Aksar 2 is a complete package: Ananth Mahadevan

Aksar 2 is a complete package: Ananth Mahadevan

Filmmaker Ananth Mahadevan on Aksar 2, how they had to create music at par with the first film and why he has stayed away from TV for so many years

Ten years after Aksar released, filmmaker Ananth Mahadevan is back with its sequel. But Aksar 2, releasing on October 6, is nothing like the first part, claims the actor-director. “It’s a fresh story, a suspense thriller which will keep people on the edge. It’s an entertaining film,” says Ananth, adding that it’s a kind of film that the audiences don’t get to see a lot.

Another thing that Ananth emphaises on is that they had to create great music because the film is known for its music. “So, all in all, Aksar 2 is a complete package,” he adds.

Produced by Narendra and Chirag Bajaj, the film stars Zareen Khan, Gautam Rode, Abhinav Shukla, cricketer Shreesanth and others. The filmmaker says that a lot of thought has gone into making the film. “The biggest task was to live up to the expectation of the brand. There’s no denying that the music of Aksar was a huge hit but the music taste of the audience has changed today. So we couldn’t keep a similar kind of track. We needed a brand new one. I am happy with the kind of music Mithoon has created,” he says.

Ask him why it took him 10 years to work on the sequel and Ananth says, “I got busy with several other things. I have directed seven films in between. Also, it didn’t occur to the producers to take the brand forward. When James Bond as a brand can continue for so many years, we thought why can’t we take the Aksar brand forward. When we found this story, we thought it was perfect,” says Ananth, known for directing films like Gour Hari Dastaan, The Xposé, Staying Alive, Mee Sindhutai Sapkal among others.

Over the years, Ananth has maintained the balance in his career as a director and actor. He calls himself fortunate to be able to manage both. “I also edit my own films. I started off as an actor and moved into direction,” he says.

The director has managed with directing commercial films like Aksar and a serious one like Gour Hari Dastaan. He says that his producer was flattered to know that he was the same person who had directed such diverse subjects. “Look at Steven Speilberg, he has directed such diverse subjects. I do not believe in restricting myself to a single kind of cinema when I can handle different genres of films. I enjoy working on all kinds of films because they are both exciting and challenging.”

Apart from this, Ananth has also made a comeback on television with  Sony SAB’s Aadat Se Majboor. The actor says that he plays the role of a boss of a publishing house. “It’s a classic sitcom, the kind of content we used to see during Doordarshan days,” he says.

Coming to acting, Ananth has stayed away from television for a long time and the reason, he says is because he doesn’t enjoy the content on television one gets today. “I have grown up watching shows by Sai Paranjpe, Basu Chatterjee, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, so I can’t connect with the content today. Since 2000, TV has gone to its lowest form.  I find watching television a complete wastage of time. In addition to that, the makers want to audition every actor before signing them. I am a veteran actor, I don’t believe in auditioning,” he says.

The filmmaker blames the lack of writers for the bad content on TV. “There’s nothing new. There are no directors and writers. Executives are just worried about their salaries and positions,” he says before signing off.

Enjoyed reading The Bridge Chronicle?
Your support motivates us to do better. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay updated with the latest stories.
You can also read on the go with our Android and iOS mobile app.

Related Stories

No stories found.
logo
The Bridge Chronicle
www.thebridgechronicle.com