Producing films was a bad experience: Jimmy Shergill

The Mohabbatein star tried his luck at producing films, but that didn’t turn out too well.

MUMBAI:

Bollywood actor Jimmy Shergill, who tried his hand at producing Punjabi films, says the experience wasn’t fruitful.

Jimmy  first produced Dharti in 2011; however, it failed at the box office. He then produced Rangeelay in 2013 in association with Eros International. The film was directed by Navaniat Singh, and featured Jimmy himself and Neha Dhupia in the lead roles. It marks Neha Dhupia’s debut in Punjabi cinema. The film opened to average opening in India and poor opening overseas and was a critical failure.

“I had a very bad experience producing films,” said Jimmy, adding that he strove for his level of perfection in his projects and this resulted in a financial debacle.

“Just to take films to my own level, I have paid from my own pocket. I took steps which were rash. If the makers told me this is required for the film, I used to say go ahead with it, but the money never came back,” added the actor.

He learnt his lesson the hard way. “Your personal work should be different from production work and it should survive on its own. That is something I failed in. I messed up as a producer,” he said.

He may not have succeeded as a producer, but he knows his craft as an actor. Be it Maachis or Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, Jimmy is known for giving his best in front of the camera and proving his mettle.

Meanwhile his Fugly is set to hit the screens June 13, and the actor, who took a break from work, said: “I am enjoying my phase as an actor. I was missing in action for a year and a half. I had a spine problem and I missed out on quite a lot, so I am hoping to cover from it now. This is the best phase for someone to be in the industry.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2014.

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