Exclusive Interview with VIKAS PHADNIS

“I AM A FEMINIST” VIKAS PHADNIS tells JYOTHI VENKATESH for this exclusive interview for bollyy.com and Mayapuri over cold coffee at a suburb in Mumbai.

Writer and director Vikas Phadnis confesses that he was excite when he first got the offer to direct the out and out action cum fun film called Siyappa which revolves around feminism.

“I also knew that it was a big challenge to wield the megaphone for a film which comprises four girls since it is very difficult to cater to ten tantrums of four girls with different mindsets but I chose to accept the challenge.

Yet another big challenge which I knew I have to face while making the film is that it does not have absolutely any emotion and the entire thrust is on unadulterated fun though there is no vulgarity or nudity”

Vikas admits that his film is on the Iines of adventure oriented films like Farhan Akhtar’s much loves films like Dil Chahtha Hai and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

“I had made my debut with a film called Gungunati Rahon Mein with a star cast consisting of rank newcomers.

By the way, Gungunati Rahon Mein was also an adventurous film but it has not yet been completed thank to the advent of the dreaded pandemic for the last year and a half.”

What made you decide to make a film like Siyappa? I ask Vikas point blank and he does not pause even for a minute to think of a concocted reply.

“I am a staunch feminist, and have always dreamt of making family dramas and comedy fun- oriented films as a filmmaker.

I also want to make crime thrillers and suspense plots for web series if I get the right offers.

I also want to make slick films with fast pace based on spies too since no one has thought of making a film on similar lines as far as India is concerned.”

Vikas concedes that though it is a film which has been designed to entertain the audiences of all ages irrespective of the gender, he does want the film to drive home a precise message too.

“I want the film to educate the people that girls are not at all weak like in the past and today they are in a position to handle themselves in their own way through thick and thin and pass through any test with flying colors.”

Among his wish list of filmmakers are Rajkumar Hirani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali , Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap and last but not the least Hansal Mehta, has already directed till date not just one or two but a dozen ad films for the likes of Big Bazaar, Qurac Placement Agency and Durga Agarbatti.

Vikas Phadnis signs off the interview over a glass of cold coffee by announcing that he is in talks with four top actresses for his film and as soon as the names are finalized, he will start shooting for his film in exotic locations like Goa and Karjat in a span of 30 days shortly so that his film can start streaming on the OTT platform by middle of the next year.