Santoshi: I have always told stories without worrying about trends

Raj Kumar Santoshi may have just sprung a surprise with AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI en route to be one of the biggest money spinners of the year. However, he isn't willing to get trapped into dabbling with only one genre of cinema. After the success of his romantic comedy with new age youngsters Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, he is all set to work with veteran actor Sunny Deol all over again and rekindle the magic of GHAYAL, DAMINI and GHATAK.
"Yes, my next should be with Sunny Deol", confirms Raj Kumar Santoshi whose composure is quite uncharacteristic of a film maker who has just delivered a multi crore hit, "I am looking at a couple of ideas but in principal I would be going ahead with Sunny."
As expected, the film's genre would be centered on action drama and would come with a hard hitting punch. However, since comedies and light hearted entertainers are ruling the roost (something that even he would vouch for with the way AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI is performing), doesn't he feel like playing safe?
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"I have always told stories that I have felt like telling at any point of time without worrying about trends. Today, AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI is a comedy success. Tomorrow, I may make an entirely different film. That's the way I have been", says the film maker whose two decade journey as a film maker is a testimony to this fact.
While GHAYAL and DAMINI were action and drama flicks at the very beginning of his career, ANDAZ APNA APNA is a cult classic comic affair. GHATAK was an emotional action film, PUKAR was an espionage thriller, LAJJA spoke about women power, KHAKEE was intense drama to it whereas HALLA BOL was revolutionary.
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Meanwhile, Santoshi surprises by stating that during the making of AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI, he never once bothered about the way film would behave at the box office.
"Throughout my career, I have never looked at how big a money spinner my film would be. The focus has always been to make a good film. This was the guiding principle for AJAB PREM... as well and I guess it's this honesty that is reaping benefits now", Santoshi says.
Time and again it has been noted that vibes being generated about a film being a potential success or a failure can be felt during its making itself. Vipul Shah recently commented that the first few days of the shoot decide the box office verdict of a film. Did Santoshi ever feel the same about AJAB PREM....?
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"I got that feeling when the film was ready and shown in trials", agrees Santoshi, "When my crew saw the film, they admitted that we were in for something big here. We could sense that the film would be a success. How big? Well, no one can ever gauge that."
The film's success would have come as a shot in the arm considering the fact that his last two releases - HALLA BOL and FAMILY - hadn't worked at the box office. His last success was KHAKEE which was 5 years back. A welcome relief?
"Definitely", he smiles, "The film was made for family audiences. I have been to theaters and seen for myself that kids are laughing their guts out. At places, the film has even taken a standing ovation as the end credits start rolling."