See when they asked me to do part two of Hera Pheri, I did not do part 2 because I thought
this ends here. Now you have to force the film to become the second one
I was little disappointed. Naturally I belong to old school so we all like to see
the film with people sitting it always a
It’s a very emotional film with lot of humour.
Its almost 65-70% humour and last 30 minutes of a feel-good film.
Okay and its an original film, like
It’s an original film?
Yeah, yeah
So Priyan sir firstly welcome to Pinkvilla it’s a pleasure having you over here.
Thank you.
Sir you know my first question to you is you have been directing films for over 38 years.
What keeps you going for so long and relevant like because even today few of the most
exciting films in both the industries come under your name?
I think basically my destiny and my luck and prayers of my parents and my friends. But what
has happened is see I think I was a very good audience so I have been making every kind of films
I made period films like Kalapaani now this and then films like Kanchivaram
And then I made comedies and then I made action movies, love stories, everything I have
tried because I like every kind of films. So, I think that is the one thing that I could go forward
but every time I decided one thing that they should be an element of entertainment.
That element whether it’s a serious film or whether its Bhool Bhulaiya, whether it is Garam
Masala whatever it is there is a kind of interest people should have to watch. This is one thing
I have always said that good screenplay you shoot it badly it will work but a bad screenplay
however well you shoot it won’t work so every time most painful thing when I make a film is
writing the screen play because I started my career as a, out of my 95 films first 10 films
are as a screen writer and then I became a director.
So that is the most painful process of putting it into paper.
Execution and making actors work, nothing worries me what worries me always is writing the screenplay.
In your 38-year career this is the first time you are making a sequel.
What prompted you to make a Hungama 2?
Because see when they asked me to do part two of Hera Pheri, I did not do part 2 because I
thought this ends here. Now you have to force the film to become the second one and of
course people still love Hera Pheri and they would like to see those characters again and
that’s fine. But I thought I cannot do justice as I have done the original first one. Same thing
happened with Garam Masala and lot of these films I thought okay its over but this time what
I did is I thought I cannot continue the same, original film but
I can make a film in the same genre, if you ask me about Hungama.
Hungama 2 is like Hungama 1 on the treatment but two different kind of stories. But the
treatment is like creating situations, misunderstandings all those things. The technique of
screenplay is same as of Hungama 1. But the plot is different, it has nothing to do with. So, I
thought okay since both the films has one common thing called Hungama, the moment you
hear Hungama you know that is how I decided to make the sequel.
And sir you are returning to Hindi film industry after so long, last was Rangrezz if I am not wrong.
Around seven years, yeah.
So now that you are coming back with Hungama can we expect you to be more frequent in
Hindi cinema because we love your films, to be very honest?
Yeah, actually speaking I am actually I will be there because I think if this film works it will
be a big encouragement for me so that I will go forward.
And what about Meezan? What was the idea behind casting him because this is a
No, no we went around few people and finally the moment I saw him itself
I thought this guy suits the role correctly. Its all gut feeling
It’s not like let’s do too much of an audition, I never did any auditions. See when a person
looks right for your role half your problems are solved so he looked right for the role and
trust us, okay how to make him work and this thing which I think worked all very well.
And then you know talking about humour in your film its always driven by the screen play. It is
always situational humour that your films have. How do you manage to, you know there is a
thin line between slap stick and situational humour? How do you manage to balance between the two?
When you talk about humour there’s joke, there’s wit, there’s slapstick, then there is
situational humour, there is buffoonery so you have to maintain a balance at certain places
how to do it so what you do is create everything on your script so you will not and always
create a very believable atmosphere around so if you make your characters in a believable
atmosphere, first thing is a believable atmosphere the film will not look fake and the situation
will always make people laugh.
And sir how did you first react when the decision was taken to bring Hungama on the digital platform?
I was little disappointed naturally. I belong to old school so we all would like to see the film
with people sitting and with comedy films like family going sitting together and one- five
people laugh in the theatre and whole theatre laughs because its psychology.
You cannot enjoy that; pleasure is not what I am going to get. And at the same time, I think
its high time we should make films for families to sit together and watch at home.
So, I am very sure of that.
Mother, grandmother, father, children
Everybody can sit together and watch it because there is no vulgarity,
there is no double meaning, nothing its pure humour.
And you know sir ever since the trailer has come out there is a conversation about the
similarity with one of your old directorial featuring Mohanlal sir, Minnaram.
Yeah, yeah it is. Actually, it is based on it but Minnaram was tragic film. It is, the second half
is about cancer and how the girl dies that is completely removed I used only the first half of
Minnaram and second half I rewrote completely and made it an out and out comedy film.
Original Minnaram is a very tragic film.
When sir you make your own film from Malayalam industry in Hindi,
what are the challenges of adapting it for the audiences here?
Only finding the right, biggest challenge is getting another actor like Mohanlal.
Of course, he is legend.
That is a biggest challenge. After that everything is fine.
And sir you’ve done so many films with Mohanlal sir and Akshay sir like in both the
industries so when you are working with someone else or when you are writing a script, does
their glimpses as an actor come in your mind while writing it?
Of course, with Akshaye Khanna, to some extent I could gel well. But the main reason for
Mohanlal and Akshay Kumar is common that both of them never ask me what I am making.
They trust me. So, I also feel very responsible towards them that I should give because the
trust which they have put on me I have to deliver the same back.
So that is my biggest trust when I work with these two.
And sir speaking of Akshaye Khanna there are reports of him having a cameo in Hungama 2
as well. Coming back as Jeetu from Hungama, what can we expect on that front?
Did you hear that?
That’s what media is saying, sir.
I am not sure about it. You have to see it to believe it.
See the whole problem of Hungama 2 is, it is a humour and a mystery film. There is a
mystery in it. The mystery and the humour are two things mixed together.
So, if I tell you the mystery the film is gone.
And sir Hungama 2 aside there is a big budget Marakkar which is there ready for release I believe on August
Could you tell us something about that?
See, Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea it’s one of the, on the scale of or even bigger scale
than Bahubali so here and Bahubali is actually a cooked-up story but this is real history. Its
about the first Indian naval commander who fought against the Portuguese. The film has won
the national award for best film of the year feature and it has won few 3-4 national awards
also for special effects and lot of things. So, the thing I am happy about is father and son got
the national award together. Son has got it, I also got it. So, one proud moment, I think. It’s
happened for the first time in the history of national awards that father and son won it. We are
releasing the film but its such a huge film that we can’t put it on OTT. So, we are planning to
release the film on August 12. So that’s the plan because it’s been waiting for last one and a half years.
And it has such a phenomenal I am sure whenever it comes it will set the box office on fire.
Yeah definitely. That is why even theatres. See I think it’s a very important news that theatres
in South, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerela, they have said that they will not release any film
opposite for 21 days.
Some associations have agreed because this one film can bring people to the theatre.
Basically, solidarity with the film.
And sir you as a film maker have such a versatile filmography personally, I am a big fan of
Aakrosh which didn’t work at the box office but it is one of my favourites.
Are you looking to explore that space in Hindi again? The intense
I am very happy you like the film because I still believe Aakrosh is one of my finest films.
See I started with mainly with films like Gardish and Virasat then moved to comedies.
Then everybody wanted me to make only
Aakrosh is one film I am proud of but like Tezz and Rangrezz it did not work.
So then I thought that people want to see only humour from
me because when I made films in South, I have done different genres of films but when I
come to Hindi what people expect out of me is only comedies. So, I thought why should I
take chance? Go back to humour.
So, sir when you have done like so many films Akshay but when you have worked with a
Ajay Devgn, a Salman Khan and a Shah Rukh Khan. The films have not been comedy.
Was that a conscious decision on your part?
It was a conscious decision. And they also have felt that this is the right films for them. So,
you can’t say why, so if you ask me, I still love, I enjoyed working in Billu with Shah Rukh
and Irrfan so I really enjoyed working there. It did not, maybe they were expecting too much.
We want more of Shah Rukh or something, that film did not do well. But later today,
whoever sees the film says it was a very nice film to watch.
Its actually a very emotional speech.
Some films it happens. Later those films become big. For example, even though I have made
this film which was, it was just an average hit that was Chup Chup Ke but today people love
Chup Chup Ke.
So sometimes it happens. It happened to me in South also.
Apart from Hungama is there any other film of your which you want to turn into a franchise in Hindi?
Maybe Hulchul, I haven’t decided. Maybe.
Because there is a strong demand for Garam Masala. Like that film is
I might take that but I am just waiting to see how people will react to this film then if it
inspires me, I will go ahead with that. So, I am waiting to see how people will accept this Hungama 2.
And sir, yesterday you posted a picture with Akshay, we all know there is a collaboration on
cards between the two of you. Could you tell us what, how, when can we expect the?
Beginning of next year because it was supposed to this year but because of the pandemic it
got pushed. So, I think we will do it in beginning of next year.
Okay and it’s a comic thriller?
Like you said last week.
Not thriller. It’s a very emotional film with lot of humour. Its almost 65-70% humour
and last 30 minutes of a feel-good film.
It’s an original film?
Yeah, yeah.
It has been written and now it has to be written again, 2-3 drafts are needed.
So, I am trying to do that.
And sir there is a buzz in the trade that film in question will be produced by Akshay himself
and Ekta. Is that true or they are more producers?
I have no idea because he has not told me. All I know is he said I am making this film.
With whom he makes its all these things because he never works
because I made a film with him, Khatta Meetha, also he produced.
So later he does business his own way which I don’t generally ask.
Really looking forward to that film. Whenever it happens its going to be my most awaited
film. Even Khatta Meetha for me is a laugh riot, though it is
Before signing off anything you wish to say on Hungama?
Yes, keep your brains at home, come, laugh and go home.
Perfect.
Thank you so much. It was lovely talking to you.
And thank you for all the entertainment. For so many years.
Thank you, sir.