Producer Firoz A Nadiadwala on how the actor saved the day
Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 12, 2015)
Had it not been for timely intervention on Anil Kapoor’s part, Firoz Nadiadwala’s success story with Welcome Back would have read quite differently. Director Anees Bazmee insisted on being paid his full and final fee before the film’s release or else... A grateful Firoz can’t thank Anil enough. “He is the angel who filled my darkest hour with light and hope. Anees demanded his remaining fee less than a week before release. I had already paid him Rs 9 crores and had to pay him Rs 2 cr more. I had no money left. I pleaded with him to wait for the film to be released, even offering to give him a post-dated cheque, but he wouldn’t listen.”
I had no co-producer on board and a director who didn’t care what happened to the film. Anil spoke to Sunil Lulla who stepped in at that stage only because of Anil. They proved to be my saviours at a time when everybody had turned their back on me,” says the producer.
Firoz wonders aloud why Anees couldn’t wait. “He went to the producers’ association. He filed a police complaint against me, for defaulting payment. Aisa toh koi dushman bhi nahin karta. Aur phir yeh to Anees ki apni film thi.” It’s highly unlikely the two will ever work together again.
Says Firoz, “Anees had a problem with everything including my grandfather’s name being in the credit titles before his name. For the first time in the history of our banner, the director’s name comes before my grandfather’s. He also objected to my name in the credits for shooting the action scenes in the deserts. Arre, why should I not take credit for my work?”
Now that Welcome Back is a smash hit, Firoz wants to put the entire experience behind him. “But it’s not going to be easy. I’ve been to hell and back. I hope no producer has to go through what I did,” he says.