I would like the world to see "Ra.One" - ShahRukh Khan - Latest Bollywood News

My film is coming after a year and a half since my last film and, so far, we have released three things –the trailer, the poster and the songs. I think all of them have been appreciated. In the beginning of this month, people will be inquisitive about the film. I hope we are able to fulfill the expectations that people have in their hearts.
But why did you decide on a 3D film? 

By now, you know everything about G.One and RA.One. But here’s Shah Rukh Khan narrating his side of the story – why he decided to make such a mammoth venture and dedicated five years of his life to it – in conversation with Vajir Singh

To begin with, was RA.One worth five years of your life?

The first two years were spent only scripting it and then sourcing people. I was very clear that I wanted to do it in India. I was also very clear that it should add value to technology in Indian cinema. If we had decided to make the film abroad, perhaps it would have been completed sooner. I don’t know if it’s worth it or not but I have enjoyed making it.

Were you apprehensive about handing over the responsibility to Anubhav Sinha, considering the kind of investment this project entailed?

See, you should work according to the expectations of the people. You should work according to the expectations you have of your work. When we began working on the film, it was as new to me as it was to Anubhav Sinha. Like, if you say I am more experienced than he is, that would not be true.

With a film like this, all of us are inexperienced. I was fortunate to have a director who was technically brilliant and willing to give it time. We have expectations from the film and we have to fulfill those expectations. It is a very special film but not because I am in it. Not because I am the producer.

Five years ago, when we budgeted the film, it was unheard of. Now budgets have increased, so it’s no big deal. When Anubhav came to me, I told him he may not be able to start another film for the next four years. He asked for 24 hours to think it over. I said, “I’m busy with other films so you take 48 hours or more.”

He returned after two days and said, “Maine decide kar liya hai, I am ready to give it four years and more.” We didn’t realise how much work was involved and we thought it would take two years.

There are people who are trying to take away the credit from Anubhav, claiming it was
Karan (Johar) who directed the film. That is hogwash. As for Tarun (Mansukhani), he came to learn about action scenes on the sets; Karan directed one scene out of affection. Anubhav has put in a lot of effort and should be considered one of the finest directors. Now Anubhav has gained knowledge that no other Indian director has. Few years ago, it was the ‘wrong’ film to make; now it is one of the biggest.
People are expecting the film to cross Rs 100 crore in its first weekend.

It is not about what the trade thinks or what people expect. We set out to make a film that had the element of the unknown. I think we have achieved 80 to 90 per cent of that. And henceforth, if anyone wants to make a film of this stature, Red Chillies VFX will be able to make it. About people’s expectations… I showed you some key parts of the film, right?

Yes, you did.

What do you think about what you saw?

RA.One will be an experience not only for the Indian audience but also overseas and the non-Hindi speaking audience as well.

So expectations-wise, I showed you and you liked it. Now it depends on people, on Thursday and Friday. Insha-allah, I would like my distributor to get his money back. I would like all of us to be thrilled that we made this film. I am happy this genre was made – superhero, cool action. We have moved ahead.

I will be happy if on Saturday and Sunday, our industry will be proud that India can make films like this one. That would be worth Rs 5,000 crore. It’s not about Rs 100 crore or what the film makes on the weekend. I want to know what kind of place we occupy in the hearts of the people. I know we will make money and business will come in. Insha-allah!

Please continue…

We were not ready but Prime Focus was keen. We shot with 18 cameras and for 3D, we had to get in even more cameras. So we were apprehensive. Since there were already many unknown elements, we didn’t want to bring in any new ones. After we finished shooting, Namit Malhotra (of Prime Focus) called me and showed me some work they had done in 3D. One day, he asked me to lend him the trailer and five scenes. Later, he asked me to watch it.

I told Namit it wouldn’t be possible to do the film in 3D. He asked me to watch it only once, and said only if I liked it, he would go ahead. I told him I still wasn’t sure. So I asked my VFX guys to come along and we enjoyed what we saw. My VFX guys also suggested that I make the film in 3D. So I went ahead with that. There were 500 people working round the clock who took great pains to make the 3D version. Now everyone is happy with the result.
And your next, Don 2, is also in 3D.

(Smiles) Farhan (Akhtar) and Ritesh (Sidhwani) asked me how it would be to do the film in 3D. And I was ready to go  ahead with it. I am glad more people are trying it. It’s a novelty and why should only foreign films try 3D? I want everyone to have the same experience like they had for Avatar. People will like the Indian story with naach gaana, which the Indian audience will like six times more than English films. The songs are also in 3D. So it’s a novelty. The digitally mastered scenes are looking better in 3D especially scenes like a rain sequence. Pehle peeche baarish gir rahi thi. Now it is in the front.
It is said that RA.One will be released with a record number of prints.

Kishore (Lulla-Eros International) will tell you about the number of prints. At last count, it was 4,000. China ke saath bhi deal ho rahi hai. It is going to be a large film. I would like the world to see the film. I want second and third generation Indians living abroad to show the film to their foreign friends and talk about the film. I want them to say, “Dude, you make such cool films.” I don’t want them to say, “Bollywood is so kitsch.” And then I want our Indians to say – “RA.One was made in Andheri, a suburban area in Mumbai.”
RA.One will take Indian cinema one step ahead in technology, right?

I want to tell the West that they found it silly when our heroes were flying in the air while their heroes even wore weird costumes while doing the same. I really want Indians to feel proud. I feel that in 20 years, I have done so much. I have done everything for myself. Some time in the future, I want people to say that I brought in great technology. I want my son to feel that my father was not just an actor. I want him to hear people say that that I brought innovation.

Years ago, I did Darr and it started the trend of a negative hero. I have also played a romantic hero. Anyone can do that. I wanted to give back an idea. I am inspired by Krrish. I’m inspired by Drona. I want to take that forward. The whole idea of making RA.One was, when was the last time you did something different? Dreams are not easy to come by. It has been a nice life, rough but exciting. It should be an experience.

I have played characters speaking various languages… baal lambe kar liye… six pack kar liya… naach bhi liya… item number bhi kar diya. With RA.One, I didn’t want to become a superhero, I wanted to say thank you. Thank you kehna tha film industry ko, thoda mehnga tha. (Laughs)

As for future projects, are you doing Rohit Shetty’s film?

I am talking to him. I want to do a rom-com. RA.One and Don were very hectic. Now I want to do something funny. I’m listening to ideas but I want to do something different. I liked Rohit’s Golmaal and Singham. He’s given me a couple of choices and I told him once I’m done with RA.One, we will meet and take a decision.