Films shouldn’t be judged by box office numbers: Hirani

The director of ‘PK’ fame says films such as ‘Masaan’ are never forgotten

MUMBAI: Having delivered one of the biggest hits in Hindi cinema with PK, award-winning filmmaker Rakumar Hirani isn’t too bothered about box office numbers.

“A film shouldn’t be judged by the box office numbers anyway. Several films doing well at the box office are forgotten the next day. But this film will stay inside us for many years as a good film and that matters more than box office,” Hirani said at a special screening of Masaan.

Neeraj Ghaywan’s internationally acclaimed film Masaan has been appreciated by the celebrities at various screenings, and Hirani is completely moved by the film and its concept.

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“The film is extremely beautiful, well-written and well-directed. And all the actors have done a fine job. I actually didn’t know what I was going to watch but one thing I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed the film,” he said.

The film features Sanjay Mishra, Richa Chadda, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi, Saurabh Chadhary, Vineet Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi, Nikhil Sahni and Hirani feels that the performance of Vicky needs special attention.

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“It [acting] was the most beautiful thing I felt, especially Vicky Kaushal who is Shyam Kaushal’s son. The manner in which he has performed, you don’t feel that he is actually acting. His performance is extremely effortless. He is looking very mature and in no way does it look like his first film,” he said.

He also stated that films such as Masaan find their own way to the Oscars.

Masaan, which won two prestigious awards at the Cannes International Film Festival in May, will hit the Indian screens only on Friday. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th,  2015.

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