PremiumExclusive! Joji director Dileesh Pothan on why he declined an offer from Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra
The Maheshinte Prathikaram filmmaker tells us that they had two rounds of discussions and he even began working on their script
Last Updated: 10.35 AM, Mar 16, 2022
Director Dileesh Pothan has had a huge role to play on why Malayalam cinema caught the attention of the pan-India audience in the past few years. So, it’s no wonder that the filmmaker, who had helmed Fahadh Faasil-starrer Maheshinte Prathikaram, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum and Joji, has had offers from all leading film industries in the country to helm movies as well as web series.
In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Dileesh talked about the offers t hat he has received over the past few years and why he wasn’t too keen in taking them up at this point in his career.
“There were offers to direct a Hindi film as well as movies and web series in both Tamil and Telugu,” the ace filmmaker and actor tells us. “But most of these were to remake our own movies, and as a director, it’s not a process that I would enjoy.”
Dileesh says that a big project that he did find interesting was one that had Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra attached to it. “We had two sittings too, where I worked with their script. But I couldn’t take it forward because I mostly enjoy telling a story set in an environment that I am familiar with. When I am busy doing that in Malayalam, I didn’t feel the need to venture out,” says the director.
He also explains that the current attention that Malayalam films have been receiving have also had a say in his decision. “Right now, when Malayalam cinema is being watched by people across the country, and I am able to tell stories that are closer to home. That’s why I am reluctant right now to go to an unfamiliar territory to work,” Dileesh says, adding that he could foray into other industries in the future.