Masala entertainer is not a bad word, says Prabhudeva

Director Prabhudheva may be riding high on the success of his recent release, Rowdy Rathore, but he believes that there’s no formula to hitting the jackpot at the BO. “I never set out  keeping that in mind. All that I think of, as a director, is making a film that the audience will find entertaining,” says Prabhudheva. Here, the director talks about his fundas of filmmaking and his next projects post Rowdy...

Q: You seem to be high on masala films…
A: Because I know that’s what the audience wants and they are the ones for whom I make my films. Masala entertainer is not a bad word. If I had to make films for myself then probably they would be of a completely different nature, but I am not making films for personal gratification. I want my audience to come out smiling. Besides there’s too much of producers’ money involved. And too much at risk.

Q: If not action, what other genre would you like to try out?
A: Horror. I love watching the genre and being a horror buff  I understand what the audience would want to see. So, it could be a psychological thriller or an out and out entity flick like Evil Dead.

Q: You have been getting several offers here in Bollywood…
A: Yes, and I am looking forward to working here more too. I want to take up Bollywood more seriously. So maybe South films will take a backseat for a while, but I want to concentrate on Bollywood now.

Q: You do not choreograph for your own films?
A: Because I am anyway dancing behind the camera (smiles). No, actually I just want to focus on one thing and that’s direction. That’s why I don’t act in my films either.

Q: So acting takes a backseat as well?
A: Not completely. I want to do good roles and if something excites me I will take it up. Right now I am acting in Remo D’Souza’s dance film ABCD — Any Body Can Dance.

Q: Has language ever been a constraint for you here?
A: No. I think Bollywood is such a mixture of people from different cultures and languages that it’s the last thing that matters. It’s strange, but no matter which language you speak, technicians, actors, everybody understands what you want. I think being connected through a film overrides all other ‘disconnections’.

Q: Will there be a sequel to Rowdy Rathore?
A: Let’s see, but sequel or not, I would love to work with Akshay sir (actor Akshay Kumar) again.

Q: Any other actor you want to work with or direct?
A: That’s a long list. I have just started out as a director so that one’s definitely a longer list.