By Natalia Ningthoujam
Mumbai, Oct 29 (IANS) Director Shashank Khaitan of "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania" fame says he needs more time to develop the warrior film, which was supposed to star actor Varun Dhawan.
"We (he and Varun) were supposed to make a warrior film together, but I need more time to develop that film because the kind of research, technology and effort (that is) required... I am not prepared for it right now," Khaitan told IANS here.
"So right now, we are working on an action-entertainer together. We are excited about it. The basic structure has come out. Karan (Johar) and Varun are both excited about it," he added.
Karan, Varun and Khaitan had joined forces for "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania" and then "Badrinath Ki Dulhania". Should the audience expect more parts of the franchise?
"I hope it does. Right now, we are focused on making something. If time permits, we would love to continue with the franchise. It has given me so much... other than a great friend and franchise. Just so much in terms of relationships.
"So, I would like to go back to that. I don't know when and how. But I am hoping... at some point surely."
Khaitan had also made "Dhadak" - the Hindi version of the hit 2017 Marathi film "Sairat". People involved were "Dhadak" were trolled online by fans of "Sairat". Has that discouraged him from making remakes again?
"If I like something, I would like to. I am not averse to that. I was excited to make 'Dhadak'. I was very sure that it would get compared and that a lot of people were going to slam it.
"But the love that we received otherwise, the box office collection... the non 'Sairat' watchers and 'Sairat' watchers have liked the film, so I am not the sort of person who will say, 'I am not going to make a remake again'. It has to excite me.
"There was an instinct for 'Sairat' that I wanted to remake it. And I went ahead and did it. I don't think it's a remake. It's an adaptation and tomorrow if I see something and feel I have my own perspective, I will do it. So these comparisons, being slammed or praised, don't change my opinion."
As a writer and director, he says that he gets inspired by various things in life.
"You meet someone, you want to make a film on him, you read a book, you want to make a film on it or you see a movie, you want to adapt it.
"It doesn't matter where your inspiration comes from, as long as you are excited to tell that story," said the alumnus of Whistling Woods International.
In fact, there was a time when the Nashik native wanted to be an actor.
"The thing is I didn't know that I wanted to be an actor. I was told by people that I should act because I used to dance well.
"I never realised whether I am passionate about it or not. When I went to a film school, Whistling Woods International, I actually realised that I enjoyed writing and film direction more.
"I still enjoy acting, but it's not something that I am really passionate about or I look forward to it. I look forward to writing and I look forward to direction. I probably look forward to dancing more than acting.
"Having said that, if there is something fun, I wouldn't mind doing it but I want to stay focused on direction for sure."
Khaitan was one of the speakers of "Film schools: Education vs reality", a session that was held on Monday as part of Jio MAMI 20th Mumbai Film Festival with Star.
(The writer's trip to Mumbai is at the invitation of the festival organisers. Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)
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