There should be some desperation to make a film: Neeraj Pandey on 'Auron Mein...'

Mumbai: Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey says he always wanted to direct a love story, a wish he has fulfilled with Ajay Devgn and Tabu-starrer “Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha”.

Pandey has mostly directed thrillers such as "A Wednesday", "Special 26" and "Baby". He has also directed the biopic "Dhoni: The Untold Story".

“The first script that I ever wanted to make was a love story but it never got made. Life takes a certain direction. Like, there were two-three of my scripts which we started chasing but eventually, we couldn’t make them. ‘A Wednesday’ was the script that was made first. So, taking that arc took a long time,” Pandey, who has been in the industry for 16 years, told PTI in an interview.

"I believe there should be some desperation to make a film. For this one (film) it was the story itself,” he said.

"Auron Mein..." revolves around Krishna, played by Ajay Devgn and Vasudha, essayed by Tabu, a couple who separates when Krishna is jailed for murder. They cross paths after 20 years when he is released from prison. Actors Shantanu Maheshwari and Saiee Manjrekar play the younger Krishna and Vasudha, respectively.

"You make a film and hope that it lands at a sweet spot, somewhere in the calendar year. There is no sense of timing. When I came across this story, I felt this is something that can be made into an exciting film," the filmmaker said.

In a romantic film, music plays a key role, said Pandey, adding they had begun work on the music of "Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha", while they were working on the script two years ago.

"Songs are an integral part of the film; they move the narrative forward. So, the songs need to be composed before we go on floors. It’s not that you’ve made a film, then you think, ‘This is a hit song, buy that song and plug it in the film’. It doesn’t work that way,” he added.

The filmmaker has joined hands with his frequent collaborator, the Oscar-winning composer MM Kreem for the fifth time.

The 50-year-old Pandey admits being an admirer of Kreem’s work much before he shot to global recognition with “RRR”.

From their initial meeting for a film called “See You Bye” to their current collaboration on “Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha”, Pandey has an admiration for Kreem's music in Hindi films such as “Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin”, “Criminal”, and “Zakhm”.

"I was looking for a composer for ‘See You Bye’ and a friend of mine knew Kreem sahab, so he arranged the meeting between us,” he said, adding that the movie never got made but they eventually collaborated on the director's other projects.

Pandey said he admires how Devgn and Tabu surrender themselves to the story.

"Once they’ve figured out this is what they want to do, they submit themselves to the material and that’s always a good sign because then you are not worried about the frills around you, you are just focusing on the job. So, that’s always a great sign.” “Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha” is a Friday Filmworks production and is produced by Narendra Hirawat, Kumar Mangat Pathak, Sangeeta Ahir and Shital Bhatia. It is set to release on August 2.