Kookie Gulati dreams to direct Ajay Devgn: 'I have been a fan of the wide range of acting that he can do'

After impressing the audience and critics with The Big Bull, filmmaker Kookie Gulati is back to entertain us with his upcoming thriller Dhokha-Round D Corner. The teaser of the movie was released a few weeks back and it garnered a great response from the cinegoers. As the film is set to have a grand theatrical release on 23rd September, director Kookie Gulati shares his experience of making the film during the pandemic, casting versatile actors and more.

The teaser packs a solid punch with its gripping and intense narrative. While fans have been raving about it on social media, any comment you discovered, which was your instant favourite?

You know, my friends and family we actually they are not from Bollywood or anywhere. I listen to them and when I watch something I watch as a very normal audience even my own work. So when you get a response like this it makes you really happy and glad. When some of your works get validated even something as a teaser has got such a response, which is been really overwhelming and really nice to hear actually.

The casting of Aparshakti Khurana in the movie is amazing and quite surprising since we have always seen him playing funny roles. But watching him portray the character of a terrorist doesn’t look miscast at all. So, what is an intentional decision from you?

I was looking for somebody fresh for the girl and for the terrorist. And Bhushan (Kumar) sir actually suggested Apar and I also took a day to think. I said at the end of the day, we have to look beyond what baggage actors come with. And I actually saw that in everything that he has done, he’s been an amazing actor. So, an actor should be able to play any role, right? I  said why don’t we give this a shot what Bhushan sir suggested, I met Apar and he was so excited to actually go on to this side and take up the challenge. That when I met him I got even more confident. And I said okay great. Yeah if he’s willing to take the challenge up So am I and I think that end of the day it’s about acting. It’s about Talent. Why should we put ourselves in a mould? I’ve done a drama which is The Big Bull, I am doing this as a thriller, I am doing next is my Visfot before that I worked on Total Dhamaal as a creative director. So I myself am trying different genres and different spaces between scripts, why shouldn’t an actor do that?

Since you have done multi-genres any genre, which is on your bucket list now?

(Laughs) Big action, big action film. I mean, I’ve done Prince was a big action film but I would like to love to revisit that genre again.

 

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Since you shot the movie during the pandemic, how you motivated everyone on the sets during this tough phase?

I think we were going through such tough times. The fact for me, the fact that I was getting to go to work was motivating enough. Ki boss mere paas kaam hai and I have to be true to it. Kitne logo ke paas kaam nahi hai, kitne log ghar pe baithe hai. So, God was kind in those tough times also to give me work. So I think everybody on my set, had that same feeling. That humare paas kaam hai let’s make the best of this, let’s do the best. So, I think people were very motivated, especially seeing what was happening in the world around us. So it was actually the other way on set we stage so positive not in the pandemic sense (laughs) but yeah in our spirits.  So it was a great experience that how the human spirit can come together and create something great even in times of adversity.

Due to the pandemic, The Big Bull was released digitally but Dhokha will have a great theatrical release. So do you feel any box office pressure now?

I would have loved The Big Bull to come in a theater and I was absolutely ready to take on that pressure. So, we make our films for the theaters so we all understand the pressure of a Friday. Unless of course, I think having films on the OTT is also great because you get that reach and you get everything and I’ve also learnt and discovered. But for me as on a personal level, a theater is somewhere that I love watching a film. I prefer watching a film in a theater. so I would rather make a film for a theater. And yes, whatever comes with it, the anxiety, everything, we all know exactly what we are doing and we want it, I guess. So I’m absolutely ready for it, I was ready for it in The Big Bull also and I’m very very, very much ready In Dhokha.

Since Bollywood films are not performing well from the past few months, does that add pressure on you?

I mean for me the pressure of coming in a theater as I said, yes, is the pressure that is always been there. What I have seen of lately is that if you have great content, the films are working fantastically well. So I just hope that I have good enough content that people will love and it’ll work. So I don’t see that as an issue, I actually see that the audiences have matured. Our audiences have become far more aware, the sugarcoating is off, they want real content, they want good actors, they want to watch. So, I’m hoping that all of these things will come true and also for Dhokha: Round D Corner and people will come to the theater and watch this film.

The trend of pan-India and crossover films is currently dominating the box office. So, if given a chance would you be interested in making a movie on those lines or themes?

I’m interested in making good films and good content. And I’m hoping that good films and good content become pan-India, And this South and North goes away, and we just make Indian films. So, I’m looking forward to that phase in our lives where our films can be appreciated down south and south films can be appreciated here. So I think that we need that happening. As a country entertainment, we need to bring it up, we need to bring our numbers up so we can make bigger and better content so that you can compete with the world cinema. So I think that if we come together as a country there’s nothing wrong. I find this. Absolutely if they did something great business.

Any dream actor you want to work with?

I mean, my dream would be to direct Ajay Devgn. I think he’s just an amazing, amazing human. He is been my kind of mentor you can say, and somebody with whom I’ve worked very closely during Total Dhamaal and over the years I’ve just been a fan of the kind of range of acting that he can do, and the kind of talent he has. He’s somebody, I would love to direct.

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