By To weave cinematic magic, love is an essential ingredient, especially love for the people you collaborate with. Atlee, the director behind “Jawan,” staunchly believes in this principle and shared his thoughts in a recent interview with Film Companion. During the conversation, he also unveiled an alluring proposition he received from Hollywood professionals after the release of “Jawan.”
Atlee passionately expressed how love is the cornerstone of his life philosophy, stating, “Love is the driving force behind everything in this world. There’s no mathematical formula to my craft. My work is rooted in love. If I don’t have love for something, I can’t creatively bring it to life. So, I must fall in love. Just like I can’t simply marry a girl I like; I must truly fall in love with her. Similarly, when I’m making a film, it’s not just about the lead actor; I must fall in love with the producer too. Love propels the world, without it, everything turns mechanical.”
He further added, “Honesty is intertwined with love. I take my time with people, assessing whether we genuinely connect and if there’s a mutual affection and learning potential. If someone approaches me and says, ‘Sir, I love you, I admire your work, and I want to work with you,’ that’s all it takes; I’m on board. That’s my secret to choosing projects. However, if someone says, ‘I’ll pay you this much, here’s a blank check,’ I’ve turned down many such offers. You can’t buy my work, but you can earn my love, and I can reciprocate it. Without love, I can’t create anything.”
“Jawan” enlisted the talents of six action directors from various parts of the world, collaborating to create thrilling action sequences. Reflecting on how their work led to a Hollywood opportunity, Atlee explained, “We had professionals from Hollywood working on our film. The action director, Spiro Razatos, was part of our team. After a screening of ‘Jawan,’ Spiro mentioned that he had contributed to the action scenes. When Hollywood directors and technicians witnessed the scene where SRK is engulfed in flames, they inquired about the mastermind behind it. Spiro pointed at me and said, ‘It was the director’s vision, and he executed it.’ That’s when they reached out to me and said, ‘If you’re interested in Hollywood, let us know.’ It’s not just a local taste; it’s something superheroic with universal appeal. I initially thought this concept was unique to us, but it’s resonating on a global scale.”
“Jawan” has achieved remarkable success worldwide, amassing an astounding ₹957 crore as of Friday. Domestically, the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer garnered ₹546 crore, surpassing the lifetime earnings of another Shah Rukh Khan film, “Pathaan,” which collected ₹543 crore.
