It is the “best time” to make a pan-India movie, believes director Puri Jagannadh, who says his latest release “Liger”, about the rise of an underdog, is a universal story.
Headlined by Vijay Deverakonda, the Telugu-Hindi sports drama released in theatres in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam on Thursday.
Jagannadh said he had reached out to Deverakonda, star of Telugu films such as “Arjun Reddy” and “Geetha Govindam”, back in 2019 with the script of “Liger”.
Backed by his banner Puri Connects and Dharma Productions, the movie was to be mounted on a pan-India level, which was a first for both the director and actor.
“I am glad ‘Liger’ happened. This is the best time to be here, there is so much cultural exchange happening. Today any good story clicks with the audience. Our film is not just a regional story.
“It is a universal story about the rise of an underdog. This can be watched in any language. That’s when we thought of making it as a pan-India movie with Vijay,” the filmmaker told PTI in an interview here.
Jagannadh, who made his Bollywood debut with the 2004 film “Shart: The Challenge”, said he now wants to reunite with his idol Amitabh Bachchan. He had collaborated with the veteran actor on the 2011 movie “Bbuddah… Hoga Terra Baap”.
The 55-year-old director said he was looking forward to directing a Hindi-language movie for quite some time but his commitments in the south kept him away.
“I wanted to come here and direct a movie long back. After ‘Bbuddah… Hoga Terra Baap’ I signed a movie with Mahesh Babu, NTR Jr and others, and I got stuck there. I was waiting to come here but I had prior commitments in Telugu cinema.
“Now, I want to direct a film here and work with my favourite actor Amitabh Bachchan, he is my childhood hero and then (with) all the Khans,” he added.
Jagannadh revealed he was in discussions for an action film with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan a few years ago. Khan had starred in Prabhudheva’s 2008 movie “Wanted”, the Hindi remake of his 2006 Telugu film “Pokiri”.
“I met Salman long back, maybe seven to eight years ago. He had called me at his house and I had spent the whole night at his place. He had told me, ‘Come up with a good script and we will catch up’. There are ideas in action space, let’s see.” In “Liger”, Deverakonda plays a kickboxer with a stutter, and the filmmaker said his decade-old idea to present the leading man with a speech disorder provided the framework for the movie’s plot.
“I usually create strong and massy characters but I have never created a hero with a disability. When I got this idea 10 years ago, I thought of many disabilities like showing the hero as a blind person or a man with one broken leg but then the thought of exploring stammering came up. We all felt it would be great fun to do it with the backdrop of action.” Jagannadh praised the actor for acing the fight sequences, for which he trained under stunt master Kecha for a month in Thailand, as well as the stammer.
“I was not worried about the fight sequences. Vijay did it all really well including the stammering part. When you show deformity of any kind, we were sure we would not like to show the character in a sympathetic way. The character is strong and powerful,” he said.
The director further revealed that Janhvi Kapoor was the first choice for “Liger” but she was unable to come on board due to scheduling conflicts. Later, Ananya Panday was roped in to play the female lead.
“I am a big fan of Sridevi and that’s why I wanted to do this (film) with Jahnvi but things didn’t work out due to date issues. I will work with her someday,” he added.
Getting boxing legend Mike Tyson to star in an extended cameo in “Liger” was a key challenge, according to the director.
After exchanging emails with his team for about a year in 2019, Jagannadh said he still wasn’t sure if the American boxer would arrive on the sets till he came for the shoot in Las Vegas.
“I am a big fan of Mike Tyson. It was a big process to get him. He plays a character in the film. What we see of him on screen is different, he is like a child and easy to work with, unlike his towering personality,” he said.
“Liger” also stars Ramya Krishna, Ronit Roy, and Vishu Reddy. The film is produced by Jagannadh and Charmme Kaur, along with Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta.
(PTI)
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.