Pathan made a good collection earlier this year. After that many films did not work. Then last month all revenue records were broken. What do you think caused this change?
Even astrologers cannot tell about it. Why it happened, why it happened is unknown, but whatever happened happened for good. After a long time, a small beginning was made with ‘Satyprem Ki Katha’. After that ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ also got good response, since then this trend continued. So whatever happened was great. Why a good thing happens, one should not ask why it happened. If something is wrong, you should ask about it.
Nowadays people in Bollywood have found the formula of consecutive films as hits. Do you also want to make a sequel to your film Gangs of Wasseypur?
No no…! I am afraid of this kind of formula. It’s okay that sometimes a formula works, but when it works, everyone starts trying it. Then when the formula falls off, don’t know what happened. That’s why I’m so afraid of this kind of formula.
You are a famous director, but these days you are also showing your acting prowess?
It is true that I was offered many acting roles, but I did not want to show any talent in them. I’m just acting. Recently, I played the role of a villain in the film ‘Haddi’ released on Zee5. Sometimes for some reasons you need to do all this. I work hard when I have to.
Nisha Rawal thought of committing suicide, the world started thinking she was crazy, even her friends abandoned her.
In the coming days, will the actor in you win or the director?
Only the director wins. By the way, once David Dhawan ji told me that ‘By doing acting, you and the producer also earn money from it. But when you make a film, neither you nor the actor make money. That thing remains in my heart to this day.
When a director starts making more films as an actor, what changes should he make in himself?
I don’t want to be an artist. Actually the director is made into an actor. To become an artist, one must first kill the director within oneself. It was very difficult for me to kill him. This is my main reason for not acting. I have many stories to tell, many films I want to do.
What problems do you face as an actor?
An actor has different needs. Every actor should maintain discipline in life. So if an actor does 5-6 films, he looks the same. In old times, sometimes the actors looked alike, sometimes their clothes were also similar. But not so now. Today an actor only focuses on one or two films at a time. He pays attention to his eating and drinking habits. I’m not like that, every time I eat, I eat as if I haven’t eaten yet. If you shoot mine in a gap of four months, you get guys of different sizes. Then everyone saw a villain in me. Now that he’s a villain, he has to deal with the beatings. Action also needs to be done and if the body for the action is no longer mine, then it becomes an uncomfortable situation.
You got acting offers from South films. Do you have to admit that you have a need?
(Laughs) Yes, I have three Tamil films to release as an actor. But it doesn’t mean that this is what I want to do, but if I get a role, I’ll do well. However, my heart agreed only when I could make a film. Everyone’s heart is stuck somewhere. I have many untold stories. If you ask me to shoot tomorrow, I will start a film tomorrow itself, I have written so many stories. There are many ideas. Since I am free, I thought that we should act. But I just enjoy making films.
Did you also receive a direction offer from South Cinema?
I received offers for direction from everywhere. But I don’t know the language there. I have received direction offers from everywhere like Tamil, Malayalam, Germany and France, but I don’t have the courage yet. I don’t have the courage because I want to know what my artists are doing. For me, the most important actor in a film is my actor. If I don’t understand its language, I can’t make such a film. Recently Kumar Raja offered me to direct an episode of ‘Modern Love’. But I feel I can’t do justice to him. I think if I had been born in Tamil Nadu or Kerala, I would have spoiled everyone there. In fact, there are not so many restrictions there as in the case of Hindi. It is easier to make grassroots films there.
