Abhishek Pathak, director of Drishyam 3, speaks to Subhash K Jha about the making of the Ajay Devgn film including why he chose to have the Hindi version different from the Malayalam.
Does it feel like a sense of responsibility to your production house and to yourself to be directing a franchise as distinguished as this one?
Obviously, it does feel like a big responsibility. But obviously, there is a franchise in the company. And if you want to really look at it, it’s one of the biggest we have in terms of the love of the audience for the film. And to make it and to achieve it in the same way, on the same benchmark, is a leap, I would say. The amount of people who have loved this film, to take it to that level is a big journey for this film. I hope people like what we’ve done with this one.
I think the biggest USP in Drishyam 3 would be the fact that it’s a different departure from Drishyam 3 in Malayalam? That is a blessing because people don’t want to see the same thing again, as was proven recently by Haiwan which was a scene by scene remake of the Mohanlal Malayalam original Oppam?
Correct. We didn’t want to do a faithful remake. We wanted to do our own version of Drishyam 3. The whole idea was to go beyond the original. When I directed Drishyam 2 , it happened because it just came my way and there was this film which we were producing and my father (producer Kumar Mangat) said, why don’t you do it? So I did it. But then, I really worked hard on that film. I remember I literally took about a year and a half to just get writing in place before shooting that film. But when the film is a remake , the craft is ignored. A director’s craft is ignored and suddenly it gets stamped off as a remake.
That really hit you when you directed the Hindi Drishyam 2?
That kind of really hit me. The way the film has been made, the way it has been redesigned, keeping in mind about the Hindi belt audience, what they like and the kind of new additions of scenes and deletions of scenes. It’s also craft. I mean, it’s just not that you watch the original film and make it. There are several films like Departed, Infernal Affairs, Vanilla Sky, so many remakes… people respect them because it’s being done as a great film by a distinguished director. But here un India , the critics looks at remakes in a slightly different way. I don’t agree that a remake should be made faithfully. Even when a remake is done in a certain way, it has to be appreciated at the same time for its innovations.
I think the key, Abhishek, is to reconstruct the remake, to add something to the original?
Absolutely. I decided I will not do a faithful remake in Drishyam 3. I’ll write my own screenplay. That’s the main game of any film’s success. That’s what is going to play on the screen and that’s what’s going to hold the audience for two and a half hours. If you mess up there, then you can’t make a film. I always believe that.
You would know, you’ve been in the business with your father for so many years, that there was a time when there were proposals instead of films. Like, sign six stars and then we’ll see the story. That kind of lackadaisical attitude?
I’ve heard of it. Like, obviously, there was a time where people used to just make projects and set up the film and writing used to happen later. There used to be a project on an idea that we’ll make something like this. But I think that time has passed due to the whole exposure of global cinema. I think the audiences have really been open to so much of global content and they now understand what’s happening in world cinema. And the old kind of cinema that has become outdated, people don’t go to the theatres to see it.
I was speaking to Mohanlalji yesterday. And he’s in Georgia. And he expressed a keen Malayalam to see Drishyam 3 when he comes back. He wants to know what you have done with it?
He’s a very amazing guy. I met him. He has so much humility. We would love to show him our version of Drishyam 3.
Was it intimidating initially to direct Ajay Devgn?
Intimidating? Not really. I’ve been around since childhood. I mean, I wanted to obviously always direct the films. Production became part of it because it’s a part of it. My dad has been producing films. And that I eventually took over to even be more aware of how the system is functioning. And when it came to direction and when it came to Drishyam 2 and now 3, the idea that Ajay sir is there, in fact he was part of the Drishyam franchise from before me – I didn’t direct the first Drishyam film—so there was a little nervousness, obviously, because I’ve known him since very long now. I assisted on one of his films where he was acting. I remember I showed him a short film also once I made it. So he had loved that also. So, he knew there’s something. And once I think Drishyam too happened, the beauty of working with Ajay sir is, if he trusts you completely, he doesn’t really get into any creative. So, there was complete faith
The new addition in the Drishyam franchise is of course, Jaideep Ahlawat. What was he like as an actor? Is it true he’s replaced Akshaye Khanna, who unceremoniously walked out of the film at the time?
No, no, no. He’s not replaced Akshaye Khanna, it’s a new character I’ve gotten for Jaideep Ahlawat to play. Jaideep has done a fabulous job.
Now, you have said that the Drishyam franchise is over and done with?
Yes, whatever the story, it’s been told. But I don’t think I’m done with the The thriller is my favourite genre. I don’t know what I’m doing next because last two, three years, I’ve not been even thinking of anything other than Drishyam 3. So, I’ll take a break now and do some research in my mind.
It’s becoming very difficult to predict what people would like. Does that kind of scare you?
Not scare, but it makes me cautious, I would say. We have to be very careful about… When I’m saying… And after that, I’ll sit just to evaluate which story to be made. That’s very important. Something has to be very new for audience every time. It has to be a new experience while emotions remain the same. If you’re giving a comedy, you just can’t give poor jokes and expect people to come to theatres.You have to write something very interesting, something new. If it’s a thriller, you have to find something new. If it’s an action film , then you have to build on the genre.Something has to be done for audience to come to theatre. It just can’t be a guy walking with a knife and just killing everyone. Or a cluster of stars standing around not knowing what to do. Something has to be new because audience is watching a lot of content right now. They are very aware. It’s a very evolved audience now.And they are very sure about what they want to see. So, we can’t take them for granted.
