Arguing that every film is a collaborative effort, Khaali Peeli director Maqbool Khan hopes Ishaan Khatter-Ananya Panday-starrer gets a fair chance amid nepotism debate.
A still from Khaali Peeli
In the opening shot of Khaali Peeli's teaser, Ishaan Khatter is seen walking out of a prison confidently and asking for a 'maachis'. Tell director Maqbool Khan that the shot reminds one of the '80s heroes with their unbridled swagger, and he reveals that it is a deliberate attempt to set the movie's tone. "The film is a tribute to Mumbai. I wanted a masala film in which the city, complete with its old-world charm, is more than a mere backdrop. I have grown up in south Bombay and knew exactly where to set up the shoots," says Khan of the film, which also features Ananya Panday.
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The Hindi film industry is at an interesting juncture where the lines between mainstream movies and middle-of-the-road cinema are blurring. But in his directorial debut, Khan wanted to pay tribute to an era of cinema that resonated with him. "Masala films are still a crowd-puller. I watched Raees [2017] at Gaiety Galaxy. When Shah Rukh Khan made his entry, the audience was so excited that I couldn't hear the dialogues. That said, when you make a film for the millennial audience that has grown up on Guy Ritchie's works, you have to adapt the screenplay."
Maqbool Khan, director
The actioner has adopted the pay-per-view model for its digital premiere on Zee Plex and will be the first release on the platform. At a time when the nepotism debate has invited the wrath of the masses, does he worry that the fate of the film — fronted by two-star kids — will be affected? "When I see people disliking videos and trailers on YouTube, it's evident that they have come to the platform with the intention of disliking them. I don't want people to harbour preconceived notions about this film," says the director, emphasising that it is unfair to write off a movie because it features star kids.
Ali Abbas Zafar
"If we are talking about fair chances, I am an outsider from Rajasthan; my producer Ali [Abbas Zafar] is an outsider, too. We have had no godfathers. The industry is not made up of four stars, but of 400 hardworking people who have no lineage and are doing an honest day's work. I have got one chance, and I am making a film that I have wanted to make for a long time. People should judge the movie after watching it."
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