Excerpts:
Q:
How much do you think Zoya Akhtar's "Luck By Chance"
affected your film?
A: Honestly, I thought my film won't get affected
because we belonged to different genres. But I was apprehensive
about the two heroes (Hurman and Farhan Akhtar) being compared.
Q: You mean because both Hurman and Farhan
were doing their post-debut films?
A: Yes, and compared unfavourably. But for reasons
completely unknown to me the critics decided to take off on my
film. Why? Because I'm not from the industry and I don't fraternise
with big stars?
My film shouldn't have been panned just because
Hurman's first film didn't do well. Most reviews are talking about
Hurman's performance. There's more to 'Victory' than the leading
man's performance. You can't poison audiences' mind against the
film.
Q: You're giving too much important to
reviewers?
A: Critics are very important nowadays when watching
a film is such an expensive thing. And I think a film about cricket
should've been reviewed by critics who at least didn't dislike
the game.
Q: So what worked against your film,
cricket or Hurman?
A: I definitely think it was Hurman. Some critics
said the cricket scenes were not shot well. That's not what Yuvraj
Singh, Jayasurya and Sachin Tendulkar said. I had told Hurman
that the critics would be very harsh because I'm an outsider.
They hate my lead actor for some reason.
Q: So you think "Victory" would've
been better received without Hurman?
A: I can't say that. All I can say is I'm happy
I chose him. Hurman is a fine actor and he has done the cricket
scenes very effectively. Sections decided to hate the film even
before seeing it.
Q: Apparently you and Hurman were at
loggerheads during the film's making?
A: Not true at all. We had absolutely no problem
with one another. I don't know why my film was punished. I don't
belong to a film family. I don't know about the workings of the
industry. I thought filmmaking was only about making a film. Whoever
has seen "Victory" has liked it. Unfortunately, not
enough people were encouraged to see the film. The critics were
terribly harsh on me.
Q: Do you think "Luck By Chance"
was treated too kindly?
A: I haven't seen Zoya's film. I'm sure she has
made a good film. But why was my film rammed? All of us have slogged
hard on "Victory". Why are you ripping it when I know
I've made a good film? Just because my film doesn't have a superstar
in the lead? Just because my actors are not media savvy? Just
because I'm not close to powerful sections of the industry and
don't wine and dine with the who's who?
Whatever the reason, I'm very hurt. I made a
film on cricket and we all love the game. So why slam a film on
the game?
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