extended dialog.
How was Gandhi Godse: Ek Yudh conceptualised?
I used to be impressed by the play by famous author Asghar Wajahat.
The thought struck his thoughts as a result of he was the one who wrote the play, and I believed we might make an attention-grabbing film. You should interview him.
I request that the media interview the individuals who work day and evening behind the scenes to verify their story reaches the viewers.
They are the precise creators, however we at all times worth the celebrities.
We interview Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, who give us blockbusters.
Was Salman Khan the one cause for the success of a movie?
There is a workforce that has made some attention-grabbing movies, and that is the rationale the movie has had run on the field workplace.
IMAGE: A younger Tanisha visits her father’s units. Photograph: Kind courtesy Tanisha Santoshi/Instagram
Over the previous few years, the viewers has made it clear that they are going to love solely well-written, well-made movies, regardless of whether or not they’re pushed by stars or newcomers. How do you take a look at this shift?
It has at all times been my strongest perception that content material will at all times be the king.
What type of change have you ever been observing in our content material?
When we speak about traits, the one factor that has occurred is that the traces between Hindi cinema and South cinema have blurred.
People are open to good content material. For them, understanding who’s the hero or heroine is has turn into secondary.
Kantara is a movie the place individuals have been ignorant concerning the hero. Even at the moment, they could not bear in mind the hero.
They cherished the content material, and other people showered their love on it.
In the identical approach, Baahubali was an incredible hit. Not many knew Prabhas.
This implies that a star or a hero doesn’t make or break a movie. The collaborative efforts rely.
People did not even know who S S Rajamouli was.
But the ultimate product screams that it is good, entertaining, participating cinema.
Avatar: The Way of Water is one more movie the place individuals haven’t any clue about who the hero or heroine is. People should not even in a position to recognise the actors as a result of their faces are animated. But once more, they proved content material wins.
There has been a sabbatical in my profession for eight-nine years, however I’ve noticed that there’s a sure type of dictatorship from the company sectors the place they’re selecting to make movies with a choose group.
I’ve at all times been clear about the truth that if you need to make a movie, it is best to first work arduous in your content material.
After you have got chosen your topic, you possibly can take into consideration who could be the right match for the function.
Nowadays, it is all concerning the actors.
‘Oh, Varun Dhawan has been giving hits recently, so let’s make a movie with him because the hero.’
If she or he is a real film-maker, they might by no means try this.
IMAGE: Sunny Deol in Ghayal.
Please go on.
Ghayal was an excellent hit. I might have made sequels like Ghayal 2, Ghayal 3, Ghayal Chodega Nahi and many others.
I might have minted cash. But I fell in love with the story of Damini. I felt it was actually related in these instances.
I believed that if I wished to stay round for an extended time, I must assist the plenty.
Many individuals advised that I ought to present the rape of Meenakshi Seshadri’s sister and that can result in an emotional join. I mentioned that will not resolve the aim of my movie.
Anybody will battle for his or her mom and sister. She fights for her maid, and she or he fights her husband, her in-laws, and everybody only for her.
This is the type of instance we should always set.
When I made Damini, I bought acquainted with Aamir Khan and Salman Khan. They mentioned they wished to work with me, and I mentioned, ‘Of course.’ I mentioned we’d make one thing entertaining.
Frankly talking, I felt that Damini would tank on the field workplace, however it was a sleeper hit.
I might have gotten carried away after its success and made a number of movies on an identical theme, however I’ve by no means achieved that.
I respect moviegoers quite a bit, and that is the rationale I need to give them one thing distinctive with my new movie.
IMAGE: Meenakshi Seshadri and Sunny Deol in Damini.
Do you just like the development of sequels?
No. People, who prefer it, are free to try this. It’s simple cash.
When you’re taking it to OTT, they are going to be effective with it.
Even if you’re promoting rubbish, they’re able to take it.
There are some movies that deserve a sequel, like The Godfather.
Here, when a sequel is made, it’s completely totally different.
Only the title stays the identical, the story is completely totally different.
They simply need to mint cash off the title.
Like in the event you see Rocky and Rocky 2, the character is similar and the story evolves. He was 40 and now, he’s in his 60s, and his son has grown up.
That is how a sequel is meant to be made.
Whatever individuals are making these days is fraud.
