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Back in 2011, there was nothing Shah Rukh Khan could do wrong. He was dabbling in interesting genres, finding success in almost every film, and was cementing his legacy as the biggest Indian superstar on the global level. It is during that time that he was coming up with his most ambitious project yet. It was also his most expensive film to date. At the helm of this film was a then five-film-old director Anubhav Sinha, and against all odds, Ra One was made. However, it was one of the biggest disappointments in Indian cinema, and despite there being voices in favour of the film, it is quietened by the loud voices of its detractors. In an interview to The Lallantop, director Anubhav, who went on to make compelling films like Mulk, Article 15, Thappad and Anek, opened up in detail about what behind the making and downfall of Ra One.
“I conceptualised the film in 2005, and started writing it in 2006. Of course, I was in talks with Shah Rukh Khan about the film, but nothing was written in stone. However, at a press conference in Berlin, Shah Rukh Khan announced the project, and got on the plane to India,” said Anubhav, reminiscing on the relentless phone calls he received over the next eight hours as the project was officially announced for the first time. “Honestly, I didn’t know if he had actually said anything, and I didn’t know what to say. Eight hours later, when I could connect to him, he simply said, ‘Why hide it?'”
Anubhav agreed that the film didn’t happen the way he envisioned, but he never had to think about the budget because Shah Rukh Khan never discussed money matters. “He is above money. In fact, he doesn’t care about it at all. Of course, I heard it was somewhere between Rs 90-120 crores, but I didn’t know the exact number,” said Anubhav, candidly admitting that he was completely overwhelmed by the happenings in Ra One. “I lost control of the film.”
Speaking about how Ra One was new territory for everyone involved, Anubhav revealed that he was unsure about a lot of things, and was overwhelmed by the scale. “I was spending 18 hours a day with Shah Rukh Khan. There was an Italian cameraman, and an American VFX supervisor, and all of them knew more cinema than me. I was overwhelmed by the resources,” said the Anek filmmaker, who shared that Shah Rukh Khan’s way with words ensured he never felt overshadowed. “He is a very intelligent person. He knew how to impress his decision on you without you feeling bad about it. Of course, I was consulted about everything, including the casting. In fact, even bringing Akon for Chammak Chalo was initiated by Vishal-Shekhar. I called up Shah Rukh and said, ‘Akon chaahiye’ (We need Akon), and all he replied was ‘Let me try…’ and then it is Shah Rukh Khan. He makes things happen.”
Looking back at Ra One’s box-office results, Anubhav attributed it all to his own work in the film. “Ra One was a bad film, that’s why it didn’t perform well. The script was bad. The editing was bad. I would correct a lot of the film, except for the music and the VFX. I still believe the core story was good, but the film’s ambition to appeal to everyone, and every section of the audience, proved to be detrimental.”
Anubhav also touched upon the kind of unsaid negativity that surrounded Shah Rukh Khan and Ra One. “During the second week of its run, I realised that the film wouldn’t run the way we expected it to. I was depressed. I reached out to Kishore Lulla in London, and he assured me that Shah Rukh Khan and him would make money from the film, even though it wasn’t performing very well,” said Anubhav, pressing on how many in the industry wanted the film to fail. “I believe that there were people in the film industry who wanted Shah Rukh Khan to fall. I have been long enough in cinema to understand that kind of a feeling in people. But yeah, when Shah Rukh Khan conceded that the film flopped, it was heartbreaking because I betrayed the film, and his trust on me. I couldn’t deliver a film that he could be proud of.”
When questioned if he was judging himself harshly, the ever-candid Anubhav succinctly said, “I am the director. I should be harsh on myself, because I enjoy the privileges that come with being a director.”
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