You have such a diverse filmography. What goes into picking a project at this stage in your career?
I guess, films choose you, you don’t choose the films. I come from a very small town where we grew up watching Hindi films, but the grace of God and destiny allowed me to make films like Ship of Theseus, Tumbbad and now Crazxy. I strongly believe that films choose you and now I think even people perceive Sohum Shah Films as the brand that always comes up with something new and they expect something path-breaking. So, for picking a project I always see if it’s engaging, something new, something different, something atrangi.
What kind of roles appeal to you as an actor?
I like roles which are larger than life like Bheema Bharti from Maharani has a strong personality and powerful exposition, or Vinayak from Tumbbad, who is so strong-headed and larger than life in his aspirations that it leads to his destruction. Roles that give me a larger-than-life space attract me towards them.
What was it about Crazxy that appealed to you?
Crazxy’s Novelty factor appealed to me. Firstly, it’s a one-character film which was really interesting. Secondly, the tyre changing scene. I’ve never heard or seen a scene like that before where so much is happening at the same time in Indian Cinema. It’s a very long scene where surgery is taking place on a video call and the doctor is also changing the tyre and the kidnapper calls mid-way. When I first read that scene, I was blown away. This was over and above the fact that the script by Girish Kohli was so tight. These factors are why we were sold out for the film and decided that we were doing this film.
How do you balance acting and producing?
The people around me are my rocks. They help me balance between both. Acting is something for which I don’t need anyone else. I produce to act in films. There are a lot of people who work on a project. For example, our producer is Ankit Jain, my wife Amita Shah, our creative producer is Adesh Prasad so with so many people working together things fall in place. I also believe that Jaha Chaah Vahin Raah (where there is a will there is a way.)
See Also: Sohum Shah is on a Journey To Save His Daughter in Crazxy’s Trailer
How much did life change after the success of Tumbbad?
My life actually changed after the re-release of Tumbbad. People have started to trust Sohum Shah Films and are ready to fund Tumbbad 2. Before the re-release, we were still struggling. We made Tumbbad but still, no one was ready to fund Crazxy. Everyone thought it was a very different kind of film. They suggested changes and we wanted to make the film on our terms. So, we funded it ourselves to keep the creative sanctity of our vision intact. After Tumbbad, people understood that there is a cult fan following of the film and whenever Tumbbad 2 is made people will come to watch the film.
How are you going to game up for Tumbbad 2?
I have a simple formula – do your work with utmost honesty, sincerity and integrity. It took us 6 years to write Tumbbad 2 and now we have finally cracked something worth making. If we wanted to we could’ve cashed in the popularity of Tumbbad back then but I thought we would only make it if it’s at par with Tumbbad or is better. We will not go on floors until the film seems to work for me with respect to the content of the film. And now with Tumbbad 2’s script, I feel it does justice to the film by taking the legacy forward. After that it’s in God’s hands of how things play out and the audiences whether they like it or not.
You said you already had a sequel and prequel planned for Tumbbad… Do you think franchise films and cinematic universe are the future?
We didn’t think of a franchise because it’s a trend. We wanted Tumbbad to be a trilogy since the time we started making it as the content is meaty. Back then there was no trend of sequels or prequels. The decision to make it a trilogy was not just out of passion but also a business decision that if I am giving this film 7 years of my life, I can create more parts of it and create a universe of it. Nowadays people like franchise films and it has become a trend. It is for a brief moment of time as they are familiar with a character, and they want to see more of them. But the filmmakers will have to keep pushing the boundaries and bring something unique, otherwise, they will not be able to survive.
As an outsider, was it hard to break into the industry? And do you think it’s getting easier?
It was tough as an outsider and in fact I was even further out of the jurisdiction of the conventional outsider. What that means, there are people who live in Mumbai who have no connections to the film industry who want to make it. Their parents and friends are around them and they have financial and emotional security. They are one set of outsiders. Then there are a different set of outsiders who come to Mumbai from different cities who have had access to culture and education and then there are folks like me who didn’t even know enough English, who came to Mumbai from villages like Sri Ganganagar with a dream to make it as an actor. I look at this analogy like laps – some start from the 2nd lap, some from the 5th and some from the 10th. When I came to Bombay it felt very lonely as I didn’t fit in but times have changed now. With OTT platforms and social media, people have more access and acceptance of everyone. Also, now the power is in your hands where you can pick up a camera and make what you want to make and eventually you will find your audience. Talking about the industry well it’s always been difficult, and it isn’t a cakewalk.
What are some of the films that inspire you?
Godfather, Interstellar, a French film Amour, Memories of Murder, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Hera Pheri, Andaz Apna Apna, Hum, Golmaal and A Separation. I love these films and they inspire me to make people feel the same way I felt while watching these films.
Who are some of the stars that influence your acting process?
Om Puri, Irrfan Khan, Marlon Brando and Amitabh Bachchan. Their work has inspired me a lot and in acting you learn very subconsciously either by watching their work or by working with them. For example, when I was working with Irrfan just by being around him you learn a lot. Their presence itself adds so much to your life. It’s a very intuitive learning. That’s what makes them great.
What is your take on the re-release trend?
It’s a good thing and with the kind of response films are getting, it’s doing well with audiences too. The films that didn’t get their due are finally getting their due. But I think, personally, we are overdoing it. What I mean is, that everyone is thinking of releasing their film again expecting the film to work irrespective of whether it worked before or not. According to me, most films aren’t working in re-release and only those films that didn’t get their due are working or films that are a part of pop culture, films that spark the emotion of nostalgia. Thats why films like Tumbbad and Sanam Teri Kasam that didn’t get their due are the kind of films which worked in re-release.
See Also: Crazxy : Public Review, Plot And Cast
