00:00So, hello everyone, welcome to Anis and congratulations for HIT part 3 that is about to release on
00:05May 1st.
00:06Correct.
00:07In cinemas.
00:08I want to ask both of you, that you have, you produced the second part coming back.
00:13First part, second part.
00:14First part, second part.
00:16From a cameo in the second part to now a full-fledged role.
00:20What was it about the HIT universe that enticed the actor in you rather than the producer?
00:26No, the producer got impressed first to do it and things fell in place.
00:32I never thought I'd be acting in this because I was busy with my own, you know, line-up of
00:37films and all that but everything just organically unfolded and we didn't really plan anything
00:44but second part, we needed to have a cameo, then I've done myself and then third part,
00:50we thought we'll see when it happens, we thought at least a couple of hours more before it materializes.
00:55But then suddenly Silesh came up with a great idea and then everything fell in place and
00:58we started working.
00:59Yeah.
01:00And Shailesh?
01:01How I came on board?
01:02Well, what was it about DIP, this project that appealed to the actor in you?
01:07First the brand himself and obviously second HIT 1, HIT 2 has done really well.
01:14So I knew that Silesh, you know, will come up with a great, great story and then he narrated
01:18it, the story was great.
01:20So I didn't really want to miss that chance of being part of HIT 3 franchise, the HIT
01:25franchise.
01:26Yeah.
01:27And moving forward Nani, I was listening to one of your earlier interviews, there was
01:32this one word which has been used, the conviction.
01:35For you as a storyteller, as an actor, as a producer, as the creator of cinema in a larger
01:40sense, what is it that you look for in stories that come to you?
01:45What are the check marks that have to be fulfilled for you to say yes to it or to go ganko about
01:50it?
01:51Yeah, there are no check marks and what it makes me feel, I go with the gut feeling.
01:55I don't look for, are these things there or does it have this structure or this, you
02:00know, first act, second act, I don't understand.
02:05I understand what I'm feeling while listening to it, I'm excited.
02:10Generally, I'll have my script narrations post lunch.
02:15Okay.
02:16So, where I'm extremely sleepy, so if a script really keeps me awake and I'm like excited
02:21and...
02:22Oh, that's a nice idea.
02:23Yeah.
02:24So, it is a clear indication, it indicates that it is something, it did something for
02:30me, right?
02:31And also I don't need, I was just saying in a funny way, but I don't need to rely on it.
02:36I can feel it, right?
02:37What I'm feeling, the story.
02:40So I think, yeah, so there's no check marks or there's no something, it's, I don't come
02:46set, you know, prefix that these are the things which need to be there.
02:50But I don't know myself, you just, you just surprise me, blow me away with something you
02:54tell me.
02:55And it need, it can be from any genre, it need not be in a particular genre or anything.
03:01Anything new and, and if I'm listening to it with wonder or listening to it with a lot
03:05of interest or excitement, I think that's what it is.
03:07You go purely by the gut?
03:08Purely by the gut, yeah.
03:09Okay.
03:10And Shani, this is your first film in three years, sorry, second film in three years after
03:15Cobra, after KGF released, KGF 1, KGF 2, you know, massive success, massive adulation from
03:23the audience as well.
03:24And then you sort of become very selective in the kind of projects that you choose.
03:28Cobra was one.
03:30This is one.
03:31Again, you've worked with all the biggest of the superstars in all three films.
03:35How do you, how did you keep your nerves in check, you know, while waiting for the right
03:39story to come to you?
03:40There is this, I don't know, it's a very wrong perception that they think that after
03:45KGF 2, I've become selective.
03:47No, when I got the movie in 2016, when I got KGF, when I signed KGF, you know, it happens
03:52when a new girl signs a movie.
03:54So obviously other makers also reach out and so when I signed KGF itself, I was getting
04:00offers in Kannada.
04:02So even then I had made up mind that no, let KGF come only then I'll sign others.
04:06So I was selective even before the first movie came out.
04:09It wasn't that KGF 2 ke baad I suddenly became this, no, that was genuinely my conscious
04:14choice of if I'm doing a movie, even in the beginning when I was, I did not, I did not
04:18have any releases.
04:19So 2016 I signed, 2018 December KGF 1 released.
04:24I had not signed anything else, multiple scripts, narrations happened.
04:28Then KGF 2, us ke beech mein Cobra had come.
04:31So it was, and Cobra also is pure because of Vikram sir and I wanted to work with him irrespective
04:36of what.
04:37that.
04:38So yeah, so that was not after KGF 2.
04:41You know, and that continued to see, there's no changes that happened ki us blockbuster
04:45or hit ke baad mera dekne ka tari ka alag change hua, aisa kuch nahi hai.
04:48Jaisa mei soch te di, waisa soch rahi hai.
04:50And abhi geech mein muche koii work out nahi hua, kuchh materialize nahi hua.
04:55You know, sometimes, sometimes things come but it doesn't hit the right chords.
05:00Ho hua nahi.
05:01There's another Telugu project that happened.
05:05I really liked the way how the director of the movie, Nirjha narrated the story and it
05:10really hit the chords for me.
05:12And uske murta puja mein I met Nani because he happened to be her friend and then yeah,
05:19from there, from there it re-happened.
05:22And with regards to the character of Arjun Sarkar, we see him as the SP of the HIT Homosetal
05:30Intervention Unit.
05:31Tell me when everything was falling into place in terms of the storytelling, the character
05:37archetype, when it was being written, what were some of the inputs from your end because
05:41you are also the producer as well, so you have to kind of keep a check mark on the market
05:45dynamics also, what's happening, what's entrant or perhaps not.
05:49So, what was some of the inputs from your side as well, as I mentioned, as creator of
05:54cinema in a larger sense?
05:56As producer, you mean?
05:57Producer and actor.
05:58With HIT-3?
05:59Yeah.
06:00Producer, I think, was technically absent because I don't know, my mind doesn't function that
06:07way.
06:08Of course, yeah, I started this series and I've always tell my team to give whatever is needed
06:12for the film and I didn't, there's not much of a thought process which went in as producer.
06:20I've just decided that we're doing this film and whatever is needed, whatever we have spent.
06:25And once in a while, you know, members from team come and tell me, oh, we have finished,
06:30you know, closed with Netflix, we have closed with whatever, whatever these, the distribution
06:35deals or whatever.
06:37In separate, separate parts and pieces, they'll tell me and we've done that, they'll say,
06:40and I'll say, okay, that's, that's it.
06:43I don't put so much of thought into it and because I'm generally, I'm more inclined towards
06:48the creative part of it.
06:49I enjoy my work as an actor on sets or being creatively involved.
06:55So, more aware of all these things which are happening on this side, but not very aware
07:00of things happening on that side.
07:02Thankfully, I have a great team who takes care of things, so.
07:05So, does switching of that part of the producer in you, does it allow you to get immersed more
07:11in the, in the creative aspects of the project?
07:13No, because I anyway, you know, get immersed more in the creative project.
07:18That is why I switch off with the producer.
07:20Yeah.
07:21So, it's reversed basically.
07:22Yeah.
07:23And, one of your favourite works, my favourite works of yours is Ega with Rajamani sir.
07:29And, you know, one of the, one of the rare breed of actors, you know, who has, you know,
07:36managed to go forward with meaningful cinema, cinema that makes a difference, you know, despite
07:42that massive success of Ega or Mukhi that, as it's called in Hindi.
07:46Tell me, as, as an actor, you know, who was embarked on this journey.
07:51Again, being very selective, you know, putting your faith on projects that really appeal to
07:56you.
07:57What does it take for, for an artist of your calibre to kind of allow yourself, you know,
08:03take what's coming at, at you in, in terms of, you know, creative storytelling or, you know,
08:09blockbusters or commercial cinema?
08:11No, I think too much of thought thinking will spoil the fun.
08:16I think yes, go do what you want to do.
08:19Because you, you chose cinema first of all.
08:21You, you didn't choose all other, you know, now the, if you see the statistics, the percentage
08:28who become successful in cinema is lesser than in any other industry.
08:32Yeah.
08:33Okay.
08:34So the possibilities are lesser.
08:35So you're already taking up something which doesn't guarantee you anything.
08:40Right.
08:41You, you come here and then think a lot about how do I become successful if you want to.
08:45It's, if it's just about being successful, then you would have chosen some other industry
08:49in some other way because the odds are better.
08:52Yeah.
08:53If you chose cinema, then come do it, do how you want to.
08:55You chose something you love.
08:56Mm-hmm.
08:57Go do what you love.
08:58Simple.
08:59Yeah.
09:00And do you second that opinion?
09:01Absolutely.
09:02Yeah.
09:03That's why I was smiling.
09:04I was like, how nice, he nicely put that.
09:06Yeah.
09:07That if you want to be absolutely successful, then you, there are many other things that you
09:10can at least guarantee.
09:11The odds are better there.
09:12The creative space that you are stepping into, then I think you should be ready with.
09:15Yeah.
09:16That's one of the most expensive art forms that we have, cinema.
09:18Yeah.
09:19Yeah.
09:20Expense in the sense, yeah.
09:21Yeah.
09:22You can call it that, but it's still an art form at the end of the day.
09:24The business involved, but business people can do business with cinema.
09:29Mm-hmm.
09:30The, the artist should do what they love with cinema.
09:33Yeah.
09:34Okay.
09:35And Shani, with regards to your character of Mradula.
09:37Yeah.
09:38I saw the trailer and it left me asking for more.
09:40So if you could, you know, tell us just on the periphery about the character that you're playing.
09:44Um, I think the movie, Mradula, Mradula, Mradula, Mradula.
09:50Yeah.
09:51So, yeah.
09:52I don't know what to say, what not to say.
09:53The problem with crime thrillers.
09:54Yeah.
09:55Yeah.
09:56Yeah.
09:57Yeah.
09:58So, yeah.
09:59So I think you have seen Arjun Sarkar being all in his glory.
10:02Yeah.
10:03Yeah.
10:04I will add a little bit of a touch.
10:05Grace.
10:06To that glory.
10:07Yeah.
10:08A touch of grace.
10:09Grace to glory.
10:10Grace to glory.
10:11Mm-hmm.
10:12Um, I really hope audience love the pair.
10:14And, uh.
10:15They already do.
10:16I mean.
10:17Yeah.
10:18From at least back home.
10:19Yeah.
10:20I hope you'll all love.
10:21Love it.
10:22So, she does have a role to play in Arjun's life.
10:24And also, with respect to the plot.
10:27Which I unfortunately cannot say anything.
10:28So, yeah.
10:29We'll wait and watch.
10:30Okay.
10:31And, for my next question.
10:32You know, Indian cinema off late in the last 10, 10, 12 years.
10:36It has seen a meteoric rise on the global scale as well.
10:39Uh.
10:40The pan and deaf and movement.
10:41It started with Bahubali.
10:42And, you know, it came more into prominence as, as the industry went forward.
10:45Uh.
10:46Payal Kapadia went to Khan.
10:48Uh.
10:49Triple R went to Oscars.
10:50Uh.
10:51How do you see the Indian cinema in its entirety?
10:53Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Bengali.
10:55Moving forward on the global platform.
10:57Here on.
10:58Anyone can take the lead and start.
11:00Hmm.
11:01Okay.
11:02I want to get you.
11:03Uh.
11:04You know, that's a great thing.
11:05It's amazing because I think it's, uh.
11:07Uh.
11:08We're in times where you cannot really.
11:10You don't have to struggle after making a great film to spread the word of mouth.
11:15We have social media.
11:16We have different kinds of means to reach out.
11:19People will, if there's a great film which comes out.
11:22In one end of the country.
11:25Or the other end of the country, we'll know it in two days.
11:28Hmm.
11:29We're in that generation, right?
11:30And, uh.
11:31And because of all this, in general, the kind of films which have been coming out of our country.
11:37Uh.
11:38Like RR going to Oscars and all that, for example.
11:40We're making a lot of noise internationally also.
11:43And I think it kind of opens a lot of doors.
11:46For all of us.
11:47Uh.
11:48To think big.
11:49Dream big.
11:50You know, vision big and everything.
11:53So, it is definitely a very, very positive and a welcome thing.
11:57And I'm extremely proud of those films which made it already.
12:00And I'm really looking forward to all those, this, all those films which are going to make it very soon.
12:05Hmm.
12:06Okay.
12:07And Srinadi, would you like to add anything?
12:08Hmm.
12:09I think you said it very perfectly.
12:10I said it perfectly.
12:11Okay.
12:12And continuing further, in the last seven, eight years, you know, there's a floodgate of content that has opened.
12:18OTT also, we see every two, three projects coming every day.
12:21Every, uh, five, seven projects every week.
12:24And then you have cinema as well.
12:26Uh.
12:27Such vast sea of content.
12:28Uh.
12:29Do you think for any artist, actor, storyteller, director, it has now become more difficult to tell a story with a difference?
12:37Uh.
12:38Uh, don't, don't think it will become difficult.
12:41I think, I'll look at it in a different way.
12:43Hmm.
12:44Any storyteller or anyone have to push themselves a little more.
12:48And which is very good because they get to, they get to meet their best selves.
12:53Like, at least now, they won't be lazy anymore.
12:57Hmm.
12:58So, in a way, it is, the whole thing is doing very good to them.
13:01Hmm.
13:02Because they will really explore their potential better.
13:05So, all that, uh, whether, whichever industry it is, it's better that many, you know, too much options are there.
13:12Hmm.
13:13Because that is when you'll start thinking, how do I be very different from what is existing.
13:18Yeah.
13:19Which is a good thing.
13:20Yeah.
13:21Or in the end, audience benefit.
13:22Yeah.
13:23Okay.
13:24Okay.
13:25But, uh, on the contrary, Shinedhi, do you feel that, you know, such vast amount of content,
13:28uh, does it induce a lethargy for the audience because they have to, you know, economics changing?
13:34You know, costs are rising.
13:36How does a large, uh, amount of content, uh, get lethargy?
13:39You know, they'll have more options to watch, no?
13:40Mm-hmm.
13:41To explore.
13:42Hmm.
13:43I don't know.
13:44But there's everything, every new project coming out, a week or two, you know, big projects
13:47coming out.
13:48In fact, it's reduced now, I guess.
13:49It was way more before.
13:50Yeah.
13:51It's reduced.
13:52What happens?
13:53Oh, but maybe the, the online access is more.
13:55Mm-hmm.
13:56So, that's more, it's, it's all the more, uh, easier for them to sit and watch.
13:59I don't think that's making them lethargy at all.
14:01And for my last question, there are reports and rumours about, uh, you being approached
14:06by C.P. Chakravarti for a film which is more on the humorous side.
14:09Is there any truth to it?
14:10Nothing, not, uh, it's not a rumour or anything.
14:13We have been discussing, uh, not just we, we have three, four other things which, uh,
14:19are in my pipeline which the discussions have been happening from a long time.
14:23Mm-hmm.
14:24So, but we don't know what comes first, what goes on, when and all that still.
14:28Yeah.
14:29Okay.
14:31So, God.
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