Anuradha Prasad on Zindaggi Rocks

Courtesy: IndiaFM
Friday, October 06, 2006
Anuradha Prasad is a big name in news and current affairs. After making her foray in television entertainment she is all set with her vision through film production. Anuradha's BAG films is all set to release their first film Zindaggi Rocks in October. Producer Anuradha Prasad speaks to IndiaFM about her film and future plans.

When and how did this idea of producing a film come to you?
Doing a film was always in our scheme of things. As you know BAG is a content generation and integration company so it was the most logical step for us. Our USP is content of all genres on all platforms so we do news, current affairs, daily soaps, music shows and game shows. We work on television and mobile as well so it was just a logical extension for us. I am a firm believer that content is king. Today maybe the distribution platform is ruling but content will be ruling tomorrow and that's very clear.

What made you to choose Tanuja Chandra as director of your first film?
She came up with the story for which Sushmita agreed to do. I think no one could have performed better than her. So everything fell in place. Everything happened together and for the best in a most positive manner.

Did you also involved in the casting process?
Yes obviously because when you start doing a film then you have to get involved into everything. It's a different medium than television. In television if you can go wrong you are able to rectify but in films you can't do it. You have to do it much ahead of time. You have to think about its look and for me the look of the film is very important. Fortunately, everything fell in place. We as producers did not make any kind of compromise, not in introduction or promotion. So far as a producer we did everything that was important for our film.

Tanuja is mainly known for her feministic subjects, so it just happened to be a female oriented film or you wanted to begin with the same?
No it was not that I wanted to begin with female oriented film but I was very clear that whatever content goes out from our production banner, it has to be extremely thoughtful. I want to do commercial films with good content and that is my clear vision and that's what we have designed here. So there was no female oriented subject in my mind rather it's a great drama which has a human angle and whether it's been played by a female or a male it wouldn't have matter. Here in this story the context is important and it's been played by a female actor because it is a mother and son relationship. We have tackled with that aspect of human relationship.

Tell us something about its music.
The music is rocking because Anu Malik has done a really good job. Apart from typical commercial sense the rock songs because she is a rock star in the film and the songs have to justify her image. Anushka has sung beautifully and its rocking the music charts. There are two melodies in the film. Even the remix version which is not in the promos is really nice. I firmly believe that for a good Indian commercial film music is very important. You have to put your heart and soul towards the music which we all have done.

Now the film is complete and ready for release. Are you satisfied with the way film has shaped up?
Off course! I am happy, but happiness is one thing and being satisfied is another. As somebody from the creative field I will never be satisfied because the day I'll get satisfied, I'll be dead so there is nothing called satisfaction for me ever. I always like to raise the bar within myself. That's the way it was because you must understand and appreciate what is my grounding. My personal grounding is from television and when I moved into full time entertainment television before that I have been in news and current affairs so my vision is completely differ rather I haven't come from the limited vision. I will never be ever satisfied because I would always like to have something more.

Since you are into production and producing a lot, would you like to go behind the camera?
Right now I haven't really thought of that because when you run a corporate structure and you have lot of pressure. Whereas a director has to think one thing so right now there is no plan to get into direction but my creative inputs are there while designing the film. As I said earlier that my grounding and my views are little different. I am not saying this only because I am a producer but also because I come with that view and experience. I give my inputs whether the director likes it or not.

What is your expectation from this film?
I have made a product. This is my first Hindi film so I am not going with great expectations. If people appreciate it then I'll be extremely happy. If they do not, I would say ok it's my first time.

Lot of big films releasing at the same time so don't you think your movie will sidelined in the presence of big movies?
My movies releasing post Diwali and Eid and there are big movies too. But we still get a gap of two weeks. If my movie is good then it will work because you are in scenario where multiplexes have 3-4 screens. I think my film will stand out.

It is a known fact that female oriented films have failed at the box-office, why do you think your film will work in any case?
Yes that is very traditional way of looking at a thing and that's the bitter truth or bitter reality whatever you can say. But my film is not female oriented. It is based on mother and son relationship so the hero is the story of my film.

What after Zindaggi Rocks?
There are some more films lined up. We are releasing our Punjabi film Mannat at the same time. It's a beautiful love story in Punjabi starring Jimmy Shergill and Kulraj Randhawa. Two of our movies are releasing on the same day which I think is rare in the Indian film industry.