If you want to get it right, you have to become a fan first, says filmmaker Atlee, crediting superstar Shah Rukh Khan for trusting his vision for “Jawan”, a mass entertainer that is on its way to becoming one of the highest earning movies in Hindi cinema. Atlee is known for delivering back-to-back hits in the South with superstar Vijay. “Jawan”, which has crossed over Rs 800 crore at the box office since its release on September 7, marks his Hindi debut. Asked how he managed to direct the superstar without getting overwhelmed by his persona, the 36-year-old director said he simply stayed true to his creative vision.
“I’m a fan of cinema and I’m a fan of Shah Rukh sir, Vijay sir. Whoever I’ve worked with, I first become their fan because if you want to get it right, you have to become a fan. Even with their beloved actors, a fan can always say about a film that, ‘No, it’s not right.’ “As a fan, you will know which film is working and which is not working purely by heart… At the same time, if the actors are fans of a director’s work or a cameraman’s work and an editor’s work, they also come up and say, ‘Boss, I think you are not on the right track’,” Atlee told PTI in a virtual interview. The filmmaker said he developed “a give and take” relationship with SRK who protected and guided him throughout the filming of the big-budget movie. “Jawan” was made with a budget of over Rs 300 crore, the filmmaker had revealed earlier.
“I didn’t guide him — he knows much more than what everyone knows in the system — but I said what works for me and what doesn’t.
“And he trusted me. He was like, ‘Yes, sir. It’s not working for you. Let’s do one more. Should I do it like this? Should I do it like that?’ It was a good give and take. That’s why I could give a (film like) ‘Jawan’ with everyone’s 100 per cent,” he added.
It was Shah Rukh who reached out to Atlee expressing a desire to work with the filmmaker, who has been praised for showing the actor in a new light with the blockbuster. The film, interestingly, was greenlit over a Zoom call during the pandemic.
Atlee has already established a name in the Tamil film industry courtesy his movies with Vijay — “Theri”, “Mersal” and “Bigil”.
SRK’s idea was to do a quintessential “Atlee film”, he recalled.
“I was really surprised and blessed to get a call from Shah Rukh sir’s side. When I met him, he said, ‘Sir, let’s do a film together. I’ve seen all your films. I love your films. And, I want to do an Atlee film’.