Gautham Menon reveals aversion to Bollywood: 'To ensure Saif Ali Khan arrived on time to sets...'

Filmmaker Gautham Menon is known for his straightforward approach, never shying away from expressing his honest thoughts, even if it means stirring controversy in the film industry. In a recent interview, Gautham discussed an alleged aversion he has developed towards working in the Hindi film industry.

It's no secret that Bollywood and the South Indian film industry differ significantly in their working styles. The prevalent belief is that the cast and crew in the South are more punctual than their Bollywood counterparts.

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Gautham Menon's Bollywood experience

"After Minnale, I offered Madhavan to do Kaakha Kaakha. However, he persuaded me to direct the Minnale remake in Hindi (Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein). He set up the entire project along with producer Vashu Bhagnani, and it completely went out of my control," he revealed.

He further disclosed that the movie was shot in Durban, South Africa, to ensure the artists arrived on time. "Saif Ali Khan was playing Abbas's character. To ensure Saif arrived on time, we had to maintain control. They recreated Bombay in Durban for this purpose. I didn't understand how these things were possible. It was a very challenging shoot for me," he said.

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"Vashu Bhagnani himself shot about six songs separately, which never made it to the final cut. He wanted more songs as he believed the audio market for them was huge. Despite Harris Jayaraj composing six songs, he had scored six songs with another composer. I strongly opposed this approach and eventually distanced myself from the project. That's why when they offered me Kaakha Kaakha in Hindi, I declined out of fear. I knew I wouldn't have much control over production. It was a great opportunity, with a big producer and John Abraham as the hero," Gautham recalled.

In 2012, Gautham returned to Bollywood to helm the Hindi remake of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa. Titled Ekk Deewana Tha, the film was a critical and commercial disaster, further souring Gautham's Bollywood experience.