It may have been 20 years since the release of the cult classic, Swades, but, filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker feels it was only yesterday that he launched his production house with the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer. Arguably, Gowariker’s perception may not be completely flawed, given that the patriotic offering that holds a mirror to society, has been kept alive in the minds of people several years after it left cinema halls.

The filmmaker understands why Swades—a film that deals with the themes of class and caste divide—has lived far beyond its years. “It gives us the status quo; the point zero. It [shows us] where we need to hit reset. When people tell me that Swades continues to be appreciated, it makes me happy and sad. I am happy that the work is being appreciated, but sad because it implies that nothing has changed. I don’t know if matters have become worse. The divide between urban and rural [India] has increased. We look at the technological [advancement] in cities and think we are progressing. But, it is a mirage. Of course, the heartland also has all the amenities. But have we progressed in our way of thinking? I don’t think so. The change is still happening. And more work needs to be done on that front,” he explains.

Meanwhile, Gowariker has a lot of work on his plate too. As his production house crosses the milestone mark, he is eager to turn his attention to new ventures. Sure, venturing into web shows may seem to be the most natural progression in this day and age, but the filmmaker is also keen to explore other avenues.

“We want to also make television shows, documentaries and audiobooks. We want to cover the entire entertainment gamut. We are developing stories in the OTT space, which is a great addition to our business, because my films are long, and if I have a long story to tell, I can do so in the form of a web series.”

However, fans of the filmmaker who have been eager to watch his opulent productions play out on the big screen need not be disappointed. “I have finished my [movie] script. We are currently casting for it,” says the director, who last helmed the 2019 historical, Panipat.

Ask him if he intends to reunite with his friends and collaborators, including Shah Rukh, Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan, all of whom Gowariker has delivered memorable films with, and he says, “[Only] if I have the right script.”

He adds, “The theme has to come to me first. [I will approach them] if they suit the part. All three of them have one common trait—the willingness to experiment within the set boundaries of mainstream entertainment. That is why Dangal, Dear Zindagi and Super 30 [were successful]. They are willing to put themselves out of their comfort zone for a film, but, it needs to have the structure of a mainstream movie.”