Hollywood film in Bollywood
ZIYA US SALAM
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Akbar Khan is on to "Changez Khan", a new film on the medieval warrior. And his favourite "Taj Mahal" is going to be released in Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.
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PHOTO: V.V.KRISHNAN
GOING INTERNATIONAL Akbar Khan
Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story failed the box office test. But director Akbar Khan's love story continues regardless.
Still trying, still pursuing. Still striving. Still in love with his craft. Akbar Khan, he with barely a box office hit under his belt, is threatening to do a Dev Anand: make films irrespective of the public response.
To a man running on an empty engine through his career - "Aakarshan" released many summers before the Kabir Bedi-Zulfi Syed film met with a similar fate - the critical acclaim of "Taj Mahal" threw a straw of hope. And the film's box office collections in Pakistan, where the film was released with great fanfare in April this year, have given him a lifeline. And enough strength to work on "Changez Khan", a film he claims, will send him into the orbit of international film directors.
"It will be a Hollywood film in Bollywood," Akbar Khan claims in his typically enthusiastic manner. The big budget multi-starrer will have an international cast with actors from the U.S., China, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan dabbing the greasepaint. Of course, our own Bollywood guys and gals will be there too, though Akbar refrains from revealing the names.
Only in English
"I am doing a lot of research for the film. We are putting the script together. Once all the legwork is done, we will start shooting for the film that will be made only in English. By mid-June next year, the baby will take concrete shape."
Going international
So, is that the reason why Akbar Khan is ready to call himself an international director without delivering a hit on the national horizon?"It is not fair to put it that way. With `Taj Mahal', the audiences enjoyed pure Urdu again. Wherever I go, people still talk to me about `Taj Mahal'. I believe for the first time ever an Indian film is going to be released in so many countries though the official channel. After the success in Pakistan, I am going to release `Taj Mahal' in Malaysia, Indonesia. There is a responsive audience for films of our culture, films true to Indian sensibilities. There are also plans to release the film in Australia and Hong Kong."Meanwhile, the film that was released for a brief period last year across India, will again be seen on the silver screen. The marketing had led the film down last time, claims the director, still cheerful.
"This time I am taking no chances. We are going to release the film where we will have six weeks' time for the film. No big budget film should be released during that phase. It should have a continuous run." And a ready audience, one may add.
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