EXCLUSIVE - 'Akshay Kumar gave a nod to 'Kesari's' subject even before it was offered to him': Director Anurag Singh

Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra starrer Kesari is all set to have its television premiere on August 15, 2019, on Zee Cinema. Directed by Anurag Singh, the period film is based on the historic Battle of Saragarhi, which was fought on September 12, 1897, in the Tirah region of North-West Frontier Province between 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikh Regiment and 10,000 Afghani invaders. The war was led by Havildar Ishar Singh played by Akshay and it's one of the most gripping films of 2019.

As only a few hours are left for the television premiere, we caught up with Anurag over a quick telephonic conversation. He shared his happiness on Kesari getting premiered on such an important day, Akshay doing historic and socially relevant films, his upcoming plans and more.

Excerpts...

It's been five months since the release of Kesari and the film is finally coming on television that too on Independence Day. Isn't it like a perfect date for the television premiere?

Yeah, it's lovely and it couldn't have been a better date for the television premiere. 

With the television premiere, the channel has also done a campaign #MainBhiKesari campaign to donate for Bharat Ke Veer. Would you like to say something about it?

It's an amazing initiative. We will be donating Rs 500 with every person sharing a screenshot of watching Kesari on the television. We should be contributing to them. Zee Cinema has come up with this great initiative. Apart from that, they are even changing the logo of Zee Cinema to Kesari from August 13, 2019, till August 15, 2019, which is the premiere date of Kesari. 

Talking about Akshay Kumar, the actor is currently impressing with his choice of films which include period drama and also socially relevant movies. So when you were penning Kesari, was Akshay your first choice always?

Two things - I don't think there's anything wrong in a person doing patriotic films and be a part of the stories that talk about patriotism and about our country in a good light. So, if he is promoting those kinds of films and working in those kinds of films, I think he is doing a very good thing and it should be appreciated and not questioned. You are promoting positivity towards your country, good things done by our countrymen for the country. 

That's generally speaking, but specifically talking about my film, actually, Akshay Sir gave a nod to the film's subject even before the film was offered to him. So, it was the other way round. As you said, he likes patriotic subjects and likes to talk about all these things that have happened in our history. So, he said yes to the subject, then the film came to me and I was asked if I would like to direct the film. 

You have been a part of the Hindi film industry for more than 10 years and you have also directed several superhit Punjabi films. So what led you to think Kesari would be perfect as a commercial Hindi film?

No, not really, because it's an expensive film to make. It's a war film and to know what kind of terrain and the need for that location, the budget was high. So, the Punjabi film industry is growing and coming up really well. But still, we can't afford those kinds of the budget in Punjabi cinema. So, thinking about it, it didn't really matter whether I have thought about it or not. I know that it's not easy to make this kind of film in Punjabi with this kind of budget we have.

Did Parineeti Chopra play his dead wife or was she alive and Ishar Singh remembered her?

I am surprised that a couple of people have been asking me the same question. So the idea was that Parineeti is his wife as shown in the song where Akshay got married to her. But he has these imaginative conversations with her while he is posted in Saragarhi or Gulistan. So, it's not that as if she is dead, those conversations are just his figments of imagination. But in reality, she is back at his home. It was meant to be like that! Maybe something got lost in translation that is why a couple of people asked about that. But the majority of people got the idea behind it.

With the kind of film it was, it didn't make sense to go back to the village, show her and all that. It would have taken away from the mood that I planned to create. I just thought of making it like that whenever he is alone, he starts imaginary conversations with his wife. It actually exists! It's almost like you're sitting in your own company and remembering somebody and think about what that person would have said in a certain situation.

Now, what next after Kesari?

I just came back from holiday, I started writing something. So once I have sort of written it out, have a script in hand, I will go and pitch it. So, even I am not sure right now. 

Witness the flavour of patriotism this Independence Day, with the World Television Premiere of Kesari on Thursday, 15th August 2019, at 12 noon only on Zee Cinema!