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Nagesh Kukunoor: ‘My biggest problem is that I don't always go for stars’ | Interview
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Nagesh Kukunoor reveals why he likes to keep real life politics away from his shows and next project for the big screen.
Filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor has been keeping busy lately, bringing thriller stories with a political twist alive on the OTT platforms. After exploring the web space for over seven years, the director is now looking to return to the world of films, but finding the money to make it is not always a smooth ride for him.
On exploring the OTT space
From the thrilling world of City of Dreams to complex stories of Modern Love Hyderabad, Nagesh has panned his camera for diverse stories. He did it again with his latest project, The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case, which was released on Sony LIV recently.
“I've been working on OTT shows for the past 6 or 7 years. I remember the level of excitement in the early years because it was a space I always wanted to be in. I always wanted to tell stories in the long format and explore characters over 4 hours as opposed to just 90 minutes,” Nagesh tells us.
He continues, “The space grew dramatically rapidly because all of the streaming platforms needed their libraries to be stacked. Now, there's clearly a slowdown period, and there's a lot of adjustment that's going on… It’s a format that has been very rewarding for me. Having said that, I think it's time to wade back into a film now.”
On his next film
If we talk about films, Nagesh is known for heart-touching projects such as Hyderabad Blues, Iqbal, Dor, Aashayein, and Dhanak. Do you have a script in mind for next?
“I always have scripts in mind. It just depends on which finally screams that it wants to be done and if I find the money for it,” adds the National Award-winning filmmaker.
During the conversation, he hints that getting that is not always easy, as he doesn’t work on projects with big stars.
“My biggest problem is that I don't always go for stars. This has been a problem since I've been in the business. Over the last 25 years, when it comes to finding a theatrical release, you still need a face to sell… If I played within the realm of getting stars, then it would be a different story… Most times, I pick new actors who are not very well known, so that's always the challenge of finding the balance. I'm still here after 27 years, so we'll see,” adds the director with conviction.
On staying away from politics
While his shows often touch on timely themes, he makes sure to steer clear of real-life politics. It is the case with his most recent release, The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case, as well. The political thriller, based on the bestselling book Ninety Days by investigative journalist Anirudhya Mitra, takes a dive into the aftermath of the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The series follows the real-life Special Investigation Team led by D.R. Kaarthikeyan, portrayed by Amit Sial. Nagesh says that the show might be based on a political event, but it is not at all political, as he puts it, “The material that's handled in the show itself is not political. It's a true crime thriller… The idea was never to wade into anything that's political.”
“I have done three seasons of a political show. I just create fiction. I don't borrow from real-life incidents. We do nothing. We just create fiction. So that's all the politics I want to do. I don't want to wade into real-life politics at all,” he ends.
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