One of the most dildaar producers of Bollywood, Boney Kapoor, spoke exclusively with Bollywood Hungama about his much-awaited Eid release, Maidaan. As expected, his bindaas style and trademark humour were visible as he talked about the Ajay Devgn starrer, getting an IMAX release, developing a Film City in Uttar Pradesh and a lot more.
EXCLUSIVE: Boney Kapoor reveals how Maidaan managed to get an IMAX release; talks about winning the bid for Uttar Pradesh Film City: “It’s my promise to Yogi Adityanath ji, PM Narendra Modi and the nation that it’ll be a WORLD-CLASS film city. I will make sure that people from the West come to shoot here”
A few days are left for Maidaan to release. Having made so many films, do you still go through the pre-release jitters?
Mujhe dekh ke aisa lag raha tere ko (smiles)? I don’t go through (the jitters). I am as normal as I am otherwise. This is my 45th film. After producing so many films and after seeing so many highs and lows, yeh sab nahin hota mere saath.
Maidaan faced numerous delays. Your set was rebuilt three times. You went through a lot of difficulties. During these tiring times, who kept you motivated and who was your support system?
I am self-motivated. It’s got to be in your DNA. My father (Surinder Kapoor), too, went through several highs and lows; in fact, more lows than highs. Yet, he was always a smiling man. Perhaps, I have inherited that from him. Even his first film Farishta (1958) took a while to be made. His second film, Tarzan Comes To Delhi (1965), theek gayi. Ek Shrimaan Ek Shrimati (1969) didn’t do well. Still, he was always smiling. People used to say, ‘Yaar, Kapoor sahab hamesha mast rehte hai’ (smiles). Toh shayad woh streak hamare khandaan mein hai. Hence, Anil bhi hamesha josh mein rehta hai. Mera josh usse kam hai though (smiles)! Sanjay bhi khush rehta hai.
You do have a lot of josh. Janhvi Kapoor, during the promotions of Mili (2022), said, “I was upset with him and I told him that you are not 20 something anymore and you have the luxury of deputing work to people, so you don’t need to take flights for one meeting. He says, ‘This is my life, I need to be hands-on and that’s the joy of it’”. Did you even think of slowing down, especially after making so many films?
If I slow down, then I’ll stop working!
You once said that you want to make a total of 100 films in your lifetime…
Woh main karunga. I have 7-8 films lined up in the next 2 years – 4-5 in Hindi, 2 in Tamil, 1 in Telugu and perhaps 1 in Kannada. I have to catch up with some languages. I want to make films in Punjabi, Kannada and even Bhojpuri! This is something I aspire to.
You showed Maidaan to Aamir Khan way in advance. Do you usually show your films in advance to him or was this the first time?
He shows his films to me as well. Hence, I show my film to him too. Not only Aamir, I also showed it to Javed (Akhtar) saab and many others. When we got the final copy of this film, maine apne saath baaki logon ko bhi bula liya tha. Then, Ajay held a screening wherein he invited his family and friends. Now, I have stopped myself. If I had my way, I would have (shown the film to many more people)!
When was the decision to release in IMAX taken?
We always wanted to release the film in IMAX. But our release date kept on shifting. Hence, IMAX reached a point wherein they didn’t take us seriously! This time, we were sure that we would be bringing our film on April 10 (paid previews). Hence, we had to pursue them more. And this is a big-screen drama. If you get a chance, go and see the trailer in IMAX. When I saw the trailer on the IMAX screen, mere dil poora bhar aaya tha. My chest swelled with pride. The film is made for IMAX.
It is often said that post-pandemic, the tastes of moviegoers have changed. Do you believe so and have you tweaked the film’s edit accordingly?
No, I haven’t. We have been honest with the script. And yes, there is a change not in change but in the approach and attitude of the audience. They now feel, ‘Sooner or later, film OTT pe aa hi jaayegi. Why go out and take the trouble?’. But even this is changing gradually. In the last 1 year, we have had four films doing Rs. 500 crores. We didn’t get such numbers even in the pre-pandemic times. But at the same time, the films which don’t do well, their collections are often disastrous.
Did you get offers for Maidaan’s direct digital release and were you tempted to take it up?
Yes, we got offers but I was never tempted.
Maidaan is 181 minutes long. Earlier, a lot of eyebrows used to be raised over long lengths of the films. But Oppenheimer (2023) was also 3 hours long. Animal (2023), meanwhile was 3 hours and 23 minutes long. And both these films worked….
Yes. Animal se toh kam hi hai Maidaan. Our previous film, Wanted (2009), was around 2 hours 50 minutes.
Did you ever plan to direct a film?
Years ago, I was seriously contemplating to direct. I had even decided to cast Kajol. Then I dropped the plans as my hands were full with production. Also, I am indulgent as a producer; toh director banunga toh socha kya ho jaayega (smiles)!
Later, I signed Kajol for Shakti: The Power (2002). She, however, left the film as she was planning a family. Then, we cast Karisma Kapoor.
There are a lot of stories of you being an indulgent producer…
(Smiles) But now I am quite rational.
Any more acting plans?
It depends on what kind of roles. Also, I am more confident now to face the camera. If I am offered a good role in a good film, then why not? I enjoyed working on both Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (2023) and AK vs AK (2020).
You and Bhutani Group won the bid for the development of phase-1 of the Film City in Uttar Pradesh…
That’s a promise to myself and a promise to Yogi Adityanath ji, PM Narendra Modi and the nation that it’ll be a world-class film city. I will make sure that people from the West come to shoot here. I plan to travel to countries like China, the USA, Poland, Saudi Arabia, etc to study the film cities in these countries. In India, we have three film cities aur woh itni kamyaab nahin rahi. In the case of Mumbai’s Film City, they had to sell or lease out a part of the premises to Prime Focus, Reliance, etc. The poor Nitin Desai of ND Studios had to end his life because the expenses were too much for him to handle. Also, it was out of the way for people to go there and shoot. With Ramoji Film City, the locations are the same. Main unki galtiyon se kuch seekha hoon. We also have experience and knowledge, having been in the industry for so long. What I do know is what not to do. What to do will come with experience. What not to do comes with seeing where the others went wrong and the projects that didn’t live up to their potential.
Did you ever think of writing a book?
I have got a lot of offers from 4-5 writers. In fact, somebody wants to do a biopic on me (laughs)! I laughed at first and asked, ‘Mere mein aisi kya baat hai?’. He said, ‘Aapki poori journey kamaal ki hai’. He looks up to me and feels that my story will motivate a lot of people to go through a crisis in life and come out of it. I have not really made up my mind.
Who should play you in the biopic?
(Laughs) Jab banne ki naubat aayegi, tab sochenge!
Also Read: BREAKING: Producers decide to trim Bade Miyan Chote Miyan by 8 minutes; re-edit in progress for a crisper cut ahead of Eid showdown with Maidaan
More Pages: Maidaan Box Office Collection
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