Raaz revived the horror genre back in 2002. How much has the horror element evolved in Raaz Reboot?
The Raaz franchise has been one of the most successful franchises and Raaz Reboot is by far the best of all the four films. It has world class sensibility, hit music and great performances. Gaurav Arora, who made his debut in Love Games, has given a spectacular performance, Emraan (Hashmi) is in a never-seen-before avatar. Kriti Kharbanda is a fine discovery.
How would you place the Indian horror genre in the international sphere?
Raaz makes a very brave attempt to match up to a world-class film. I would say if Conjuring can work in the world scenario then Raaz is no less. The horror quotient and the overall directing are very organic and superior.
Today, the audience wants a fulfilling cinematic experience.
Have you ever thought about making a remake of Junoon (1992), the film in which Rahul Roy morphed from a man to a tiger?
Yeah, but you know how it is. Since the original didn’t work, there’s fear.
How would you rate the performance of Kriti Kharabanda?
She is one of the finest female actors. She is from a traditional background and has worked in Kannada movies. There’s a scene in which she gets possessed and has to repeat the F word seven times in an ascending arch. Initially, she was horrified; her middle class upbringing came in the way. It was an amazing sequence that reminded me of what we experienced in The Exorcist. But then we had a problem with the censor board; they couldn’t understand it.
What do you have to say about the evolution of Indian cinema today?
Pan Indian cinema seems a little difficult — but we can make successful films in the niche market. We have a Marathi film which has become a big hit and done `100 crores business. The regional cinema is asserting itself. Because of globalisation, people want to get closer to their roots. Hindi cinema is not the only Indian cinema. Indian cinema encompasses Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil and Bengali cinema too — and that feels good.