Actor Anil Kapoor opened up about how the film business has changed in the post-pandemic world, and cited Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail and the Western drama Thar, starring himself and his son Harsh, as examples of why budgets should be kept in check. A film’s budget, the veteran actor said, is the most important aspect of filmmaking, alongside the script.
Anil Kapoor attended the India Digital Summit, where he was asked about the lines that have been drawn between theatrical content and streaming content. He said, “There were times when everybody was available, today nobody is available. No HODs available, no actors available, everybody’s busy. It’s a great time, because everybody has a lot of work,” he said.
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Citing the example of Thar, which was released on Netflix in 2022, Anil said, “We made Thar, but we made it as if it’s the best thing that we could ever do. We used every resource at our disposal and we were fortunate that we had the opportunity to make this film. Obviously, we made it very bravely because we didn’t have the theatrical pressure. We made what we believed in, and we did it very honestly. We saved money for the OTT platform. The OTT platform was surprised. Maine bola, ‘Kharcha nahi toh kya karega, lelo wapas (We didn’t spend it, take it back).” He said that he’s experienced success with films that he hasn’t worked particularly hard on, and that can be ‘dangerous’.
Highlighting the importance of keeping budgets in check, the actor said, “There are theatrical films; the big, event films. And then there are the small films. For example, if you can afford to make the story without giving stress to yourself, and you have that kind of money to make a small film… Like Vidhu Vinod Chopra did it because he could afford it. He could take that chance, he had that kind of money. He wasn’t trying to play with someone else’s money, he was playing with his own money. You should know where you stand, you can’t start experimenting and exploiting someone else’s money… These are the things that you have to keep in mind; the story, the script, and the budget.”
Starring Vikrant Massey, 12th Fail emerged as a word-of-mouth hit, grossing over Rs 60 crore worldwide despite having a limited release. The film continued playing in theatres even after its streaming release, and earned positive reviews for Massey’s performance and its uplifting message.
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