IANS Exclusive: Neeraj Pandey opens up on 'Special Ops 2' and shares future projects

In an exclusive IANS interview, acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Pandey offers deep insight into Special Ops 2 and his broader cinematic vision. He discusses the deliberate use of diverse locations to elevate narrative scale, the challenges of unpredictable weather, and his travel-driven storytelling. Pandey also shares his approach to casting, his love for thrillers, and thoughts on experimenting with other genres. Touching on the theatre business’s future, evolving audience tastes, technology’s role, and the changing dynamics of star power, Pandey remains candid. He also addresses content pressure from platforms and the possibility of embracing direct digital releases like Taare Zameen Par.

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Transcript

00:00Actually, if you follow a story, then you will get to understand that because Dr. Bhargav,

00:13who is kidnapping, is taking place from one place to the other place.

00:18So, organically, it's the same way in the script.

00:22It's a logistical night.

00:30We had a fantastic crew, which again, whether it's in Budapest, Georgia,

00:36or our local line production,

00:40that team was very capable of.

00:44If you miss one day of shoot,

00:54you will not be able to, if you miss one day of shoot,

01:00then everything goes for a toss.

01:21It's a big punt and sometimes we have to shuffle within a shuffle.

01:25So, naturally, you take the help of AccuWeather apps and stuff like that.

01:32So, you know that, okay, today is not a great day to shoot outdoor.

01:36There's rain, possibility of rain and all.

01:39So, you plan an indoor shoot on that day.

01:42So, that shuffling within the schedule is very much possible

01:46and that happens at times.

01:48Sometimes you also fall behind.

01:50That, today it's raining.

01:52Three hours, you've lost to the rain.

01:54You couldn't do it.

01:55So, we have to catch up.

01:56So, how do we catch up?

01:57So, there's always that thriller within a thriller kind of a thing happening in these shoots.

02:08It depends.

02:09Sometimes, when it marries to the concept, then it's a different idea.

02:14But it's not that, because I love to travel, I like to do such stories.

02:17That's in that genre where, you know, you, it's an external agency, right?

02:23RNAW.

02:24So, obviously, most of their work is going to happen outside the country.

02:28And then it depends on the story.

02:30Where, what's the story about and where all it's happening.

02:34So, the nature of the format is such that it does allow you to travel.

02:38Having said that, when you do, say, like, for example, when you're doing Dhoni.

02:44So, you're still going with his career graph.

02:49Toh jo chiz raachi se shuruo hoti wo khadagpur jayati ya khadagpur se.

02:53Then it goes to Delhi, Bombay, all, and then all over the world and all that.

02:57So, that's the nature of the story.

02:58I can't do anything about it.

02:59I mean, maybe it marries well, my love for travel and the stories that we end up doing.

03:12Nothing by that yardstick.

03:14It's all a function of the script.

03:16The script needed someone who could be slightly unpredictable.

03:21Also, I didn't want to cast someone who was very known.

03:24Tahir is relatively known, but at the same time, not too exposed.

03:28So, that was a big plus.

03:31And a good actor.

03:34Also, the fact that, you know, the character is very unique.

03:39Sudhir's character, the one that he plays.

03:42So, it helps to have a person who is slightly less exposed to pull it off,

03:47who has not done too much of work.

03:49It's a genre that I have not done before.

04:00We'll talk about it at the right time.

04:03But it's a film and it's going to come out hopefully by next year.

04:08End of next year.

04:10My take has always been that what people say, they don't know anything about this business.

04:23This is the most unpredictable business.

04:25There's no pattern.

04:26Now, everybody will start looking for a love story.

04:35Everyone will start looking at new faces.

04:37We'll just dive in it.

04:38Then, you'll know if there's a new trend.

04:41So, people love to slot.

04:43The basic thing is that once a thing works.

04:46So, three work, then horror comedy became the genre.

04:50Everybody was making horror comedies.

04:51Now, this one has worked.

04:52So, everybody is looking for a love story.

04:54Now, this is the phase.

04:55But it doesn't work that way.

04:57It doesn't work.

04:58A good story will cut through at any given point of time.

05:00A well-made film, more often than not, will cut through at any point of time.

05:04I feel that next year is when we will touch pre-COVID levels in theatrical business.

05:16Yeah.

05:17And if not next year, then definitely 2027.

05:22There is a generational shift.

05:27You will find that when we were growing up, there was an age at which we got fond of theatre.

05:36And then we started getting a habit.

05:39So, that is a generational shift.

05:41And I think that now there is a new generation of cine-goers that will start coming in from next year, this year, next year.

05:50And so, they will be your new patrons.

05:53They will be the ones who will drive the opening day collections.

05:56So, that thing is going to happen, in my opinion, by next year.

06:06I think it's a great tool.

06:09Today, we are talking about that because of tech, right?

06:12People are going to consume this interview also because of tech.

06:17So, it's a fantastic tool.

06:20It's also the use or misuse.

06:23It's also the pros and cons.

06:25But it's the tool that the person responsible for this is us.

06:33Either we are right or we are wrong in using the tool.

06:36That's what it is.

06:37So, as long as we use the tool rightly, it's all good.

06:42It boils down to the same thing.

06:43We often mistake these things.

06:44It will again boil down to the story and the script and the film.

06:57If you make a bad film with anyone, it won't work.

07:01And if you make a good film with anyone, it will work.

07:04That's the general consensus.

07:06So, the stars, obviously, they've got, you know, why are they called stars?

07:12Because they have got that pull, right?

07:14They get that pull.

07:16So, if they bank on the right film, of course, there's an audience waiting.

07:27No, I won't pass a moral judgement to each his own, to each your own.

07:31That, you know, whatever the demand of the story, how can I comment on, like, that person's

07:40point of view of telling a story is right or wrong.

07:43But then there's also rating.

07:45You know, whether you should watch it with your family or not.

07:49That's the whole idea of giving ratings.

07:52That, you know, you should know what to watch with your family, what not to watch with your family.

08:01There will be a data which will strongly suggest that which kind of content works.

08:05Okay.

08:06So, the people sitting at the OTTs, they know that, okay, this kind of content works.

08:12Which is the reason why they push that kind of content, right?

08:15Into commissioning.

08:17So, they know exactly what works.

08:21Which is the reason why you see that kind of content.

08:23But even if their family is still swimming, it's all the same thing, it's just another route.

08:39That's, maybe convenient to Aamir.

08:42So, I mean, and he has every right to exploit his film, the way he wants to.

08:47Don't give me the thought right now.

08:49These things are calibrated once you are up for release.

08:54The focus right now is to get our content, our film made and as and when the right time

09:02comes we will take a call in there.

IANS Exclusive: Neeraj Pandey opens up on 'Special Ops 2' and shares future projects

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