Jaiswal spoke to in a interview.
Q) Tell us about your upcoming movie "Pranaam".
A) "Pranaam" is a story of love, ambition, sacrifice and revenge. It is the story of a son's struggles to fulfill his poor father's dream of seeing him become an IAS officer. When he does realise that dream, fate takes an ugly turn, turning the IAS officer into a gangster.
Q) You've been referring to "Pranaam" as a tribute to the classic era of Indian cinema. Why?
A) There was a charm in the films of yore. Though there was structure common to most films of that period, the experience was larger than life. Every actor/director in Bollywood today, was at some point inspired by that cinema. But cinema evolved by the time they came of age and to recreate that nostalgia people resorted to remixes and modern remakes of classics. "Pranaam" is a reckoning of how integral classical films are to the Indian culture. It is a throwback to that era a film with an original story set in today's day and age and made with the latest technology bundled with melodious music, but with categorically no remixes.
Q) Your last film "Shudra - The Rising" released in 2012. Why this long gap between that and "Pranaam"?
A) "Shudra - The Rising" was a controversial film but was well appreciated globally. The response to it was overwhelming. But there were also expectations that came along with it. Meanwhile, the whole film-making environment went through a massive churn with the advent of various digital mediums and the changing taste of the masses. We chose to make "Pranaam" as it is something the audiences have not seen in a long time. A story that not only connects with the masses, but also carries a beautiful message for them.
Q) Why did you choose Rajeev Khandelwal for the lead role?
A) As a director, I choose actors based on their work. Rajeev is a director's actor. I saw an intensity in his eyes, which convinced me that he was perfect for the role of my angry young man, Ajay Singh. I believe that Rajeev has a great potential to get better if he continues to play such characters.
Q) Why did you choose Lucknow to shoot your movie? Was it because of the subsidy that the state government provides for making films in Uttar Pradesh?
A) The script demanded the film be set in Lucknow. My last film was also set there. I hail from Lucknow, and perhaps it's the love of my city that keeps bringing me back to it. If I create some jobs along the way for the people of Uttar Pradesh and get to showcase its beauty, it's a matter of pride for me.
Besides, given the Uttar Pradesh government's help, it is easier to make films there than any other part of the country, even Mumbai for that matter. The bureaucratic environment in UP is conducive for filmmakers to thrive, hence more people are choosing to shoot there today.
Q) What are your plans for the future?
A) We are working on a thriller as a web series and a feature film, which is a love story. Both of these are slated to come out in mid-2020.
( With inputs from IANS )