After a not-so-happy experience, choreographer-turned-director Remo D’Souza is back with another dance film titled Street Dancer 3D.
So far, the film seems like it would make audiences jump out of their seats and dance in the aisles. “That’s the idea,” laughs Remo, whose earlier dance-based films ABCD (Anybody Can Dance) in 2013 and ABCD 2 in 2015 were instant successes.
“We live in troubled times; everyone is worried and suffering. Why not make films that will give them a reason to smile for two hours?” Remo muses. The director is happy to be associated with the dance genre, as his attempt to move out of his comfort zone — Race 3 — was a disaster.
Nevertheless, Remo says he is as proud of Race 3 as his other films. “It wasn’t the disaster it was made out to be. It made money, maybe not the kind Salman Khan starrers are expected to. But I am so happy I got to work with Salman sir. There’re so many directors who want to work with him, but haven’t done so. Collaborating with him was a dream come true,” he smiles.
As far as allegations of a weak script goes, Remo defends himself: “See, my other directorial projects the stories are all written by me. But with Race 3, I went into someone else’s story. That made a difference to my treatment of the subject. I’m happy to be back directing my own script.”
Speaking of Salman, Katrina Kaif was to play the opposite Varun Dhawan in Street Dancer 3D. So what happened?
“Bharat happened,” comes Remo’s reply. “Priyanka Chopra quit Salman’s Bharat and he needed an immediate replacement, and so Katrina regrettably left our film. I was so looking forward to working with her for the first time. She was gracious enough to tell us we could go ahead with another actress. That’s how Shraddha (Kapoor) came into Street Dancer 3D.”
Remo is delighted with Varun and Shradha coming together again in his film. “I directed them in ABCD 2 four years ago. In the interim, they’ve grown so much as actors and dancers, it was like directing a different lead pair,” he shares, adding that the original plan was not based on having the two lead characters be from opposite sides of the border.
“Street Dancer 3D has acquired an unexpected relevance — It addresses cross-border issues, the problem of migration, etc. But please, Street Dancer 3D is not a political film at all. It’s just a happy, harmless fun, and dance film where Shradha happens to play a Pakistani.”
The film releases January 24 and will clash with Ashwini Iyer Tiwari’s Panga. However, Remo sees no competition. “They’re completely different films. I am sure Panga is a good film. Kangana Ranaut is such a fabulous actress. There is no competition between Street Dancer 3D and Panga. They are completely different films. Being a holiday weekend, I’m sure audiences would be happy to watch both films,” he concludes.
