Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s forthcoming Kill is the first mainstream commercial Indian film to get such widespread global recognition. It is the first Indian film to be released worldwide by Lionsgate.
Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat is understandably dazzled . “Frankly , it is beyond anything we expected.I am getting fantastic feedback actually. Internationally as well as from within the country. I did have a glimpse of it when the film did the festival rounds , but this is amazing. It’s really really heartwarming to read the responses when people are comparing the feeling of watching Kill to watching a Korean or an Indonesian or a Hollywood film teaser! And this is just the teaser where we have just set the stage for the onslaught.”
This is the first time an Indian is being released worldwide by Lionsgate. Nikhil admits he was not prepared for this level of love for Kill. “When we were making the film we had no idea where the film is going to land. I think we are all blessed that the hard work has paid off. I mean, all of us, the crew, the producers, were all just determined to make a great film. Honestly, that was all what we were thinking. In fact, when we were going to TIFF(Toronto International Film Festival) for the world premiere, I was very nervous ki pata nahi film kaise receive hogi. And when Lionsgate came on board to release the film in US and UK, we were just ecstatic. It’s just an amazing feeling!”
Nikhil Bhat started his directorial voyage in 2009 with the well-received Salunn. Last year he directed the hardhitting Apurva. He says he is learning. “I am trying to learn from the mistakes which I have made. Coming from film school, we are taught Eutopian film making! But once we are in the real world, there is no other way to learn than on the job. I also had to unlearn some bits which I learnt in film school I think I am still discovering what all stories I have to say.”
He is thankful to his producers. “In fact, both the producers, Karan Johar and Guneet Monga are extremely supportive. I didn’t have any action experience at all before KILL, so to put so much faith in me and my script speaks volumes about how visionary the producers are! A film like Kill cannot be possible just because of the director. We had a crew of 250 people who worked on it for almost ninth months. They put so much of blood and sweat in the film that I can never thank them enough.”
Nikhil is now writing his next film which promises to another intense thriller. “I am currently writing. So will wait for the script to be ready first, then speak more on it.”
