'12th Fail' director Vidhu Vinod Chopra says his main goal is to make a difference to people's lives through cinema
Chopra as he returns to the big screen after three years with '12th Fail', a story of ambition, dedication and overcoming setbacks. The ace director, known for films such as 'Khamosh', 'Parinda', '1942: A Love Story' and 'Mission Kashmir', said money has never dictated his creative decisions.
«My job as an artist or a filmmaker is to make the world slightly better than what it was when I came.
So, if I can make a film that can make a slight difference to people's lives, it inspires me.
»Money has never driven me. I could have made 'Munnabhai' 3, 4, 5, 6… and be a multi-millionaire, which I'm not.
I chose to make '12th Fail', with Vikrant Massey," Chopra told PTI in an interview here.
Not only his directorial efforts, the 71-year-old said he makes sure even his production ventures, which include acclaimed titles such as 'Munna Bhai' franchise, '3 Idiots' and 'Parineeta', have something important to convey.
«In 'Parinda', I talked about violence.
'1942' was about patriotism and 'Mission Kashmir' was about religious divide… In all my films, it is important that they say something,» he added.
'12th Fail' is based on Anurag Pathak's best-selling novel about the incredible journey of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and IRS officer Shraddha Joshi. The movie stars Massey in the lead along with Medha Shankar.
Though inspired by Sharma's life, Chopra said '12th Fail' is a story of «each one of us» coming to big cities with aspirations and dreams.
«I started writing this film when I was 66 and now I'm 71. You can't write a film like this in months.
It takes years because every character has a story. It's not a biopic. It's each one of us… There is a lot of me and you in the film.»
Integral to the movie's storyline is the
