Bringing something new to audience was biggest challenge in Sooryavanshi: Shetty

After Singham and Simmba, filmmaker Rohit Shetty is back with the latest installment of the Cop Universe, Sooryavanshi, which stars Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles. Though the film’s release has been deferred over the Coronavirus outbreak, IBNS-TWF looks back at some of Shetty’s comments on the film
You had announced Sooryavanshi while doing Simmba. This was the first time a sequel was announced so early? What was the mindset?
I won’t show off by giving a long lecture. I just felt the film will succeed so I would continue. And that’s exactly what I have done.
Which character was the most challenging among Singham, Simmba and Sooryavanshi?
Actually there is nothing challenging like that. The only challenge is what new we can make for the audience. The characters or the actors never become challenging. Obviously the audience, particularly youngsters, come with a lot of expectations,s so the challenge is what new we can bring to the table.
Critics say your films promote police brutality. How far do you agree with this?
No, no. This is untrue. The question is entirely wrong. There is no scene of police brutality in my film.
You launched the first cinematic universe (cop universe) in India? How did you do this? What was the biggest challenge?
It wasn’t a challenge for me. When we were writing Simmba, we thought of trying out this. Then I thought that Singham will also be gone (will fail) if Simmba doesn’t do well (smiles). I was worried about that also. Then I took the risk. I was worried about the audience in interiors who would wonder about the emergence of Singham all of a sudden. Then it just happened.
You got three superstars, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh, in one frame. Whom were you looking at? Would you have accepted a take with not all three actors giving their individual best shots?
No, no. Obviously all the three actors need to be on the same page. And rarely such discrepancies did occur because Ajay and Akshay have done so many films together while Ranveer and Akshay do know each other very well. So nothing like that happened on set.
Your films are always larger than life. But in Sooryavanshi trailer, we have seen several real-life incidents. Is Rohit Shetty going realistic?
I have never thought that way. The idea was not to make another film where a police will be beating up the local goons. After doing so many films on cops, we know so many stories and cops who had so much experience. So it was fun to meet them (cops) and doing research with them. So the film looks real till the time Ranveer Singh enters (smiles). (IBNS/TWF)