Abhishek Pathak: ‘It Can’t Be A Guy Killing Everyone…’

‘Something has to be new for the audience every time. It has to be a new experience while the emotions remain the same.’

IMAGE: Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav in Drishyam 3.

For Abhishek Pathak, directing Drishyam The Conclusion is not just about continuing a successful franchise. It is also about proving that a remake can have its own identity.

After Drishyam 2, Pathak decided he would not make a scene-by-scene version of the Malayalam original. Instead, he wanted to create his own interpretation of the story, keeping the Hindi-speaking audience in mind.

As he prepares to bring his version of Drishyam 3 to audiences on October 2, Abhishek speaks about the responsibility of handling such a popular franchise, working with Ajay Devgn and Jaideep Ahlawat, and why he believes today’s audience will not accept anything ordinary.

“The beauty of working with Ajay sir is that if he trusts you completely, he doesn’t really get into any creatives. There is complete faith,” Abhishek Pathak tells Subhash K Jha.

Does it feel like a sense of responsibility to direct a franchise as distinguished as this one?

Obviously, it is a big responsibility. It’s one of the biggest we have in terms of the love of the audience for the film.

To achieve the same thing, keep up to the same benchmark, is a leap.

I hope people like what we’ve done with this one.

‘We didn’t want to do a faithful remake’

IMAGE: Ajay Devgn in Drishyam 3.

The biggest USP in Drishyam 3 would be the fact that it’s a departure from Drishyam 3 in Malayalam.

Correct. We didn’t want to do a faithful remake. We wanted to do our own version of Drishyam 3.

Drishyam 2 just came my way, as we were producing this film, and my father (producer Kumar Mangat) said, why don’t you direct it? So I did.

I really worked hard on that film. I took about a year-and-a-half just to get the writing in place before the shoot.

When the film is a remake, the director’s craft is ignored and suddenly it gets stamped as a remake.

There are several films like Departed, Infernal Affairs, Vanilla Sky, so many remakes… people respect them because they are great films by distinguished directors.

But in India, the critics look at remakes in a different way. I don’t agree that a remake should be made faithfully. Even when a remake is done in a certain way, it has to be appreciated for its innovations.

‘We would love to show Mohanlal our version of Drishyam 3‘

IMAGE: Mohanlal and Abhishek Pathak. Photograph: Kind courtesy Abhishek Pathak/Instagram

The key is to reconstruct the remake and to add something to the original.

Absolutely. I decided to write my own screenplay.

You have been in the production business with your father for many years, so you would know that there was a time when there were proposals instead of films. Like, sign six stars and then we’ll see the story.

I’ve heard of it. Like, there was a time where people would set up the film and the writing would happen later.

There would be a project on an idea, that we’ll make something like this. But that time has passed due to the exposure of global cinema.

I think audiences have opened up to so much global content, they understand what’s happening in world cinema. The old kind of cinema has become outdated.

I was speaking to Mohanlalji — he’s in Georgia now — and he expressed a keen desire to watch Drishyam 3 when he comes back.

He’s a very amazing guy! He has so much humility. We would love to show him our version of Drishyam 3.

‘Jaideep Ahlawat has not replaced Akshaye Khanna’

IMAGE: Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Pathak. Photograph: Kind courtesy Abhishek Pathak/Instagram

Was it intimidating to direct Ajay Devgn?

Not really. I’ve been around (him) since childhood. My dad has been producing films and I eventually took over to become more aware of how the system is functioning.

Ajay sir was a part of the Drishyam franchise before me — I didn’t direct the first Drishyam — so there was a little nervousness, obviously.

I assisted on one of his films where he was acting. I remember I showed him a short film that I had made, and he had loved it.

The beauty of working with Ajay sir is that if he trusts you completely, he doesn’t really get into any creatives. There is complete faith.

The new addition to the Drishyam franchise is Jaideep Ahlawat. What was he like as an actor? Is it true he’s replaced Akshaye Khanna, who walked out of the film?

No, no, no. He has not replaced Akshaye Khanna. Jaideep Ahlawat is playing a new character, and he has done a fabulous job.

‘Something has to be new for audience every time’

IMAGE: Abhishek Pathak and Kapil Sharma along with Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav on The Kapil Sharma Show. Photograph: Kind courtesy Abhishek Pathak/Instagram

So now the Drishyam franchise is over?

Yes, the story has been told. But I don’t think I’m done with the the genre; thriller is my favourite genre.

I don’t know what I’m doing next because in the last two-three years, I have not even thinking of anything other than Drishyam. So, I’ll take a break now and do some research.

It’s becoming very difficult to predict what people would like. Does that scare you?

It makes me cautious. Something has to be new for the audience every time. It has to be a new experience while the emotions remain the same.

If you’re giving a comedy, you just can’t give poor jokes and expect people to come to theatres. You have to write something interesting and new.

If it’s a thriller or action film, you have to build on the genre. It can’t be just a guy walking with a knife and killing everyone. Or a cluster of stars standing around not knowing what to do.

The audience is watching a lot of content now. They are very aware. They are sure about what they want to see, so we can’t take them for granted.

Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff