The legendary filmmaker Priyadarshan never seems to slow down. As a result, he has a release almost every year and at times, he delivers more than one film a year. He’ll complete 40 years as a director in 2024 and until now, he has made, believe it or not, 96 films in these 39 years! His latest film, Appatha, backed by Jio Studios, was released on Jio Cinema on July 29. Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke to Priyadarshan about this sweet Tamil flick and a lot more.
The plot of Appatha seems very relatable, especially for those who fear dogs. How did you get the idea to make this sweet film?
The story was given to me by Jio Studios from another writer after which I wrote its screenplay and dialogues. They wanted to make the film in Hindi as well but I preferred doing the Tamil version. I was more comfortable with the ambience that I know rather than taking the film in an unknown ambience. I was thrilled to work on Appatha as I have done films in every genre. But I had never done a film with an animal. It was something new to me. Moreover, Urvashi is my most favourite actor. She is the best actor living in this country! She has worked in 700 films. It’s unbelievable. She started at the age of 6 and was a superstar in all four Southern industries. There was a time when she was shooting 365 days a year. She’s also a fine actor. She can pull humour, emotions, and romance flawlessly. I was thrilled to work with an actor of such calibre. That’s also a reason that motivated me to do Appatha.
Was it tough to shoot with a dog?
It was very difficult. In the beginning, even Urvashi was afraid of the animal. The dog belonged to the Belgian Malinois breed. One of the dogs from the breed was used for the capture of Osama Bin Laden. They are very intelligent. Also, the dog in our film was very well trained and likeable. We shot 30 days with him. On his last day of the shoot, everyone in the unit was crying as they were all going to miss him. He became an important member of the unit.
Appatha was released directly on Jio Cinema. Was it always meant for a digital release?
Yes. They were clear about it from the very start. It was never meant for cinemas.
Were you okay with a direct OTT release for Appatha?
Yes, as it’s a very small, cute film. I prefer making these kinds of films because when it comes to big films like Pathaan, RRR etc, what happens is that when the next big film comes, viewers forget these films. But you won’t be able to easily forget the films that touch your heart. Hence, it’s always good to have films which you’d like to see again and again. Also, shooting for such films is very enjoyable as you know that your creativity touches its peak while working on them.
Do you plan to remake Appatha in Hindi like you have done for several of your films in the past?
Definitely not. I believe Jio has a plan to do a remake. But I won’t be directing it. There are some films which you make from your mind and some films which you make from your heart. You can’t make films again that fall in the latter category.
2 years ago, you admitted that you will be directing Hulchul 2…
Yes, we are working on it. But until and unless the script is convincing, I don’t want to go for it. It’s not the execution or the cast. It’s the script that can make or break a film.
You had also said that you’ll work with a film starring Akshay Kumar? Has there been any progress on this front?
Again, the script has to be powerful enough. We have seen films flopping one by one. Humour is the most saleable genre today. But at the same time, if people are not laughing in your comedy film, then nothing can save the film. I believe there should not be a repetition of what you have done in the past. And we filmmakers always tend to repeat what we did in the past. It’s a dangerous tendency.
Do you think this is a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic?
No. I feel people have more exposure to good cinema today due to digital platforms. Unless they are convinced that the film will hold them well and entertain them, they won’t come to the theatres.
So which film will you make next?
I am confused. I have done 96 films in 5 languages, including 30 in Hindi. I am 4 films away from scoring a century! I am now trying to decide in which language I should make my next film.
Do you have any scripts ready?
Not really. I am discussing ideas with many people. And today’s times are different from the bygone era when you used to work on back-to-back films. I still can’t believe how I made 96 films in these 40 years! Flop has never disappointed me and success has never made me arrogant. My belief was simple – as long as my brain works, I should keep on making movies. That’s it. Thank God I have an 80% success rate. Otherwise, I would not have survived 40 years (laughs)!
Also Read: Priyadarshan says, “I’d never attempt to recreate the Hera Pheri magic again”
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