Only tech can’t make films successful: Anil Kapoor

By Arundhuti Banerjee

Mumbai, May 19 (IANS) Veteran actor Anil Kapoor, who built up curiosity on his upcoming project with acclaimed director Shekhar Kapur, says that though technical advancement has made it easier for the new generation to make films like "Mr. India" it cannot guarantee a movie's success.

Kapur on Friday, posted a candid photograph on social media of their meeting and wrote: "Discussing the look for the next 'Mr India 2', or another movie together? You tell them Anil."

Talking about his meeting with Kapur, Anil told IANS: "Yes, we are discussing something but it is really too early to talk about... Shekhar and I keep meeting whenever we get a chance because we are really good friends. Nothing has changed between us for all these years."

"It's always like two friends, who are 'child at heart' catching up. It is not always about talking on one thing at times... just exchanging thoughts are also wonderful," he added.

Released in 1987 "Mr India" was one of the commercially successful sci-fi films.

It told the story of a poor man who gives shelter to orphans. After discovering his scientist father's invisibility device, he rises to the occasion and fights to save his children and all of India from the clutches of a villain named Mogambo.

Has technical advancement made it easy for the new generation to make such films?

"That is true, when we made "Mr India", the technical advancement wasn't there as much as we get it today. But only the use of technology cannot make a film successful. The heart of the story has to have at the right place. Whether it is Harshvardhan's 'Bhavesh Joshi' or our 'Mr. India', people talk about the character, which means, the story."

"Now, there are films that have box office success as well as an archival value. Some films cannot make it to the box office but get shelf life. One cannot calculate that, as an actor," he added.

Currently, Anil is busy shooting for director Anees Bazmee's directorial "Pagalpanti". He is also into producing movies with his banner Anil Kapoor Films Company.

Anil, who has bank rolled films such as "My Wife's Murder", "Aisha", "Khubsoorat", "Veere Di Wedding", said: "Rhea (Kapoor) is actually working on quite a few things and we will make the announcement of those projects soon. You see, I am one of those people who believe in investing time and effort on pre-production"

He added: "Whether it is scripting, how we are channelising the creative idea on screen and if the core idea is coming across that way announcing and shooting is the execution part, which becomes easier when we have a good story in hand, that is well researched".

Recently, TV actress Hina Khan walked the red carpet at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival to launch the poster of her Bollywood debut "Lines" and one of the editors of a film magazine made a discriminating comment on her presence referring to the small screen.

Since the 62-year-old actor has explored the small screen and digital platforms as an along with cinema, he was asked if TV actors are looked down upon by movie stars.

Without directly commenting on the matter, he said: "Internationally, TV actors are respected equally, and the gap between TV and cinema is going away. But cinema has its magnitude and everyone wants to see their face on that big 70mm. There is nothing wrong in that too."

(Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in)