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For a film titled Happy Bhaag Jayegi, it’s ironic that director Mudassar Aziz found joy returning to his life after he came on board to direct his comeback feature. Produced by Aanand L Rai, the film marked Mudassar’s return to direction after the 2010 disaster Dulha Mil Gaya. But the journey to the 2016 film, starring Diana Penty and Abhay Deol in the lead roles, wasn’t easy.
In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, the filmmaker opened up about his difficult phase and said he was “hanging by a thread” before Happy Bhaag Jayegi. “The day I had a meeting with Aanand L Rai, I received an electricity bill for Rs 2,400. My account had only Rs 1,300. My mother had no idea–she learnt about my state later– so I quickly put the bill in my laptop bag and left for the meeting. He hates me saying this because he wouldn’t like this going public, but when I met him, I was praying the meeting works out because the bill had a due date.”
Mudassar said Aanand heard the story in 20 minutes and decided to back the film. But Mudassar was cautious, because he’d heard the same assurances before. “I left the office elated, but thought, ‘If God is kind today, let me not hesitate’. So, I went back in and knocked on his door, asking, ‘Rai saab are you really making this film?’ He said yes. I told that I have bills to pay, and that I cannot wait for the contracts to be made. That man saw something on my face and asked his CFO to give me a cheque of Rs 5 lakh, which was handed over to me immediately.”
Mudassar Aziz said that he had a wishlist in mind for the cast, but when he took the list to Aanand L Rai, he was told that he should instead focus on his characters and remember that “you are the star.”
Even for the cast, Mudassar Aziz said the actors who came on board weren’t market friendly. “Abhay had been out of work for two and a half years; Diana Penty, who didn’t have a release for three years, and the director (me), who had a release five years ago! Isse bekaar proposal paper pe nahi ho sakta. Industry follows this norm, that a film will be made on x amount, sold at y and earn z. But Happy Bhaag Jayegi is an example of defeating every norm and become a hit. People had told Anand L Rai, ‘tum paagal ho gaye ho.’ But the atmosphere was that we would give it overall. When you have nothing to lose, it is a great situation.”
Mudassar Aziz’s latest film, Khel Khel Mein, is currently playing in cinemas. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Fardeen Khan, and Vaani Kapoor, among others.
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