Why dark is desirable for Raghavan

After making a twisted thriller like the Saif Ali Khan and Urmila Matondkar starrer ‘Ek Haseena Thi’,  director Sriram Raghavan is now back with the noir thriller ‘Johnny Gaddaar’ starring Dharmendra with debutant Neil Mukesh.

It has been quite a wait since ‘Ek Haseena Thi’.

There were circumstances beyond my control. I didn’t intend to take such a big gap. I plan to make up for it.

How far will ‘Johnny Gaddaar’ go in enhancing your brand value?

Brand and all that sounds too heavy! I love ‘Ek Haseena Thi’ for various reasons including that it was my first film. I think it was a decent thriller, though with some flaws! ‘Johnny Gaddaar’ too is a thriller but there is a difference. ‘Ek Haseena Tha’ was an emotionally driven story that gradually got into a plot. ‘Johnny Gaddaar’ is completely plot-driven but gradually gets emotional.

What prompted you to title your film ‘Johnny Gaddaar’?

In the year and a half I’ve been on this film, only one person thought that the title is B grade. Lots of people have loved the title and have told me that it’s pulpy, retro and cool. The name is inspired by Vijay Anand’s classic film ‘Johny Mera Naam’.

Is ‘Johnny Gaddaar’ based on a foreign film?

It’s is not based on any foreign film. But it’s certainly influenced by all the  noir films I’ve seen like John Huston’s ‘Asphalt Jungle’, Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Killing’, the French noirs of Jean Pierre Melville and others. It’s also equally influenced by the thrillers made by Vijay Anand, Raj Khosla, Shakti Samanta, Brij Sadanah and so many other prolific Indian directors.