A kiddie film next… Why not?, says Madhur Bhandarkar

Film-maker Madhur Bhandarkar’s gamble — of switching genres from hard-hitting films to comedy — has paid off. His latest film, the Ajay Devgn-Emraan Hashmi starrer got a fairly decent response at the box office.

However, the multiple National Award winning director feels that, be it comedy or serious, his films can be slotted in one genre — that of realistic cinema.

“Serious issues or not, my films depict reality. That’s what I have done in this film too. There were real situations and it tracks real people,” he says. And though the director admits that he enjoys watching film-maker David Dhawan’s style of slapstick comedies, he is quick to add that he personally can’t relate to making them.

“I have nothing against such films, but as a film-maker, I don’t see myself directing one ,” he says.

His inspiration, he says, has always been late film-maker Hrishikesh Mukherjee. “I don’t think anyone can make the kind of comedies he did. But we can definitely try.”

Still basking in the praise coming his way, the director reveals that he hasn’t started work on his next film yet. “I am happy with the kind of response the film’s generating, though I wish the censor board had not given me such a hard time,” he smiles.

But wasn’t he apprehensive about taking such a huge risk with his image as a serious filmmaker? “No, ya. I am a film-maker and I enjoy making films. The image is not created by me and as long as I am making good films, who cares what people call me?” he says.

Though there’s speculation of him making sequels to his hit films right from Chandni Bar to Corporate and Fashion, Bhandarkar reveals that nothing’s finalised yet. “Right now I’m not sure what my next will be,” he says, adding, “In fact, I might just make a kiddie film next. Why not?” he ends.