This Friday will see two of the biggest releases in Star Trek 3 and Madaari. While Star Trek 3 comprises of some real, power-packed action, Madaari is expected to provide just the kind of thrilling entertainment, cinema lovers have been deprived of since a long time. It is given that on a Friday when there are two big releases than one of the films suffer losses. This Friday might turn out to be an exception, though. Despite both these films being big projects, they have a different target audience and both of them might get the right kind of start at the box office.
Whichever film gets the biggest opening, the sure shot winner is going to be Pooja Entertainment and Films Ltd and rightly so. Both these films are, in a way, Puja Films’ releases. While the giant production house will distribute Star Trek 3 in India, Madaari is their Bollywood release this monsoon.
This is a refreshing phase in Puja Films with the emergence of Vashu Bhagnani’s son and daughter taking charge. It was the release of Sarbjit that marked the change in the kind of content that Puja Films is looking to bring in their films. Deepshikha Deshmukh, daughter of Vashu Bhagnani, has played an important role in bringing this change. Speaking to Bollywoodirect on her interest in bringing good international cinema to India, she said, “Times are changing. We have been making some great family entertainers and those films were loved by the audience. But with time, we need to adapt to the change as well.”
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Puja Films had released The Legend of Tarzan early this month and now with the release of Star Trek 3, Deepshikha has made a pretty clear statement about her conviction towards international cinema. On being asked whether there would be more Hollywood releases, she said, “Not just Hollywood. We are looking for good films. Even if there is a Korean film, which is very good in content then we will help release it in India. Like Star Trek 3 is and Tarzan was. Although Tarzan did not fare that well at the box office but I am confident about Star Trek 3. Star Trek series has great fan-following in India and this instalment of the series is directed by the Fast &Furious director Justin Lin, so you may expect some riveting action.”
Deepshikha’s plan is not just limited to bringing international cinema to India but taking Indian cinema international. She said, “This could work like the barter system. We bring their cinema to India and they take ours to the world. This will create great atmosphere and culture.”
Madaari is another Puja Film release this July 22nd and Deepshikha is quite confident about its success. She said, “The reason for investing in this film is Irrfan Khan and director Nishikant Kamat. I think Nishikant is one of those underrated directors in this country. Madaari is a great mix of social message and thriller. And again you have someone like Irrfan Khan in the film, playing the lead.”
Deepshika also said that there is always some room for her production house for Independent films. She said, “We had been backing Independent cinema. It is not that it is something new to us. Rituparno Ghosh’s Antarmahal, which starred Abhishek Bachchan and Jackie Shroff, was backed by us. So, we have been giving these films a chance as well. With time, this will only grow.”
Although Deepshikha did not say anything related to her next releases but she hinted that there is a lot to come into our plates from her kitchen in the near future. She said, “There are 5-6 Hollywood as well Bollywood projects lined up and will be soon announced when the right time comes.”
Interview By: Shubham Pandey
