Mumbai Jan 16 (IANS) After "Newton" "Mukkabaaz" is one film to have done a box office turn-around. Producer Aanand L Rai a common factor in both projects says when the intention is right success is the reward.
Anurag Kashyap directorial "Mukkaabaaz" is a small town boxer s love story and as per trade experts it is picking up business gradually.
Rai seems to have hit the right formula on how to make successes out of small-budgeted out-of-the-box films. His journey as a producer started with "Nil Battey Sannata" in 2016 a straightforward film on female literacy which hit home. It was followed by "Happy Bhag Jayegi" a romantic comedy on a runaway bride who lands up in Pakistan.
Questioned about the success he modestly shrugs off all credit.
"I guess somewhere the filmmaker s neeyat -- his intention -- is bound to make an impression on the audience. I sincerely believe that if a filmmaker does his job well he will be rewarded with success " Rai said.
"As a director when I tried something very different within the commercial framework in Tanu Weds Manu and Raanjhanaa I was warned against taking a risk by signing R. Madhavan and Dhanush in the lead. Big names in the south but more importantly fabulous actors. To me it didn t matter which language they worked in. It was their talent not their cultural identity that carried them forward " he added.
If Rai s gambit as a director has worked as a producer he took even bigger risks by agreeing to back projects with new/unsuccessful directors Ashwini Iyer Tiwari ("Nil Battey Sannata") Mudassar Aziz (Happy Bhaag Jayegi) R Prasanna ("Shubh Mangal Saavdhan") and now Anurag Kashyap ("Mukaabaaz") who hasn t had a box office success in a long time.
"This is a new Anurag Kashyap that audiences see in Mukkaabaaz . I firmly believe in the power of cinema to move audiences. Anurag has made a moving film. And the actor Vineet Kumar has slogged like a crazy man for his character. Vineet was disheartened when the film opened low.
"I told him to hang on. I was confident about the film " said Rai who is currently directing Shah Rukh Khan in "Zero".
The director is confident about bringing a new twist to the superstar s career.
"This will be a Shah Rukh Khan that audiences haven t seen as yet " he said.
--IANS
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