Director’s cut/ Youth connect

Did you ever think the film, with its all new starcast, would get such a good opening and collect Rs.19.2 crore in the first weekend?

I was always very positive about the film, especially since we had a target audience in mind which was between the age group of 16-40. Also, I had done a lot of research to study the mind of youngsters. I met young boys and girls living in hostels and tried to understand their lifestyle. So, I think there was a level of connectivity with the audience and that’s what worked in our favour.

Do you think the music of the film worked as an advantage?

Music definitely plays a major role, especially in helping the film get a good opening on Friday. If you look at films like Boss, it was the same case. But ultimately, your film needs to have a strong story and screenplay to sustain and do good business on the weekdays. Music is just one of the key aspects, but the audience need to relate to the film in order to get good numbers at the box-office.

Some critics panned the film, stating it didn’t have anything new to offer. How did you take the criticism?

Honestly, I was really disappointed and hurt. It seemed like a personal attack. How can anyone just rubbish the film and trash it without understanding its reach? Well, I would just like to thank the critics who gave it zero stars, because that probably helped in adding more zeroes to my box-office collections (laughs).

Weren’t you taking a risk in releasing your film with a multistarrer like Dedh Ishqiya?

Although I was a little sceptical to release the film on the same day as Dedh Ishqiya, especially because of Madhuri Dixit Nene’s presence, I was confident of the product that I had made and its credibility. Also, Dedh Ishqiya is in a completely different genre. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that Dedh… would walk away with all the critical acclaim, while Yaariyan will win the support of the masses. Although I didn’t get a chance to visit theatres, my close friends and members of the family saw the response and were blown away. I always thought my film would fare better in multiplexes, but even the single screen audience couldn’t get enough of it. I’ve had fans telling me that they’ve seen the film a multiple times already. What more can anyone ask for?

Now that you have tasted success with this film, what’s next?

Right now, I am just enjoying the success of my first film. Besides, I will be busy with a few promotional activities that were already planned in advance. Several people have told me that I am good with youth-centric films, and so my next too should be on the same lines. But as a director, I am keen on experimenting with different genres. In a week, I will start brainstorming and lock a few ideas for my next project. Hopefully, the next film will not take much time to wrap up.
priya.adivarekar@expressindia.com