Rohit Shetty on his new leading lady, working with Akshay Kumar, fearing Ajay Devgn and plans to launch his son
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 18, 2018)

Working on the post production of a film is a tedious task, and noone knows this better than Rohit Shetty. The director has been burning the midnight oil as he locks the final cut of his upcoming film, Simmba, to submit to the censors. That’s the reason he’s slightly late for interactions at a suburban five-star. Thanks to his all-black attire, the swagger of his walk and the entourage of security guards around him, he could easily be mistaken for a leading man. And in his own way, Rohit Shetty is one, given the excitement and attention his arrival invokes. Apologising profusely for the delay, he settles down in a ballroom to fend the googlis. Excerpts from the interview:

Do you feel burdened by expectations?
No, I feel like the chosen one because rarely does a director get so much love from the family audience. I’m never stressed about whether they’ll come to watch my film. The uppermost thought on my mind is whether they will like the film. They have made me, and I make my films for them.

Do you fear failures?
Yes, I do. You could get overconfident after just one hit; fear keeps you grounded. On the Friday of my release, you will find a nervous me sitting in a corner despite all the hits I’ve delivered over the years.

You’re being criticised for remaking a Telugu hit…
(Cuts in) So many remakes are being made, why target only me? Chennai Express, Dilwale, Golmaal Again and Singham Returns were not remakes. This is a one-off thing and it’s only a small section that has a problem, so I can laugh it off.

But not just Temper, comparisons are also being drawn between Simmba and other cop films like Singham and Dabangg…
And they will continue till the film opens. When we were promoting Singham, many were saying we had remade Dabangg. Such talk is only to stir up things.

But one sees a definite attempt to create a cop universe by bringing Simmba and Singham together in the same film.
Simmba is my best written film to date and if the audience feel the same way, I will start working on the next instalment sooner than expected. I’m not saying my next will be Singham and Simmba coming together, but yes, the idea is to create a cop universe. It would be difficult as something of this sort has never been attempted in India before. There is no story in mind, but the germ of an idea is in place.

The cop genre reached a stagnation point in the 2000s until its revival with Dabangg a decade later. What if it went out of fashion again?
That’s never going to happen. Forget cop films, not many action films were made at the turn of the millennium owing to the advent of multiplexes. The genre will never go out of fashion because every time a problem crops up, you need a cop to deal with it. Such films will always be about good versus evil though the ethics of film-making could change.

Won’t coming a week after Zero impact the screen count?
People are terming this a clash to spice up the scenario. There is a gap of one week between the two films, and seven days are enough to do great, more so because team Zero has the Christmas holiday to cash in on. There is no issue with screen distribution, plans are already in place.

Disappointed that Kedarnath and not Simbaa launched Sara Ali Khan?
No, I always wanted Kedarnath to come before Simmba because Gattu (Abhishek Kapoor) had signed Sara before me. In fact, he was the one who suggested her to me for Simmba. I’d be upset if he hadn’t got the credit for launching her.

Your debut film, Zameen, was a realistic thriller. Why haven’t you ventured into that space again?
I’d love to revisit the genre and I’m working on a few scripts. A thriller with real action, a film like that will happen soon. I would also love to direct a mature love story, revolving around a husband and wife. That would be an exciting new space to visit.

The DeepVeer wedding must add to the buzz surrounding Simmba since it’s Ranveer first film after tying the knot?
Ranveer is fed up of answering questions about his wedding. All these things don’t help the film, the hype is created by the trailer and music. A wedding is personal…

Since you have worked with both Ranveer and Deepika Padukone individually, is there a plan to now bring them together on screen?
I decide on the casting after finishing the script. If I get the right script, why not?

What’s happening with Golmaal 5?
Golmaal is a big brand and popular with the kids so it will happen soon for sure. I can’t give you an exact date since we don’t have a script in place.

And any plans for an All The Best or Bol Bachchan sequel?
I don’t see it happening at present because it gets difficult handling so many franchises but never say never.

With no clarity on franchise films, will your next directorial be a standalone film featuring Akshay Kumar?
I won’t deny that I am in talks with Akshay for a film, but we are yet to complete the formalities. I will be directing the film, but there is still time for it. We have just had two meetings so far.

Meanwhile, you will be back soon with season nine of your reality show, Khatron Ke Khiladi. What can we expect?
More drama. Television has made me a brand and by that I don’t mean only reality shows but also my films. In a week, five films of mine are aired on television, and they all get good ratings.

Any plans to act?
Nahin yaar!

Is your son, Ishaan, showing an interest in following in your footsteps?
I can confidently say that Ishaan is going to be a part of the industry. He will either be an actor or a director, and I will train him to live out his dream.

Any plans to launch the winners of the talent hunt contest you judged with Karan Johar?
Star (the channel) is working on it, there will be an announcement in a few months.

Finally, how would you define your 28-year bond with Ajay Devgn?
People call us friends, but I’m still scared of Ajay, who is like an elder brother. You will never see me walking with my arm around his shoulder. I respect him too much. When approaching him for Simmba, I told him I wanted him to make an extended cameo as Bajirao Singham. He just nodded, “I’m there with you, go ahead.”