Well-known film director, Ankoosh Bhatt, is eagerly waiting for 1st June, for the release of his upcoming film 3 Dev, starring Karan Singh Grover (KSG), Ravi Dubey and Kunal Roy Kapoor. “After some initial hiccups, all the stars have fallen into place .So I am looking forward to a good response. The trailer, which went live recently, has also generated a huge response. I am hopeful of a hit for we are not only providing entertainment, but also giving a message that having faith can move mountains. Also, as it is not vulgar, the youth can troop in with their families as well.”
When we ask about taking TV stars, Ankoosh, who has earlier directed Bhindi Bazaar and Mumbai Mirror, says, “Rather than labeling them as TV actors, I prefer calling them talented artists who also do TV. If you really want to be judgmental, then Shahrukh Khan and Irrfan Khan started with the small screen too.”
“When I first met KSG, he was already a film actor (Alone and Hate Story 3); Ravi has really impressed us too. It does not matter if he has done fiction (Jamai Raja) or nonfiction (Rising Star). What really matters is that you need to up your grade, which he has. Also, signing big stars takes away from the concept. And I wanted actors who can really be the part. So it was perfect fusion. Here, I wish to add that Kunal is one highly under-rated actor, he will really go places, down the road.”
Do you think that KSG and Ravi’s long working hours for TV shoots helps your schedule?“Yes, given that we had an ensemble cast (KK Menon, Prosenjit and Tisca Chopra), we did not have enough dates, so had to rush. But again, film-making is a different ball game; here we have many more rehearsals. The work is much more organized. Ravi at first did face issues, as prompting/cues is different in TV and in films.”
You have not made KSG show skin? “Being predictable, we could have made him play Shiv with his chiseled body and tattoos, but we wanted to surprise our audiences”.
How much does KSG and Ravi’s huge SM fan following help in promotions? “Agreed, they bring huge buzz in terms of trailer hits, which now need to translate into footfall. But yes, the larger the fan base, the more the potential. Hiring small-screen names for films is a double-edged sword– some people feel that if they get to watch the TV actor free, why pay 200 rupees today to watch them. On the flip side, even the biggest names have failed the Friday acid test.”
“At the end of the day, you need to provide good enough entertainment to hold viewers attention for over 2 hours. I feel we all have done a decent enough job; rest, only time will tell.”
W e wish him success.