‘Working towards sending Gadar 2 for Oscars’: Anil Sharma

He said, “People are calling me repeatedly to send the film to the Oscars.”

When asked if Gadar 2 will go to the Oscars, the director said, “Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) didn’t go, so I don’t know how Gadar 2 will go, but we are at it. But Gadar 2 should go; the film deserves it. Gadar also deserved it. Gadar was based on the 1947 partition, and we told the story in a very different way. It was a new and original story, and Gadar 2 is also a new and original story.”

Anil Sharma then expressed that he’s been upset for years for not receiving accolades for his films. He said, “It feels like I’ve not worked at all. I don’t know who sits on the award panels that they don’t give us any awards. I remember how Dharam ji (Dharmendra) once shared that he’d get new suits tailored and wear new ties for award shows, wishing he’d win an award. But he would never get an award. He had said, ‘I don’t feel I have been a part of this industry.’ That’s how it’s been for us as well. We have not received awards but have been blessed with rewards and people’s love. We have touched people’s hearts with Gadar 2. I won’t lie, but even we want awards. But I don’t expect it because I know that I won’t get it. I hear there is lots of lobbying and PR involved in these things, and I am not a political person. I have never lobbied for awards.”

“I have been making films for forty years. It could turn out good or bad, but I made my films the way my heart feels. When people show love (to my films), I really feel happy. When they don’t, I feel sad because I made films for the audience. I then work towards fixing the mistakes we did with the films that didn’t do well because the audience is never wrong, the maker is,” Sharma concluded.

Along with Sunny Deol, Gadar 2 also stars Ameesha Patel, Utkarsh Sharma, Smirat Kaur and Manish Wadhwa. The film will soon cross the Rs 500 crore mark at the Indian box office and has earned over Rs 745 crore worldwide.