Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety helmer Luv Ranjan: My films are about complications in love

Luv Ranjan hit it off with cinegoers with his directorial debut, Pyaar Ka Punchnama (PKP). Though his second film, Akaash Vani, didn’t repeat the success of his first, he bounced back with Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2. As his fourth directorial venture, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (SKTKS), starring Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Singh opens in cinemas today, the filmmaker looks back at his cinematic journey.

Luv, who began as an assistant to Suneel Darshan (on Barsaat and Dosti), realised that writing was his true calling after his third-year exams. He concedes, “My parents were supportive. I came from Ghaziabad to Mumbai to find a house and look for work. And the next day, I had a job. By God’s grace, I didn’t have to struggle.” Excerpts from a chat with the producer-director...

After the success of PKP 2, many were expecting you to continue the franchise with a third film.

I had not made the sequel immediately after PKP. I can’t keep on doing the same thing as it becomes boring. I had the idea about exploring a new relationship angle and felt it was relevant now. So, I decided to make SKTKS.

Bromance plays an important part in your films as the protagonists realise the problems of love. SKTKS revolves around the war between bromance and romance. Do you think in real life, these two aspects are always at loggerheads?

When a new person comes in the life of a girl/boy, their friends are anxious and have their own share of insecurities. Also, most people are impatient when it comes to relationships, so conflict is common. Earlier, when people got married, it was expected that the family gets time and priority. Today, ‘me time’ is relevant. Be it a man or a woman, everyone needs time and space for himself/herself. Personally, I don’t understand how old relationships become irrelevant because of a new entrant.

Were Kartik, Nushrat and Sunny the first choices for the roles?

I didn’t have a reason to not cast them. When I’ve written something, I always ask myself whether they will be able to do justice to the roles and script. Kartik has a certain naughtiness. Earlier, he and Nushrat have starred opposite each other. So, it was interesting to see them locking horns. Sunny has that real-life madness to him, and is a naive, simple guy at heart. So, he’s close to his character.

You seem to be following the trend of using recreated music in films by incorporating Yo Yo Honey Singh’s two songs in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (SKTKS).

In Hollywood films, you will notice that most of the songs are not originally created for them. Music credit is given for background score. That concept is slowly coming into movies here as well. An established composition is easier to convey as people have understood and loved it. If I want to show two people in love, I can create a new song. But when I use something that has been done before, I know people are tuned how to respond towards it. When a trend starts, it’s for a reason; it gets overdone and finally, achieves balance. Right now, we’re in the state of overdoing it.

With Pyaar Ka Punchnama and SKTKS, you seem to be becoming a director of films that are anti-love and look at the problems in relationships.  

My films are about complications in love and relationships. Akaash Vani, too, dealt with the same subject but it had a serious tone, while PKP was humorous. The PKP series isn’t anti-love; people have coined the term and made it generic. It’s more about what happens on finding the wrong woman. The audience is more accepting of things when they are said in a lighter vein. SKTKS deals with a fun subject. I can’t make a serious drama on bromance v/s romance as the subject will lose its charm.

Your next venture, as a producer, stars Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Rakul Preet Singh. It seems to be a break from your films so far?

Yes, it will be a break. When you cast actors like them, you know it’s not about young love, it’s a romcom. I want to be someone who makes one movie at a time or thinks in terms of being able to make them for the next 40 years. I want to tell different stories. So, it’s a conscious decision to back this kind of a film before moving on to the next phase.

Was it easy to convince Ajay Devgn to come on board?

I don’t think it has been easy. Maybe I just got lucky. I had a story and he liked it. He is a simple man and he says what he means. I’ve not seen him procrastinate on anything.

What are your future plans? Are you keen to make PKP 3 or you want to attempt different subjects?

I’m not someone who plans ahead. Right now, the film with Ajay and Tabu will keep me busy till July. As for PKP 3, I made the second one about four years after the first. So maybe, I start working on it next year. I’m a writer at heart, and I’ve several stories. I’m in no hurry and I don’t want to overburden myself. With me, it’s not the case of making hay while the sun shines.

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is written and directed by Luv Ranjan. Produced by T-Series’ Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar and Luv Films’ Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg, it releases today.