There is no ban on 'Singham Returns', says director Rohit Shetty

Bringing in an innovative twist to the genre of commercial, mainstream films today, director Rohit Shetty who calls his own films 'mindless', believes that they are incomplete without flying cars. Here, the director opens up about his upcoming film Singham Returns, the controversy surrounding it as well as his next film with Shah Rukh Khan.

Recently, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti called for a ban on your upcoming film Singham Returns. Would you like to clarify your stand on it?

All my films have such cases and controversies, it is nothing new. But I would like to clarify that there is no ban on Singham Returns. The Hindu organisation says that, 'Woh baba ko maarta hai aur phir salute karta hai masjid ko' (He hits the Hindu priest and pays respects to the masjid). First of all, it is not a masjid, it is a mosque. Secondly, the film is based on the Mumbai police. Jab Mahim dargah​ se urs nikalta hai, Mumbai police pehla chaddar chadhate hai (Every year when the festival begins at Mahim dargah, the Mumbai police places the first chaddar). This has been happening since 1932. So we have shown that in the film which is being given a Hindu-Muslim angle. In the promo, there is something which happens in the first half and something that takes place in the second half, but they are looking at it as two back-to-back shots. We will show them the film and sort it out. 

Considering you are regarded the most commercial director in the industry today, has the business aspect always the main prerogative for you?

When you make a film, you want your money to be recovered. Unlike earlier times when a film doing well was not counted by how much it earned but on the basis of how many days it ran in theatres - whether a film was a silver jubilee, a golden jubilee or a 100-day running film - that was the main parameter for success. Now we say the film has earned Rs 100 crore or Rs 150 crore or Rs  200 crore. Business is definitely important because otherwise, you won't survive. 

Do you ever think of venturing out from the action genre and making a thriller or a romantic film?

When I try to make a romantic film, it turns out to be a Chennai Express! It depends on many aspects. What happens with my films is that it is always a large, big budget film with a lot of money pumped in. I need to recover that money because I cannot make somebody sell his house because of my film. I cannot cheat the audience ever. That makes no sense! This is my audience, I cater to them and I know how to make films for them. 

Making commercial films with very less sensibilities, how do you keep it fresh all the time?

I don't know that but I have kept an open door policy where I keep observing people and notice what they see and how they react. Even after Singham Returns is out, I know 80% of the audience will like it and the remaining will just say, 'Yeh kya gaadi udaya hai yaar, yeh kaisi film banaya' (Why is he making the car fly? What kind of film is this?). People might give it 2 stars and I am ready for all that. We are a country with so many cultures, so many languages and so many Gods. We always keep comparing ourselves with Hollywood whereas they only speak one language and have just one God. They only have one cinema but here we have so many regional film industries. So for me, the pan-India audience is very important because of my budgets.

Kareena Kapoor went on record saying that she wants you to make a female-oriented film on the lines of Singham, even though she might not want to star in it. Are you thinking of anything?

Not presently, but if I get a good script, why not? Today actors are evolving and there's room for everyone. I would love to do something like that. But then, I think Deepika Padukone will be the best choice for any action film. She has the best build to carry the role. 

Very few directors actually understand the audience pulse as well as you do. Does this put any pressure on you to surpass your previous films?

No, it is not about the pressure. It is the approach that matters the most. You cannot take your success for granted. After Chennai Express, when we were writing Singham Returns, we knew the pressure. Today that is why I am not nervous. See, I don't know the fate of the film and I can't boast of the business. But whether the film is a hit or a flop on Friday, my honesty will be there. When I sit with my team in my office, I would feel that yes, we gave our 100% to the film. The rest is up to the audience. 

There have been reports that your next film with Shah Rukh Khan is a remake of Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi and will also feature Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor. Is this true?

There are so many films I am doing according to reports in the media. Some are saying that I am doing a remake of Angoor, some are saying it is Hum and now you are saying it is Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. People told me I am making a film with Varun, Alia, Arjun and Shah Rukh and some told me that I am doing a film with Shah Rukh and Katrina Kaif. The latest news is that me and Karan (Johar) are apparently having a fight because I did not turn up for Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. (Laughs out loud) And there is also a Punjab Express! (Laughs) So I am supposedly doing as many as nine films with Shah Rukh. I'd like to put all rumours to rest and say that only Shah Rukh has confirmed for my next film. No one else has been roped in as of now. The pre-production for the film has already started and it will go on floors next year. I don't know about the cast but one thing is for sure, the car will be the most important thing in my film. So people can't call it Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi because tab log bolenge ki yeh gaadi chalayega nahi udayega (people will say that my cars are not driven, they fly)!