Vinod Bhanushali, under his production house Bhanushali Studios Limited, has bankrolled the upcoming film Janhit Mein Jaari. Starring Nushrratt Bharuccha, Anud Singh Dhaka, Vijay Raaz, Paritosh Tripathi and many others, the social dramedy is directed by Jai Basantu Singh. Janhit Mein Jaari, written by Raaj Shaandilyaa, will release on June 10.

Ahead of Janhit Mein Jaari's release, PeepingMoon.com spoke to Vinod about his idea behind backing the film. Talking to us, the veteran producer opened up about the challenges faced during the shoot of Janhit Mein Jaari amid the pandemic, refraining from releasing it on the OTT and the current box office trend. 

Excerpts from the interview:  

What prompted you to back Janhit Mein Jaari?

I loved the script of Janhit Mein Jaari. It has humour, content, drama and everything you need to entertain yourself. We were hearing many scripts for our production house and but as a team, we loved this idea. Films are the biggest influencers in our lives. Janhit Mein Jaari is an entertaining film meant and made for the big screen and once you come out of it, you will take home an important lesson. Sharam sharam karte karte hum 4 se 140 crore ban gaye. Jaha sharam karni chahiye vaha nahi karte, jaha nahi karni chahiye tab sharam karte hai. Everyone has done a great job. 

When filmmakers are fighting for release dates, Janhit Mein Jaari got a solo release…

We are lucky to get a solo release date after Samrat Prithviraj got preponed. After being in the industry for so many years, I can say that for every film, its release date is very important. If it is a good date, it will benefit the film. 

Did the thought of releasing Janhit Mein Jaari on OTT come to your mind? 

Initially, when theatres were allowing only 50% occupancy, we had thought about the OTT platform. But when things came back to normal and 100% occupancy was allowed, we decided to stick to the original plan of theatrical release. Even the success of The Kashmir Files gave us confidence. 

Janhit Mein Jaari is a franchise. Is the work on it starting immediately?

A film becomes a franchise only after its release and success. Janhit Mein Jaari's meaning is Issued In Public Interest, so we need to find a good topic to take the franchise forward. Now, everything depends on this film's success. 

Janhit Mein Jaari was shot right in the middle of the pandemic. As a producer, what were the challenges you faced? 

Everyone’s safety was the biggest concern. God was kind, we didn't face serious problems. Yes, we did go over budget because of the bio-bubble, precautions, damage caused by rains etc. but after watching the film, it was all justified. 

If you look at the current box-office trend, nobody can predict the fate of a film. According to you, is this because of a drastic shift in people’s choices?

In these two years of the pandemic, the content consumption pattern has changed. People are very comfortable watching OTT films and shows at home and are not willing to travel to a theatre. The percentage of theatre-going people is very less. If it is a huge or a very good film, they will come to watch it. 

You have a good taste in music too. Does music play an important role in making a film successful? 

It is very important. If songs are in sync with the story, people will enjoy them. 

Are you planning to explore the OTT space?

Yes, we are already working on it. Films which are meant for theatres will release in theatres only. OTT is a separate platform.