A
decade
and
a
half
back
when
Suneel
Darshan
decided
to
become
a
producer,
he
roped
in
Sunny
Deol
for
Ajay.
Post
that,
each
of
his
subsequent
films
either
featured
a
Deol
or
Akshay
Kumar.
However,
after
enjoying
a
near
cent
percent
record
and
also
gaining
critical
acclaim
for
films
like
Jaanwar
and
Ek
Rishta
-
The
Bond
of
Love,
Suneel
Darshan
decided
to
take
a
break,
with
Shakalaka
Boom
Boom
being
his
last
release
in
2007.
Now
that
he
has
decided
to
come
back
in
a
big
way
with
plans
in
progress
for
the
launch
of
his
son
Shiv
Darshan
as
a
leading
man,
Suneel
talks
to
this
correspondent
about
the
reasons
behind
his
break,
what
went
wrong
with
Akshay
Kumar
and
Sunny
Deol
and
how
the
entry
of
corporate
houses
rocked
the
economics
of
filmmaking.
Has
Suneel
Darshan
turned
to
be
one
of
the
wisest
producers
in
Bollywood
who
chose
to
lie
low
in
the
dull
phase
of
Bollywood
rather
than
make
any
random
films?
I
am
a
passionate
filmmaker-
the
passion
is
visible
in
both
the
content
and
the
conduct
of
my
cinema.
I
have
not
been
here
only
to
enjoy
its
fruits
but
always
wished
to
contribute,
as
per
my
ability,
to
the
cause
of
cinema,
its
progress
and
survival.
In
the
last
few
years,
the
corporatisation
entered
our
avenues
with
their
money-power
and
over-enthusiasm
and
in
the
process
rocked
the
existing
economics
of
filmmaking.
Hence,
a
pause
with
an
intention
to
play
a
longer
game
became
inevitable.
Do
you
also
feel
that
in
the
last
three
years,
ever
since
you
took
a
voluntary
break,
there
were
projects
being
made
instead
of
films?
Oh
yes!
Their
new
mantra
was
all
about
numbers
which
could
be
either
achieved
or
manipulated.
The
colossally
expensive
projects
that
were
designed
were
essentially
about
star
combinations
and
the
stars
actually
got
paid
10
to
20
times
their
earlier
receipts.
Some
started
demanding
the
whole
cake
rather
than
a
slice
of
it!
Resultantly
the
films
flopped
and
some
of
these
organizations
realized
their
follies
and
regretted.
So
when
was
it
that
you
decided
-
'Enough
is
enough,
I
would
put
a
pause
rather
than
follow
this
mad
rush'?
I
was
committed
to
a
time
bound
arrangement
to
make
a
film
starring
Sunny
Deol
in
2007-08.
But
the
project
did
not
move
into
execution
of
filming,
as
the
lead
actor
didn't
allot
his
committed
dates.
The
distribution
rights
to
the
film
were
picked
up
by
Gemini
Studios
for
the
highest
price
offered
for
a
project
featuring
Sunny
Deol,
and
both
Gemini
and
I
were
disappointed
to
lose
time
and
money
on
it.
The
project
got
stalled
and
left
me
in
a
lurch.
I
felt
the
need
to
pause,
review
and
move
thereafter.
That
must
have
been
truly
disappointing...
Sunny
Deol
was
an
idol
of
my
youth
that
I
had
elevated
onto
a
pedestal
and
then
it
all
crashed.
Our
differences
are
presently
sub-judice.
You
have
been
one
of
the
few
independent
producers
with
a
huge
success
rate.
When
most
of
the
independent
filmmakers
got
into
alliances
with
corporate
houses,
why
didn't
you
too
follow
the
same?
A
few
days
back,
a
leading
publicity
designer
also
put
the
same
question
to
me
and
got
me
thinking.
I
actually
chose
a
voluntary
sabbatical
thereafter
to
observe,
analyse
and
replenish
before
striking
back.
But
then
doesn't
survival
become
the
key?
How
did
you
manage
to
run
your
production
house
without
any
films
on
floor?
What
I
had
established
earlier
at
Shree
Krishna
International
was
a
total
film-shop
with
Production,
Distribution,
Export
and
Music
marketing
facilities
and
that
kept
the
wheels
rolling.
I
guess
media
too
has
played
an
important
role
in
playing
a
perception
game
when
it
comes
to
movies
being
made
and
released.
Do
you
also
feel
so?
And
also,
do
you
think
that
it
is
for
good,
bad
or
perhaps
just
the
need
of
the
situation?
When
the
media
is
playing
the
perception
game
for
the
entertainment
industry,
I
guess
they
are
just
doing
their
job
just
as
the
perception
they
construct
for
the
political
lobby,
the
builders
lobby
and
every
possible
avenue
that
can
generate
them
revenues.
What's
important
is
to
deliver
within
the
parameters
of
responsible
reporting.
Before
you
took
a
break,
you
were
at
the
top
of
the
game
along
with
Yash
Raj
Films
and
Karan
Johar
when
it
came
to
overseas
market.
Don't
you
feel
you
have
left
that
position
far
behind
now
due
to
an
extended
break?
Honestly,
I
could
never
compete
in
the
overseas
territory
with
Shahrukh
Khan's
stardom.
Also,
YRF
and
Karan
consolidated
their
brands
essentially
with
their
Shahrukh
Khan
starrers.
I
was
a
distant
country
cousin,
who
established
his
brand
despite
working
with
lesser
popular
stars
like
Akshay
Kumar
and
Bobby
Deol.
Talking
about
Akshay,
you
once
had
a
healthy
association
with
him.
Do
you
want
to
go
on
records
for
what
went
wrong?
Nothing
in
this
world
of
opportunism
lasts
forever.
What's
important
is
that
it
should
be
beautiful
as
long
as
it
lasts.
I
am
very
satisfied
with
the
films
that
I
made
with
Akshay
Kumar.
They
gave
us
both
success
and
respectability.
I
wish
to
remember
these
films
and
associations
fondly
and
forget
the
bitterness
attached.
I
wish
Akshay
Kumar
the
best
always.
Now
you
are
launching
your
son.
What
are
the
plans
here?
He's
Shiv....
-
Shiv
Darshan.
The
lad's
graduated
from
the
New
York
Film
Academy
and
Broadway
Dance
Centre
having
excelled
in
both
the
institutions.
So
are
we
looking
at
a
quintessential
masala
launch
here?
Sorry
but
I
am
not
ashamed
at
or
apologetic
for
having
made
films
that
have
catered
to
the
largest
sections
of
the
viewers.
I
do
not
believe
in
art
or
commercial
cinema
-
for
me,
there
are
good
and
bad
films.
The
ones
that
are
accepted
and
receive
ovation
from
the
audience
are
good
films.
Shiv
will
get
a
launch
with
one
such
good
film.