Posted:
When it comes to Shah Rukh Khan, you
know the man is acutely aware of his
strengths and weaknesses. He knows how
markets " domestic and international "
work and is keen on taking risks, and that's
always a great mix for a movie entrepreneur
of his stature. Here he talks about his dream
of making his version of India's greatest
epic, Red Chillies' way ahead, the importance
of collaborations and more...
You have said that you want to make
Mahabharat on a big scale. Is that
happening?
It's my dream to make the Mahabharata for
the screen. It's been for years now. But I
don't think I have the budget to do that. I
would love to do it, but I don't think I could
afford to. Unless I collaborate. But not with
Indian producers. There have to be
international producers on board for this
one because Indian producers and Indian
films have a limited market. This one has to
go out into the international markets. So you
have to collaborate with someone who's
international. You don't take up a subject
like the Mahabharata and make it any less. It
should be on the scale of a Baahubali or an
even larger one.
Are you planning to collaborate with
international producers anytime soon then?
I'm extremely busy. If I get there, it would be
lovely to make that film. I have spoken to a
few. Every second person wants to make
Mahabharat. There's nothing concrete
happening yet.
With studios shutting down all around, do
you have plans of making Red Chillies the
next big Indian studio?
The studio model in India isn't really a studio
model. Studio models are Yash Raj or
Dharma. They are actualy studios. Yash Raj
even distributes their own films, Dharma
doesn't as yet, but they do have affiliates
who do it for them. So with due respect to
all the studios that claim to be studios, they
are all wonderful people and have helped
me. Whether it's a Chennai Express or other
films, they are just leasing filmmakers, but
they are not a part of the creative aspect.
Could you elaborate on that?
Mr Walt Disney was a part of everything and
that's why he created the studio model. And
he made the film, and he sold the film and
he borrowed the money or lost the money
while the whole studio is backing him up.
Similarly, there's Warner Brothers or
Columbia Pictures there. Here, in India, I
think they came as distributors who are
giving you money, taking your film and
releasing it. They really don't put any inputs
in creating the content. They just hire the
actors. I am not trying to create a studio, I
just want to make it easy for my filmmakers.
We can market it with our own people, and
convince other people. It's our film at the
end of the day. I'm trying to do that. Who
knows? I may fail completely and next year,
when you meet me, I would be on the roads
hoping somebody signs me up (laughs) or if
it does well, it's not to create a studio model
or become a Warner Brothers, or Yash Raj or
Dharma. I don't think I'm as good as them.
Visual effects are my core, so I will try and
make more films around that.
Salman Khan and Karan Johar are now
producing a film with Akshay Kumar in the
lead. Do you think that will bring in a new
trend?
It should be collaborative. And it should have
been done a long time back. But it's very
good that Karan and Salman are making a
film with Akshay. I wanted to do that. But
the story and all didn't work out. I'm sure he
is really open to it. I think whenever there is
an opportunity, as producers, we should
make this happen. Firstly, we should get this
correct. They should not be taken as
individuals, as Karan or Salman. It's Dharma
and SKF. They are different identities, they
are film producers. It's about the company,
not about individuals. So, two companies
have come together to make a film with a
big movie star. Similarly, we at Red Chillies
do it too. Maybe, Dharma and Red Chillies, or
YRF. Filmmaking should be collaborative. The
more collaboration there is, in music,
filmmaking, storytelling " you will have
better films. Tintin was made by Steven
Spielberg, who loved it and he produced it
and let Peter Jackson " who owned it "
direct it. It's something Steven Spielberg
always wanted to make and direct, but he
found that Peter Jackson has it, he said,
Let's collaborate' and make it together.
http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/shah-rukh-khan-reveals-his-dream-to-make-a-film-on-the-scale-of-baahubali-and-how-hes-also-keen-on-teaming-up-with-akshay-kumar/.
know the man is acutely aware of his
strengths and weaknesses. He knows how
markets " domestic and international "
work and is keen on taking risks, and that's
always a great mix for a movie entrepreneur
of his stature. Here he talks about his dream
of making his version of India's greatest
epic, Red Chillies' way ahead, the importance
of collaborations and more...
You have said that you want to make
Mahabharat on a big scale. Is that
happening?
It's my dream to make the Mahabharata for
the screen. It's been for years now. But I
don't think I have the budget to do that. I
would love to do it, but I don't think I could
afford to. Unless I collaborate. But not with
Indian producers. There have to be
international producers on board for this
one because Indian producers and Indian
films have a limited market. This one has to
go out into the international markets. So you
have to collaborate with someone who's
international. You don't take up a subject
like the Mahabharata and make it any less. It
should be on the scale of a Baahubali or an
even larger one.
Are you planning to collaborate with
international producers anytime soon then?
I'm extremely busy. If I get there, it would be
lovely to make that film. I have spoken to a
few. Every second person wants to make
Mahabharat. There's nothing concrete
happening yet.
With studios shutting down all around, do
you have plans of making Red Chillies the
next big Indian studio?
The studio model in India isn't really a studio
model. Studio models are Yash Raj or
Dharma. They are actualy studios. Yash Raj
even distributes their own films, Dharma
doesn't as yet, but they do have affiliates
who do it for them. So with due respect to
all the studios that claim to be studios, they
are all wonderful people and have helped
me. Whether it's a Chennai Express or other
films, they are just leasing filmmakers, but
they are not a part of the creative aspect.
Could you elaborate on that?
Mr Walt Disney was a part of everything and
that's why he created the studio model. And
he made the film, and he sold the film and
he borrowed the money or lost the money
while the whole studio is backing him up.
Similarly, there's Warner Brothers or
Columbia Pictures there. Here, in India, I
think they came as distributors who are
giving you money, taking your film and
releasing it. They really don't put any inputs
in creating the content. They just hire the
actors. I am not trying to create a studio, I
just want to make it easy for my filmmakers.
We can market it with our own people, and
convince other people. It's our film at the
end of the day. I'm trying to do that. Who
knows? I may fail completely and next year,
when you meet me, I would be on the roads
hoping somebody signs me up (laughs) or if
it does well, it's not to create a studio model
or become a Warner Brothers, or Yash Raj or
Dharma. I don't think I'm as good as them.
Visual effects are my core, so I will try and
make more films around that.
Salman Khan and Karan Johar are now
producing a film with Akshay Kumar in the
lead. Do you think that will bring in a new
trend?
It should be collaborative. And it should have
been done a long time back. But it's very
good that Karan and Salman are making a
film with Akshay. I wanted to do that. But
the story and all didn't work out. I'm sure he
is really open to it. I think whenever there is
an opportunity, as producers, we should
make this happen. Firstly, we should get this
correct. They should not be taken as
individuals, as Karan or Salman. It's Dharma
and SKF. They are different identities, they
are film producers. It's about the company,
not about individuals. So, two companies
have come together to make a film with a
big movie star. Similarly, we at Red Chillies
do it too. Maybe, Dharma and Red Chillies, or
YRF. Filmmaking should be collaborative. The
more collaboration there is, in music,
filmmaking, storytelling " you will have
better films. Tintin was made by Steven
Spielberg, who loved it and he produced it
and let Peter Jackson " who owned it "
direct it. It's something Steven Spielberg
always wanted to make and direct, but he
found that Peter Jackson has it, he said,
Let's collaborate' and make it together.
http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/shah-rukh-khan-reveals-his-dream-to-make-a-film-on-the-scale-of-baahubali-and-how-hes-also-keen-on-teaming-up-with-akshay-kumar/.
CID
30