Subhash K Jha (DNA; June 5, 2016)
For the moment, Shekhar Kapur is busy helming a television series on Shakespeare but is still pragmatic about his pet project: Paani. Here, he speaks about the collaboration with Yash Raj Films for the film, not taking off. “It is true I am no longer doing the film with Adi (Aditya Chopra). But that doesn’t mean I won’t be doing this film. I’ve lived with the project for many years now.”
He explains the reason for the YRF pullout. “See, you have to understand that Adi is not only a producer, he is also a very accomplished filmmaker with extremely independent ideas on cinema. Adi and I are both fiercely individualistic filmmakers. We just couldn’t agree on the way Paani should be made.” What Shekhar leaves unsaid is that the budget which Shekhar required to make Paani was not agreeable to YRF or its head honcho.
Sushant Singh Rajput, who was last cast as the lead actor in Paani lost out on several projects (see box) because of this film’s delays. Says Shekhar, “We spent close to two years planning the project together. But it wasn’t meant to be. Not with Adi. But I’ll make Paani for sure.”
FILMS SUSHANT LOST OUT ON
Befikre
A source told us that SSR had been Adi’s first choice for the film, not Ranveer Singh
STATUS: Unreleased
Fitoor
He let go of the film, because the dates were clashing with Paani. The role went to Aditya Roy Kapur
STATUS: Flop
Ram-leela
His YRF contract held him back from signing on this film, which went to RS.
STATUS: Superhit