“Only nine percent Bollywood films are hit”

“In Bollywood, only nine percent of the all films are hit. The Indian economy is growing 8% annually but Bollywood film industry achieved 15% growth last year.” said film director Apoorva Lakhia in IIM Ahmedabad class room while taking a class of 86 post graduate students. Apoorva was visiting professor at IIM Ahmedabad for two days.

On Thursday evening, Apoorva’s film Mission Istambul was screened at IIMA. After screening he talked to the students. On Friday, in another session he took a lecture and discussed film business related issues with the management students. Students were focused on business dimension of Bollywood film industry.

“What is table profit?”, “Do you survey before making a film for it’s little more assured success?”, “What is a risk ratio in film making?” , “How film business is different in America and India?”, “How do you decide the budget of the film?”, “How piracy affect the film trade?” These were some questions asked to Lakhia by the students at IIM Ahmedabad.

“Usually journalists ask us questions related to stars and films but IIMA students were much focused on business part of the films industry. Students consider film director as CEO under whom 100 to 300 people work at a time when film is under production,” said Apoorva Lakhia while talking to DeshGujarat.

A Boy Amdavadi

Talking to DeshGujarat on his Ahmedabad connection, Apoorva says he was born in the city. At the age of eight he went to the boarding school outside Gujarat. At 17 he came back to Ahmedabad and stayed here for five years. Then he went abroad and later landed in to the Bollywood film industry as an assistant director to direct Oscar nominee film Lagaan.

Apoorva returns back to the city of Ahmedabad every year on Uttarayan to fly kites with friends and relatives. His house in Ahmedabad’s Jethabhaini Pol street is wooden Haveli type structure. Apoorva says “On Uttarayan(14th January ever year) we keep our house open for everyone and welcome 100 to 300 guests.” (Neighbors of Apoorva had spotted Dia Mirza during one of the Uttarayans at his house.)

Apoorva finds a new face of the city of Ahmedabad better and interesting. He says “Roads are wider, Sabarmati river is full of water, facilities, infrastructure and availability of products are matching to any other metro city. Ahmedabad just rocks.”

Ask more about his Ahmedabad connection and Apoorva says, “We used to enjoy Navratri because it was the only time when girls were allowed to go out in the night. Elisebridge gymkhana was my another home. Time that we friends spent at Silver Leaf Garden Caffe is unforgettable. On IIM Ahmedabad’s greenery we used to play cricket and there was only one Lari outside the campus where we could have some food even at 3:00 in the morning.”

On his mission failure

When asked about failure of two of his films Mumbai Se Aya Mera Dost and Mission Istambul, Apoorva says “Mumbai Se Aya Mera Dost was my first film so it’s failure didn’t matter much. Mission Istambul was Rs 30 crore film. Whe it was released there were bomb blasts and heavy rain that spoiled our week-end chances. Then media published negative reviews which prevented any more person to come to the cinema hall.”

“When media starts writing negative, it keeps doing so. My films Ek Ajnabee and Shootout At Lokhandwala were hit but it seems that media has decided to write everything about me in the backdrop of failure of my last film Mission Istambul. This happens with almost all the directors. Success and failure are parts of this industry. I keep my cool,” says Apoorva.

What next?

Talking about his forthcoming projects in pipeline, Apoorva said, “I am going to do one film for Tips while another one is financed by HMV. I am working on script part as of now. Things would be in final stage in June-July this year.”

Gujarat can attract film crews

When asked about film shooting in Gujarat, Apoorva said “Gujarat has some of the most wonderful locations for film shooting. Kutch’s Mandvi has amazing beach matching to Goa. However the government has not developed it at par with Goa. The government should relax some norms for shooting at Sasangir forest. It should create infrastructure. Gujarati film directors Abbas Mastan, Sanjay Gadhvi etc. would like to shoot in Gujarat but the government should take more interest in this. Gujarat is not just Dandiya and Kite flying. This untapped land is yet to be show cased to the world. Tourism activities always increase through the films. We were first to shoot Ek Ajnabee in Bangkok. In Istambul we were given VAT refund, hotel and airline concessions and plenty of other benefits. I am planing to go to South Korea in search of locations suitable for shooting in near future. The government of Gujarat should form a committee to attract more film shootings in the state to promote it’s various tourism sites.

Abhishek Bachchan in Ahmedabad?

Wedding of Apoorva’s brother will be held in Ahmedabad next month. So Apoorva will be in the city from February 9th to 17th. Will his very close friend Abhsihek Bachchan attend this function along with wife Aishwarya Bachchan? Apoorva says “Last time when Abhishek came to my haveli house in Jethabhai ni Pol, the crowd was uncontrollable. Abhishek would like to come but then there are security issues involved.”