Years ago when VEER was conceptualised, the film had promised reinvention of sorts for Salman Khan though it didn’t quite go all the way. Today, even though director Anil Sharma has moved on, isn’t he disappointed that his magnum opus couldn’t really catch audience imagination despite Salman featuring in it?
“Let me first get some facts straight. See, VEER did a gross business of 70-75 crore worldwide and recovered what had gone into making it. Salman was also very good in it. He looked really handsome as well. Par haan, kahin kuch galtiyan ho gayi thi par un sabke liye I am willing to take responsibility as a director. I don’t want to hold Salman responsible for that. Sometimes it does happen that a subject appeals you as a filmmaker but then the audience doesn’t connect with the character. That’s okay, you move on,” Sharma gets candid here.
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| ANIL SHARMA and SALMAN KHAN |
However it took almost three years for him to move on from the film’s lacklustre response. While there were on and off talks of many other films in the interim period, it is SINGH SAHIB THE GREAT which has been formally announced.
“I had this title in mind and a basic idea in place. Writer Shaktiman, with whom I had earlier collaborated on GADAR, came on board and together we got the basic story in place. What Sunny Deol liked about the film and especially the character was that it treats every situation in a very satirical way. Moreover there is all the quintessential ‘masala’ of 80s films with a battle of words between hero and villain (Prakash Raj) holding centre-stage,” he details.
The film goes on floors in the month of November. Meanwhile the wait is on for the name of the leading lady to be announced soon.
