EXPLOSIVE: “Hamare Bollywood filmmakers ko pata nahin kya ho gaya hai. They try to make so-called ‘modern cinema’ but it works with only 1% of the population” – Rakesh Roshan 1 : Bollywood News

Rakesh Roshan turns 73 on September 6. The blockbuster filmmaker, on this joyous occasion, talked exclusively with Bollywood Hungama about his birthday plans and the present scenario at the box office.

EXPLOSIVE: “Hamare Bollywood filmmakers ko pata nahin kya ho gaya hai. They try to make so-called ‘modern cinema’ but it works with only 1% of the population” – Rakesh Roshan

Your birthday falls on September 6. What are your plans?
Nothing much. We will have a Pooja at home and a family get-together.

When Rishi Kapoor was there, his birthday used to fall on September 4. So that was the day we used to have a big party. September 5 was the birthday of another friend of mine. He stays in London and he used to fly down to Mumbai to celebrate with us. And on the 6th is my birthday. So the whole week, we used to celebrate.

Will you be celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi this year?
No, as my mother-in-law passed away recently. So this year, we will skip the celebrations.

Many Hindi films have not worked at the box office. What do you think is going wrong?
That is because people are making films that they and their friends like to watch. They are picking subjects that appeal to a very minuscule section of the audience. A big chunk of the audience cannot relate to it. Another major problem is that the songs are going out of the film. Or the songs are relegated to the background and at times, only the mukhda is played. Earlier, there used to be 6 songs. These songs would help the actors turn into superstars. Aap puraane gaano se hero ko yaad rakhte hai. Whenever you listen to old classics, you remember the heroes who were featured in those songs. Nowadays, since there are no songs, toh hero yaad nahi aate hai. As a result, becoming a superstar is very difficult at present.

You see the songs of Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Dev Anand, Sanjeev Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor etc. Their songs used to be such an integral part of the movie and they played a huge role in making their film a super-duper hit. Take Pushpa or RRR for example. Each and every song became a craze. So we should learn (from its success).

Could you tell us about your process of writing and integrating songs into the scripts?
It all depends on what subject you take. A film like Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (2000) requires songs as it’s a romantic film. And a film like Vikram Vedha doesn’t have the scope for songs. A film like Vikram Vedha, for example, doesn’t have the scope for songs. But then it has the scope for action, dialoguebaazi etc.

Today, in Bollywood, it’s unfortunately difficult to count the number of directors who can give commercial hits or who can make pan-India films. Down South, the scenario is different...
In the South, they are still sticking to rooted stories and they are presenting them in a very upgraded way, keeping in mind the commercial sensibilities. If you see films like RRR and Baahubali, they have beaten-to-death stories. Baahubali is very similar to Karan Arjun. But it was presented on a bigger scale. Even the songs were larger-than-life and hence people were enticed. Aur hamare Bollywood filmmakers ko pata nahin kya ho gaya hai. They have drifted away from the roots of Indianness. They try to make so-called ‘modern cinema’ but it works with only 1% of the population. It does not cater to B and C centres. So if you pick subjects that cater to the C, B and A centres and present them in a very novel way, it’ll appeal to everyone.

Before the pandemic, filmmakers knew they could get away with a huge opening and by recovering their investment in the initial weekend. Now their films are not even getting an opening…
Unfortunately, in these pandemic times, the filmmakers, instead of devoting more time to good scripts, are focusing more on mathematics. A film needs to have the passion of the director. If you don’t see the stamp of the director, that film can never do well. Your first reaction should be, ‘Wow…what has he made’! The film should speak to you by itself. But nowadays you don’t see the director and so you don’t feel the film.

The same applies even to web series also. In some series, you can see that the director has worked very hard. But there too, mathematics overpowers and the quality of content keeps falling. The first seasons of some of the series are usually nice but when the following seasons come, you can see the downtrend. It doesn’t hold.

From August 1, all Hindi films, which would be released in cinemas, would compulsorily premiere on OTT only after 8 weeks. It was said that the four-week window was affecting the business at the box office. Your thoughts?
I don’t think so. If the film is well made, it’ll work. In the earlier times, films used to be out on piracy, on video cassettes or VCDs within a few days of release. Films would even get leaked online. Yet, so many films did business of more than Rs. 300 crores. Nowadays, due to an extensive release, the footfall anyway dies down after three weeks. So the four-week window doesn’t make a difference especially if your film has universal appeal. But nowadays, films don’t have that kind of appeal. The trailer doesn’t speak anything. It doesn’t entice people to come and see the film in theatres.

Pehle gaane hote the. Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai’s (2000) promotions started with songs. Then we put the trailer. Nowadays, we need to release the teaser or trailer first. Then comes the songs. Aur fir 40-50 jagah pe jaate hai promotions ke liye, jahan jaane ki koi zarurat nahi hai!

Do you feel the multi-city and hectic promotions serve no purpose?
There's no point (in doing it). You are simply wasting money. If your trailer or teaser hasn’t worked, such promotional tours are unnecessary.

However, when the trailer has worked, do you think such tours can add to the film’s buzz? For instance, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was also heavily promoted. But what went in its favour was that the trailer had appealed to the public…
Yes. I am trying to imply that awareness about the film’s release can be done in many other ways other doing hopping from one city to another. As for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, audiences enjoyed the film. Again, the plot is not new but the director presented it very well. The makers provided audiences with laughter and horror and did justice to the genre. Hence, the public took it nicely.

We have been making films for more than 100 years. So story ideas will be repeated. I guess it all depends on how you present it…
If you see, there are only 6 to 7 plots in the world of cinema. And filmmakers are making films based on these 6 to 7 plots only and making it into a wholesome story. But today, unfortunately, we are just taking part of these stories and making a niche film with a big star cast. Such niche films should be made on a budget. One should know the potential of business of the story that the filmmaker selects and cast accordingly. You can’t make a film which is worth Rs. 20 crores and cast highly paid actors who charge more than the film’s actual potential or appeal.

Recently, there has been discussion on the star fees. Many in the industry are of the opinion that actors should reduce their price. Do you agree?
No. The filmmakers are simply playing blame games. Since the time I entered the industry, I have been hearing that ‘Hero aur heroine bahut paise lete hai’. Aur aaj tak yeh rivaaz change nahi hua hai. Toh ab kyun hoga? The big actors add to the film in many ways. That’s why filmmakers cast them. But the actors get blamed when the film doesn’t do well. A good film runs on its strength. The capable actors help in contributing and enhancing the film’s appeal.

Laal Singh Chaddha faced acute boycott calls on social media. Several other films, too, have been similarly targeted. Do you feel such campaigns can affect a film’s business?
I am not active on social media. So I don’t know much about it. I don’t think that because of boycott calls, people don’t go to see films. If a film is good, everybody throngs the cinema halls to check it out. Laal Singh Chaddha and Raksha Bandhan had been released together. The former was ‘boycotted’ while the latter was not. Yet, the business of both films was very low as the audience must have not liked the content.

Some very promising films are up for release in the next 6 months. These films can bring back good times for the industry…
Yes, let’s hope. People need to work hard, sit on the script and make sure that all the correct ingredients are there in their film. If you look at my filmography, I made different kinds of films. But all of them were commercial. I took newer plots, made them into a commercial bouquet and presented it to the audience.

Nowadays, when you speak to young writers, they don’t understand the idea of wholesome entertainment. They believe that it’s outdated. They don’t understand that a film has to be presented in a newer way and should consist of an engaging script, beautiful locations etc. For example, When I gave Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai’s script to read to a big director, he told me, ‘It’s okay’. He wasn’t impressed. But when he saw the film, he was amazed. I remarked, ‘But you had not liked the script’. To which he said, ‘I thought you’ll shoot it on a much smaller scale. The locations will be in and around Madh Island! I never knew a story like this can be presented in such a larger-than-life manner in breathtaking locations’. So there’s nothing like outdated. It depends on how you present it. A recent example is RRR. The whole film was so well presented that audiences were left stunned. So everything boils down to presentation.

Will there be any other film from Filmkraft besides Krrish 4 in the near future?
No. I am not in that game. Maybe I am not capable (of handling multiple films). When I take up a project, I am totally involved in it. I don’t leave any stone unturned.

I read in your recent interview you are getting acting offers.
Yes, I do but I don’t take it up as I am very busy with my film and I concentrate on only one task at a time.

Do you watch films regularly?
Yes. I made a house in Khandala where I have a home theatre. I see every film there.

You seem to be religiously going to your Khandala house every weekend…
I go there usually on Fridays. At times, I go there on Thursday evenings. I return on Monday. Straight from Khandala, I reach my office.

What is it that you love about that place?
It’s a different atmosphere out there. There’s peace and clean air. There are so many things to do like looking after the garden, growing vegetables etc. It’s a different world altogether!