The chill of Elaan 2013

ALL GEARED UP FOR "ELAAN": Arjun Rampal, Vikram Bhatt, Amisha Patel, Mithun Chakraborty, John Abraham, Rahul Khanna and Ratan Jain in New Delhi. Photo: Rajeev Bhatt.

IT WAS in the chill of Europe, where the temperature would go down to minus 25 degrees Celsius, where the mind would stop working and movements get restricted, bikes wouldn't run for the roads were blocked with ice, where the spot boys had few woollens to save themselves from the wrath of the freezing weather and every alternate day some crew member fell sick and was hospitalised, that the shooting of Elaan was executed. This Herculean effort and the storyline, based on gangsters, who no longer operate from their own countries but abroad, are the two points on which Vikram Bhatt, the director of the Elaan is pinning his hopes for the success of the film.

"We have put in insurmountable efforts to complete the film. It was an uphill task in the face of rough weather. Moreover, I took great care that there was no show of blood and gore in a film having a villain as its core interest. These two things must make my film a success," assumes Vikram Bhatt, in New Delhi to promote the film.

Bhatt credits himself with initiating a trend that goes beyond the types of villains defined previously by Bollywood: "There were times when villains like Gabbar Singh, then Shakaal, and then street kings as in Satya were prominent in films. Now it's time for criminals who don't live in their own countries but operate from abroad. I have focussed on this era," he declares.

"Irreplaceable"

And the reason for taking Mithun as the core interest in the film is, "He is irreplaceable."

"When I was a struggler he worked in my film. Till date he has no arrogance, no star tantrums. I have changed a lot from my struggle days but he hasn't," says an overwhelmed Vikram.

Jurm, with Bobby Deol, and Rooh, a "supernatural thriller", are his next films. He is sure that despite most supernatural thrillers bombing at the box office, the audience will come to see his film.

"Our audience is very forgiving. They will come to see my next film also, even if they haven't found me successful earlier," he declares.