'Aashiq released on inauspicious day'

Producer of Aashiq, Anil Sharma started his courtship with Bollywood a few years back, after he was inspired by his brother-in-law Indra Kumar, acclaimed director of Beta.

He produced his first film Suhag, followed by Hogi Pyaar Ki Jeet, both of which celebrated silver jubilee and earned him accolades along with pots of money.

But his latest film Aashiq bombed at the box office in spite of a foolproof entertainment formula and an ace director like Indra Kumar.

The unassuming man in his thirties reflects on the reasons as he talks to Darshana Dube, in his plush office at Andheri.

What do you think went wrong with your last film Aashiq?

Aashiq was released on the inauspicious day, when the first tremors of the earthquake shook the country up affecting the box office collection for the movie, as people stayed away from the theatres all over the country.

We also got the reports of people canceling the tickets who had done block-bookings for families due to the fear of getting trapped inside the theatres.

But it did not pick up even during the peaceful times, in spite of it's good reviews about performance, comedy, drama and expert direction. What do you think was missing?

It is rather difficult to say as people who have watched the movie have liked it and reviews have been quite merciful. But the box office collections tell a different tale.

I think the first and the second half of the movie, both of which are good, didn't gel well with each other, making the audience lose the thread of the story.

Isn't it time filmmakers paid utmost importance to the script, as the masses can no longer be wooed only by masala?

Yes, but unfortunately there are very few good scriptwriters in the industry who can deliver the quality goods.

How was it working with Indra Kumar?

I am delighted to have worked with Indra Kumar.

He is a dedicated director who makes a lot of effort to get the best out of everyone in the unit. He is the only director today who does one movie at a time. In fact, he even postponed the shooting schedules of his forthcoming movie due to Aashiq. He is an extraordinary human being, which reflects in his work, too.

Is there any solution for the presence of the underworld that has threatened most of the producers in the industry today?

Yes, the extension of institutional finance to the film industry that has been introduced recently should help reduce the problem considerably.

Why do you keep such a low profile in the industry?

I am not comfortable with parties and the typical film culture. I am a private person. I prefer to remain focused on making good movies.

Which is your favourite outdoor location?

I love France for the obvious reasons - the French girls! Hey, I am just kidding!

What would you hope for the most?

I hope there are no more earthquakes.

Future projects?

My next project is a film directed by K Murlimohan Rao.