Neeraj Pandey ‘surprised’ no film on Vikram and Betal: ‘Vikram Vedha is a fantastic script’

As a producer, he is backing remakes of two of South’s biggest blockbusters — Ishq and Vikram Vedha — but filmmaker Neeraj Pandey says as a director he can only do justice to his original stories.
Best known for directing critically-acclaimed and commercially successful films A Wednesday, Special 26, Ba and M S Dhoni: The Untold Story, the writer-director is producing Ishq remake Operation Romeo and Vikram Vedha via his Friday Filmworks banner.
Pandey said he finds it difficult to look at a story “objectively” and respects those who have the power to retell a subject in their own way.

“I am not into directing remakes. I am keener on writing stuff myself and thinking what the journey will be and going on that route. I am not comfortable as a maker but I have total respect for others who look at the material objectively.
“They are not writers themselves, so maybe they can see a potential of how to do another story in their voice. I have never sat down and analysed personally (why I can’t do remakes). Maybe I haven’t written the story so I am not able to see the point,” Pandey said.

Vikram Vedha, starring Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan in the lead, is the remake of 2017’s Tamil neo-noir crime thriller of the same name. Filmmakers Pushkar and Gayathri, who helmed the original, are directing the Hindi version as well.
Pandey said it was the script based on the mythology of Vikram and Betal that attracted him to the project.
“‘Vikram Vedha’ is a fantastic script, based on the mythology of Vikram and Betal. The film is a contemporary take. We were surprised how come a North Indian film has not taken it up. It is on floors and we are in the process of getting it completed in terms of shoot.”
The director added that in the case of Operation Romeo, which is the remake of the Malayalam film Ishq, he was hooked to the universal idea of moral policing.
Hrithik plays Vedha in the official Hindi remake of a Tamil film, Vikram Vedha. (Photo: Hrithik Roshan/Instagram)
“We have got instances happening in all parts of the country and we wonder how come no one has made a film on it.”
Directed Shashant Shah, Operation Romeo features actors Sidhant Gupta and Vedika Pinto.
Talking about the increasing popularity of South films in North India, Pandey said while movies of different languages are getting wider release now, the cultural exchange between the two entertainment industries has always been there.

The filmmaker cited the example of his own 2018 thriller  A Wednesday, which has been remade in Tamil and Telugu with Kamal Haasan and Mohanlal respectively. Popular actor Ben Kingsley acted in the English version.
As a producer, the 48-year-old filmmaker said he is completely involved with a project in the pre-production stage.
“My role is up to the time the director starts shooting and takes the film on floor, till then we are closely involved in whatever decision that we are taking, the scripting, the adaptation bit, the casting,” he said.

Backed Pandey and Shital Bhatia’s Friday Filmworks and Reliance Entertainment, Operation Romeo is set to release theatrically on April 22.
His next directorial venture is Chanakya and the project is currently in its early stages, said Pandey.
“I am excited and not nervous about it (Chanakya). It is a different genre for us, period drama. We don’t believe in playing safe. We hate to repeat ourselves in a particular space, unless there is a newer story to tell. I am looking forward to (making) it,” he said, adding that the team will soon announce other details.
Pandey also has season two of the Disney+ Hotstar series Special Ops with Kay Kay Menon. The upcoming season will be “bigger and better” and will come out sometime next year, the director added.