Every film comes with a fate

Do you think the overall collection will touch the new trend, that of the Rs. 100 crore club, that the Hindi cinema is swearing by now?

I have always felt that Maharashtra is a very strong territory as an audience and it can be hugely explored. For the first time, I felt that it is putting some sort of a pressure on Hindi cinema, if you have a good Marathi film releasing on the same Friday, which wasn’t the case earlier. It is a welcome sign and now as part of the Marathi film industry, one cannot be lethargic or follow the ‘take it easy’ attitude. We will still have to work hard. As for the trend, I don’t know how it works.

Did you expect Lai Bhaari to do this well, as there was a lot of expectations from you after Dombivli Fast, your first Marathi film, which won several awards and critical acclaim?

Yes, Dombivli Fast did very well and even helped me earn many awards, including the National Award. However, like Lai Bhaari, it did not set any records. That was a different dream for me and Lai Bhaari is a different dream which is coming true.
In a way, with Lai Bhaari I was prepared for the expectations coming my way and the idea was to make a commercial film, that too a hit. This kind of a genre requires a different creative skill, when compared to making a critic-friendly film. I have got bashing from critics for Lai Bhaari and I respect that, but my focus was purely commercial and I wanted the film to make money. Having said that, frankly speaking, I did not expect this kind of an opening. This is unprecedented.

Do you think that Riteish Deshmukh’s entry into Marathi also helped the film?

Riteish is a very likeable star and has his own fan base. And the fact that he had a few successes before Lai Bhaari worked in our favour. The trailer of Lai Bhaari with Ek Villain also helped, followed by the success of the Hindi film. I always say, every film comes with a fate and this had a great one. It is destiny.
Also, I believe that cinema is not bound by language and every film deserves a certain reach. With Lai Bhaari, I felt that the focus on Pandharpur and Lord Vitthal made the film more authentic. So, it had to be made in Marathi.

namita.nivas@expressindia.com