Siddharth P Malhotra who is basking in praise for his recently released Maharaj also has We Are Family and Hichki to his credits. The 2018 released movie Hichki was a milestone in Rani Mukerji’s career who essayed the role of a school teacher suffering from Tourette syndrome. In an exclusive interview with PeepingMoon, the director Siddharth P Malhotra addressed the challenges he faced in pitching his story. Several producers rejected his narrative considering it nonsense claiming it may not work.

Hichki happened when Aditya Chopra from Yash Raj Films believed in Malhotra’s vision. He trusted the storyline and eventually, it worked at the box office. However, the story that is centered around a female teacher was originally written for a male character. This was one significant change made and the movie resulted in a hit. He revealed that before YRF nobody understood what he was trying to convey through the movie.

In conversation with PeepingMoon, Siddharth P Malhotra said, “No body was letting me make a film like Hichki because sabko laga ye ek pagal teacher ki kahani hai. Nobody understood Tourette syndrome ek pagalpan nahi hai. Nobody understood what I was trying to say through the film. Aditya Chopra was the only one jisne bola jis tarah tune ye film narrate kiya tu bohot acchi movie banayega, tu ye film bana. So had it not been the same Aditya Chopra who approved of Maharaj I would not have made it.” 

The director further mentioned that after being approved the film was shot quickly within a month. He said, “We finished Hichki in 28-30 days full shooting. Maharaj was completed in 50 days and that’s why I am a producers director.”

Hichki headlined by Rani Mukerji is based on the American motivational speaker Brad Cohen's autobiography Front of the Class. The film marked Rani’s comeback playing an aspiring teacher suffering from Tourette syndrome. The movie made at a budget of Rs 20 crore made a collection of Rs 215 at the box office