BY ADIL RASHEED / 15 February 2005
He is a 43-year-young multimillionaire who has produced some of
Bollywood's biggest blockbusters over the past decade. Still, the
unassuming Vashu Bhagnani does not mind getting up from his chair to
apologise for a slight delay in the appointment. Truly, the measure of the man, any man.
The
filmmaker was at the Khaleej Times office the other day, speaking about
his passion for cinema and his plans to launch his son Jackie in a
stellar role...
What
is the fun in being a producer? Put up with star-tantrums, the demands
of the director, the fear of an out-of-control budget, the uncertainty
of the box office!
It's
just like a mother giving birth to a child. No one understands the pain
she goes through, but a successful birth is a source of great joy to
her. It is simply indescribable. The same is the case with the producer
of a film. The fun comes when you have delivered the baby.
How
difficult is it to launch a new star? The gamble paid off with Tushar
Kapoor in Mujhe Kuchh Kehnaa Hai, but Ritesh Deshmukh's 'Out of Control'
bombed at the box office...
A
lot of people were apprehensive about my selection of Tushar as hero
for Mujhe Kuchh Kehnaa Hai. I had Bobby Deol, Abhishek Bachchan and
Hrithik ready to do the role. But I chose Tushar because he fit the bill
perfectly. I wanted this boy next door look, a hero who is unable to
speak out his love for his beloved. The script demanded it. The film was
a hit and my decision was vindicated. Out of Control was not a hit
film. But Ritesh proved his acting skills in the movie and today he is
delivering hits.
You are still not afraid of taking risks. You are making a film with Khalid Mohammed whose two films have flopped...
Fiza
was not a flop. Tehzeeb flopped. Fiza made good money, more money than
Veer-Zaara. The movie I am making with Khalidji is Silsilay, which is
about four girls. There is also a surprise guest appearance by a big
star. So that's why I am feeling safe in making the movie.
You enjoy doing films with David Dhawan. Tell us something about your forthcoming movie Shaadi No. 1 with the director...
Yes, we are shooting for the film right now. We will also be shooting in Dubai in April. I'm here to scout for locations.
What is the mystery behind the suffix No.1, which appears in many of your movies?
Actually
we wanted the title Coolie for our movie. But we could not get that
title because of Manmohan Desai's earlier film called by the same name.
So I proposed the suffix 'No. 1' to solve the problem. The rest is history... Hero No.1, Biwi No.1, and now Shaadi No.1.
The
mantra that raunchy movies do good business has been proved wrong
recently as some such films have failed at the box office. What do you
have to say about this?
It
is sad and unfortunate that some filmmakers have a herd-mentality. If
Murder was a hit, it was not because it had a few steamy scenes. The
film had a good script and it dealt well with a bold subject. Indecency
does not sell a film. This is just a passing phase and it is all a
result of myopic thinking.
You are launching your son Jackie in a forthcoming movie?
Yes,
in my next film. He's 21. I plan to release the movie by end of 2006 or
early 2007. I intend to take up the project by October this year. It
probably will be a romantic film.
Are you making a film with Raj Kumar Santoshi?
No!
We have decided against it. He is a big director and a close friend of
mine. We had a lot of sittings together. But things did not quite work
out.
How are so many filmmakers turning to Dubai nowadays?
Dubai
is very close to Bollywood. It takes less time to come to Dubai from
Mumbai than say to Kolkata. Crossing the customs here is just like
crossing the border. If Dubai could have a film studio of its own things
would be even more wonderful. The only problem is the long summer here.
Otherwise, Dubai has the potential for becoming a major movie hub in
the region.
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