Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat (2025), starring Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, completes one year of its release on October 21. Three days before the anniversary, the film’s team came together for a lovely reunion, as evident from a picture posted by its writer-director Milap Zaveri. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Milap spoke about the reunion, his memories of the film and how its controlled budget offers an important lesson for the industry.
Tell us about the Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat reunion that happened recently…
It was a get-together and a musical night at producer Anshul Garg’s office. It was held on Sunday. And yes, you can call it a reunion!
Was it specifically timed to coincide with the film’s first anniversary?
No, it wasn't planned that way. It just happened organically. These things happen magically when they are meant to happen. Luckily, Harsh didn't have a shoot that day, and Sonam was also free. Hence, we met and had a great time reminiscing about the film.
What memories did you guys share?
Around a year ago, we were at the same place celebrating Diwali and the success of the film. We hadn't assembled as a group since then. Hum alag-alag ek doosre se mile the. However, the last time all of us were together was on the night of the film's release. So, this reunion felt even more special.
We clicked pictures, chatted and laughed. We joked about how we were the underdogs and how very few people had faith in the film before its release. And then, we recalled how it won hearts and surprised everyone. It's a film that changed everyone's lives in a beautiful way.
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Today is October 20, and the time is 12:45 pm. Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat was released on October 21 last year. What was Milap Zaveri doing exactly a year ago, on this date and at this time?
(Laughs) Milap Zaveri was going through a mix of emotions! By then, there was tremendous buzz around the film, thanks to Anshul's marketing efforts. Raghav Sharma also put his best foot forward. The music had become a rage, especially the title song, while the dialogues had gone viral. So, there was obviously a lot of anticipation and excitement. Moreover, the film was releasing on a Tuesday, which was a huge gamble. We were excited and nervous, but at the same time, confident about what we had made.
For me, it was my first film in four years. So, obviously, I had huge butterflies in my stomach. Somewhere, I was confident that I had made an honest film that would touch people's hearts. I must give a lot of credit to Harsh, Sonam, Anshul, Gaurav Verma, Aman Gill, Shaad Randhawa and others. They believed in the film very strongly from the moment they saw the first edit. When your team is so confident, it inspires confidence in you as well.
There's a saying in our industry – jab log bikhar jaate hain, toh pata chalta hai ki film mein problem hai. Lekin jab log rukte hain aapke saath, baat karte hain, discuss karte hain, that's when you know that the film has struck a chord. That meant a lot to me.
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat was made on a tight budget, and yet it looked grand. Recently, Hanuman Ansh struck a chord despite being made for less than Rs. 3 crores. Similarly, the Hollywood film Obsession was reportedly made for under Rs. 10 crores. These examples prove that one can spend less and still deliver a classy-looking product. Do you feel the industry should learn from the success of such reasonably budgeted films?
Absolutely. The fact that Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat was made at the right cost is precisely why it's a super-hit. Agar cost high hota, toh hit hoti. Usse high hota, toh average hoti. Usse bhi high hota, toh flop hoti!
Today, budgeting is extremely important. You need to make your film smartly while ensuring that it looks grand. I must give a lot of credit to Anshul. Even though we didn't have a sky-high budget, he encouraged me to shoot in Chandigarh and Manali. I told him that I would shoot the climax in two days. He replied, 'You take three days'. When I asked for three cameras, he gave me four! He was clear that I shouldn't compromise on the climax. Similarly, for the song 'Bol Kaffara Kya Hoga', we travelled to Rajasthan and shot in a real palace. So, wherever required, we spent money. But we didn't spend unnecessarily.
Your cast and crew also need to support you. I had an extraordinary crew that worked tirelessly, along with a fantastic cast. Harsh, Sonam and Shaad shot four to five scenes each in a single day. These were dramatic and emotional scenes, so it wasn't easy. Had they not been such capable actors, and had I spent time explaining every little thing to them, I wouldn't have been able to complete the shoot in just 35 days. So, it's extremely important to surround yourself with the right actors and technicians who understand that the film has a certain budget but are still determined to deliver the best possible output.
If producers, actors and directors work together with this understanding, a lot of money can be saved. The biggest issue is wastage. For instance, a Jimmy Jib comes at a cost. You should hire it only for the days when you actually need it.
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