« Back to article

Print this article

'Acid Factory is going to be one crazy ride'

The action man of Bollywood, Sanjay Gupta is back with another action flick.

The writer-director known for his dark thrillers and his friendship with Sanjay Dutt [whom he formed a production house White Feather Films with] returns as producer of Acid Factory, a stylish action flick directed by Suparn Verma and starring six cool hunks -- Danny Denzongpa, Dino Morea, Aftab Shivdasani, Manoj Bajpai, Irrfan Khan, Fardeen Khan -- and a sexy Dia Mirza.

So what to expect from this stylish flick? Nithya Ramani finds out.

Why Acid Factory?

Acid Factory started because of Hansal Mehta [director]. He introduced me to mad man Suparn Verma. I heard the script and our journey began from there. The cast of the film were also people I have worked with in the past. The best part was all of them came on board primarily on the merit of the script. Nobody agreed to do the film because of their relationship with me or the banner.

What do you think of Suparn Verma?

Many people ask me what do I look for when I sign on directors. Do I look at their past or their body of work.

For me the most important aspect is the passion the man has to make his movie. In Suparn's case it overflows. My job most of the time is to retain it. He is always ready to take off. That is a big boon for a producer.

'The first time I walked on the sets of Acid Factory, I was flabbergasted'

What can you tell us about the screenplay and story?

The best challenge was converting the story into an interesting and believable screenplay -- making it larger than life and still believable. This is what sets the film apart from other films. We are the same people who made Kaante, Musafir and Dus Kahaniyaan. With each film, we try and push the boundary a little further. With Acid Factory, we jumped over the boundary.

How was it like on the sets of Acid Factory?

Since there were many actors in one place, shooting for more than 40-45 days was critical. It was important that they were taken care off. We decided to shoot the film in Ramoji Film City.

The first time I walked on the sets of Acid Factory, I was flabbergasted. It felt like I was walking into a real factory. There were actual machinery, all sourced from different places and put together. It was a fantastic set.

How were the actors?

All of them have surprised me. Dia completely surprised me with her dedication. She got her own trainer and got about toning herself for the film. Even Fardeen had lost a lot of weight. Manoj is someone who completely re-invented himself. He even coached Dino in Hindi for three weeks till he got it right. When I saw his absolutely flawless performance, I was surprised. I guess this is also the USP of the film.

What took me by surprise was the camaraderie while shooting the scenes.

'Dia can pull off most roles easily'

Dia has starred in most of your films...

It is just that there is a sense of comfort with her. She can pull off most roles easily. She is a very sorted kid. Everybody in my company is comfortable working with her. She is very professional and that is what I look for in every actor.

We heard you threw a party for the cast...

Since I had taken all the actors to a place cut away from civilization, I thought it was important to provide them with the best environment and working atmosphere. If that meant a little party, light music then so be it. It's my way of thanking them for their hard work.

How was it working with action director Tinu Verma?

I believe that this is Tinu Verma's best work. But if you tell him this, he will ask you to watch Ghayal [laughs].

I am amazed by Tinu's strength and perseverance. He has done some extraordinary work in Acid Factory. He took the action sequences on paper to a completely different level.

'You can't see these actors singing and dancing to songs in a film like Acid Factory'

We heard that the actors have not lip sync to the songs in Acid Factory...

It's not a big risk. Though a very believable film, the scenario is very crazy. I don't think the film calls for these people to sing and dance in clubs. It was a very conscious decision not to have them lip sync the songs because it will affect the seriousness of these guys. You can't see these actors singing and dancing to songs in a film like Acid Factory.

Final cut...

Every time I do a film, I always watch only the final cut and walk out. This is the first time, I've seen this film about six times and every time, I've surprised myself. So I guess we are going to be out with a great film.

What can people expect from the film?

Go and watch this thriller. It is going to be one crazy ride. Just enjoy yourself.

'I'm directing Alibaug'

Your most memorable moments as a producer...

The first time I sat in front of Mr Amitabh Bachchan and narrated the script to him.

Also telling Mr G P Sippy that I wanted to direct a film when I was barely 21. For the line of work we are in, everyday comes with new interesting situations.

What are your future projects?

White Feather Art films will be releasing Pankh and The Great Indian Butterfly. Then there is a film I am directing called Alibaug.