Have to make ` 3,000 crore film next, says ‘Jawan’ director Atlee

Mumbai, Oct 6: “Jawan” filmmaker Atlee on Thursday said he next aims to direct a film that earns Rs 3,000 crore at the box office as he wants to cast superstars Vijay and Shah Rukh Khan together.
The director made his Hindi cinema debut with “Jawan”, which also marked his first collaboration with Shah Rukh. He has worked with Vijay in Tamil hits such as “Theri”, “Mersal” and “Bigil”.
On the second day of the India Today Conclave here, Atlee was asked to choose between Shah Rukh and Vijay.
“I would pick both of them,” he said in his response.
Asked if he had enough budget to afford both the stars, the filmmaker said he plans to make a film that does a business of Rs 3,000 crore to be able to do so. Released on September 7, “Jawan” has emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2023 till date with over Rs 1,000 crore in reported earnings.
“I have to do Rs 3000 crore (for the) next film, so definitely, it (casting Shah Rukh and Vijay together) should be easy enough. I would like to pick both of them. “One is like a wife, one is like a mother. I can’t leave either. I have to live with both,” Atlee said during the session titled ‘Mass appeal: Recipe for scripting a blockbuster’. While the filmmaker credited Vijay for helping him cement his position in the film industry, he expressed gratitude towards Shah Rukh for trusting him blindly with “Jawan”.
“He (Vijay) has given me back-to-back films. Of course, I’ve delivered hits to him, but he really trusted me. From there, a man who came with utmost trust… There are so many directors around the country. “Anybody would have said yes if Mr Shah Rukh Khan called them to do a film. But he trusted me blindly. I don’t know why he selected me. But that trust has made me do ‘Jawan’ with utmost responsibility and love,” Atlee said. (PTI)