I needed commitment of newcomers, says Vishal Bharadwaj

Filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj, who’s busy promoting his film Pataakha, which stars Dangal actress Sanya Malhotra, TV actress Radhika Madan, and comedian Sunil Grover in the lead roles, reveals that he much prefers working with character actors over working with superstars.

“I have worked with many superstars in the past. But new actors bring a different kind of energy to the sets,” he says, adding, “When I was discussing this with my dear friend Mani Ratnam, he said, ‘Working with newbies gives us a feeling of independence. It feels like we’ve been freed from some sort of slavery.’”

Going on to talk about his casting choices, Vishal says, “The kind of commitment that I needed for this film, I knew I could only get from newcomers. I was very clear about the kind of casting that the film needed.”

He also reveals that he was a bit hesitant about the chemistry that his two leading ladies would have. “There have been catfights on the sets of my previous directorial ventures, I won’t say between whom. But I was afraid that Sanya and Radhika would develop some jealousy. Thankfully, there was none of that,” he concludes.