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Family fare, their forte
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As the Nadiadwalas complete 50 years in business, Sajid Nadiadwala reflects on the past and the future
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There is space for both Mughlai and Chinese but I don't want to serve Chinese
ROW OF SUCCESSES Sajid Nadiadwala
They might not have got the sheen of the Chopras or the Kapoors, but over the years the Nadiadwalas have been able to create a space for themselves among people for whom cinema spells unalloyed entertainment.
When the production house recently completed 50 years of its existence, names like Jeet, Judwaa and Mujh Se Shaadi Karoge came to the mind but a little research shows that the family has films like Dulhan, Taj Mahal, Chitralekha and Pathar Ke Sanam to its credit. Interestingly, Yash Chopra's failed directorial venture, Parampara, was also produced by the Nadiadwalas.
It was A. K. Nadiadwala, a construction magnate, who established the company under the name of Pushpa Pictures. "The first film was Inspector, starring Ashok Kumar and Geeta Bali," says Sajid Nadiadwala, the grandson who revived the company after a lull with three successful films in a row. "Our films have a universal appeal and are made for family entertainment. There has been violence in some films but we have never gone overboard. Also comedy has been a key ingredient in our films but here again we have never been crass. We are more like the Disney's in Hollywood."
Technical excellence
Of late, their films have been noticed for technical excellence, particularly Awara Pagal Deewana and Aan, which were produced by Sajid's brother Firoz.
"We believe that today, films have to be technically excellent. See, Lagaan, Gadar and recently Rang De Basanti, all are rooted in the Indian ethos but all are high on technical finesse." Now Sajid is experimenting with the double role concept that he successfully tried in Judwaa.
About working with relatively new directors like Shirish Kunder, Sajid says, "They come with fresh mindsets." Shirish is making his debut with Jaaneman. With three films ready to hit the screens, ask him about experimentation and Sajid says though people like Sanjay Gupta and Ram Gopal Varma have brought in new concepts, he would like to stick to family entertainers.
ANUJ KUMAR
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