Commenting
on
the
rising
popularity
of
south
films
in
the
Bollywood-ruled
north
India,
superstar
Ajay
Devgn
on
Monday
said
the
reason
behind
the
success
of
the
non-Hindi
movies
here
is
the
pan
India
promotional
strategy.
When
asked
that
southern
audiences
are
yet
to
warm
up
to
the
films
from
the
north,
Devgn
said,
"It's
nothing
like
that."
The
53-year-old
actor-director,
who
recently
featured
in
a
pivotal
role
in
the
pan
India
blockbuster
"RRR",
said
filmmakers
from
the
south
plan
the
script
of
their
films
to
reach
out
to
audiences
beyond
language
barriers.
"It's
not
that
films
from
here
(north)
are
not
going
there
(to
the
south).
In
my
opinion,
nobody
has
attempted
to
release
a
film
from
the
north
down
south
on
a
big
scale.
"If
someone
will
try
in
future,
it
will
definitely
happen
because
their
films
are
good
and
are
doing
well
here.
Our
films
too
are
working.
If
they
have
to
release
the
films
in
the
north,
they
take
actors
from
the
north
also
and
they
plan
the
script
accordingly
so
that
it
works
pan
India," Devgn
told
reporters
here.
He
was
speaking
at
the
second
trailer
launch
of
his
upcoming
directorial
"Runway
34",
billed
as
an
edge-of-the-seat
thriller.
Rakul
Preet
Singh,
who
also
stars
in
the
film,
was
present
at
the
event
as
well.
Inspired
by
a
true
incident
from
2015,
the
movie
revolves
around
Captain
Vikrant
Khanna
(Devgn),
a
flying
prodigy,
whose
flight
takes
a
mysterious
course
after
take-off
from
an
international
destination.
Asked
to
choose
between
acting
and
direction,
Devgn
said
he
loves
them
both.
The
actor-filmmaker,
who
has
also
produced
the
movie
via
his
Ajay
Devgn
Ffilms,
said
he
is
not
scared
of
hard
work.
He
made
his
directorial
debut
in
2008
with
"U
Me
Aur
Hum"
and
followed
it
up
with
his
2016
actioner
"Shivaay".
"I
love
my
work,
I'm
not
afraid
of
it...
You're
working
on
the
script
as
a
director,
so
as
an
actor
you
keep
getting
prepared.
Once
you're
working
on
the
script,
you
know
exactly
the
way
you
want
your
other
actors
to
be.
It
gets
very
clear
once
you
start
imagining
and
visualising
the
film,"
he
said.
Devgn
shared
that
the
makers
changed
the
title
of
the
film
from
"Mayday"
to
"Runway
34"
for
better
understanding.
"When
there's
an
emergency,
you
give
the
call
of
'Mayday'.
But,
I
think,
not
many
people
were
able
to
understand
that
title.
The
whole
story
of
the
film
revolves
around
a
runway
called
Runway
34.
Why
the
pilot
landed
the
plane
on
that
runway,
something
which
was
an
impossible
task
and
should
not
have
happened,
that
is
the
story,"
he
said.
"A
well-read
person
had,
in
fact,
asked
me
the
meaning
of
'Mayday'.
He
asked
me
if
the
film
was
based
on
Labour
Day,
so
I
got
a
bit
scared,"
he
quipped.
He
also
responded
to
the
reports
that
suggested
that
Devgn
had
initially
shelved
the
film,
saying
that
was
never
the
case.
"I
really
liked
the
story
when
I
heard
it.
I
had
told
the
writers
(Sandeep
Kewlani
and
Aamil
Keeyan
Khan)
that
I
want
some
changes
in
the
script.
After
that
I
got
busy
and
corona
(pandemic)
happened.
While
we
were
at
home
during
corona,
I
remembered
that
we'd
worked
on
the
story..."
The
actor
said
the
team
has
attempted
to
make
an
"authentic
film"
and
also
sought
help
from
real
pilots
and
ATC
(air
traffic
control)
personnel
for
training.
"We
have
brought
the
aviation
industry
in
a
good
light.
It
was
not
an
easy
film
to
shoot.
When
you
watch
the
film,
you'll
come
to
know
what
troubles
pilots,
ATC
people
and
even
the
passengers
face
when
there's
a
situation
like
that.
This
story
is
not
just
about
the
turbulence
in
the
air,
but
also
on
the
ground.
That
when
there
is
turbulence
in
someone's
life
how
he
goes
through
it,"
he
added.
"Runway
34"
also
features
megastar
Amitabh
Bachchan.
While
Devgn
and
Bachchan
have
previously
worked
together
in
movies
like
"Major
Saab",
"Hindustan
Ki
Kasam",
and
"Satyagraha",
this
is
the
first
time
he
has
directed
the
79-year-old
cinema
icon.
Directing
Bachchan,
Devgn
said,
was
an
inspiring
experience.
"He
doesn't
let
anyone
around
him
feel
nervous.
He
is
a
big
source
of
inspiration
for
us,
the
way
he
works.
No
one
can
have
his
level
of
hard
work
and
dedication.
When
he
works
with
you,
he
inspires
you
to
direct.
I
know
him
since
my
childhood,
we
share
a
good
rapport.
So
there
was
no
nervousness,"
he
added.
Singh,
who
plays
co-pilot
Captain
Tanya
in
"Runway
34",
said
working
on
the
film
was
a
great
opportunity
for
more
than
one
reason.
"I
got
an
opportunity
to
work
under
Ajay
sir's
direction
and
most
importantly,
I
got
to
star
alongside
Amit
ji.
When
you
become
an
actor,
it
is
your
dream
to
work
with
Amit
sir.
Through
this
film
I
got
to
share
his
energy
and
screen
space
with
him,"
she
said.
The
31-year-old
has
previously
starred
opposite
Devgn
in
the
2019
rom-com
"De
De
Pyaar
De"
and
will
also
reunite
with
him
for
the
upcoming
comedy
"Thank
God".
Singh
said
the
cast
shot
the
film
in
a
simulator
of
a
real
plane,
not
on
set.
"We
were
shooting
in
a
small
cockpit
with
multiple
cameras,
including
a
jimmy
jib.
To
create
that
atmosphere
of
fear,
panic,
and
tension
was
challenging
and
exciting...
When
I
had
a
director
like
Ajay
sir,
it
was
easy
to
get
into
the
character,"
she
added.
"Runway
34"
also
stars
Boman
Irani,
Angira
Dhar,
Aakanksha
Singh,
and
social
media
influencer
CarryMinati.