Ali Zafar couldnt be happier. His production "Teefa In Trouble" has been received positively, and he says its success means a lot as he wanted to back a movie which could change the course of Pakistan's cinematic history.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q. The film opened to a terrific response. Was that a relief for you after all the stress that you have gone through recently?
A. With faith, every unnecessary stress or negative emotion withers away. I was always happy, aware and grateful then. I am happier, more grateful and even more humbled now.
Q. Was there a niggling doubt that the controversies may cast a shadow on your film?
A. No never.
Q. "Teefa In Trouble" is your first acting assignment since "Dear Zindagi". Why such a long gap?
A. I like to take my time with the thinking process. This was a passion project where every department was pursued for perfection even under various constraints. Rushing into things can easily give birth to a half-cooked and mediocre result.
Q. How did you get Ranveer Singh to make that tongue-in-cheek appearance in "Teefa..."? Have you kept in touch with Ranveer since "Kill Dil"?
A. Ranveer is just a sweetheart. I asked him for it, he agreed. That is why he is Ranveer Singh.
Q. What prompted you to turn producer? And are you game for regular productions?
A. The kind of film that me and the director Ahsan Rahim, who is a very dear old friend, wanted to make required a lot more than just being a producer. It required a big budget, a vision, confidence, sheer hard work and faith and on top of that we wanted to do and achieve things our way, without any intrusion. All this was only possible if I took the task of producing it.
Q. Did you think "Teefa In Trouble" would be such a success?
A. It was a dream to be able to produce my first film that would change the course of Pakistani cinema history.
Q. "Teefa..." is a situational comedy with lots of noise and bustle, glamour and gloss. Is this one of Pakistan's more costly productions?
A. Yes, I believe it is the costliest film ever made here. It's an entertainment package with a new style of action, comedy, romance, thrill and much more.
Q. Tell us about your music career. How are you moving forward with your musical aspirations?
A. Well, I would continue to follow music as that's my first love. I wrote and composed for the film also so music always remains a part of me and my projects.
Q. What are your future plans? What can we expect from Ali Zafar in the coming months and years?
More movies, more music and some more prose and poetry.
Q. And finally, when do we see you again in India?
A. You tell me.
