Kajol: I Would Love For 'Maa' To Become a Film Franchise
The actress opens up about making the first "mytho-horror" film and collaborating with husband Ajay Devgn
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Kajol opened up about her upcoming mythological-horror film Maa, and her professional collaboration with husband Ajay Devgn.
She believes that the timing is right for a film like this, and that audiences are ready to feel something real. "Maa is the kind of film that will compel you to sit at the edge of your seat because it will make you feel, and make you stand up with her (the lead protagonist) to win her fight; that's one element we have truly achieved," Kajol adds.
Talking about the newly introduced mytho-horror genre tag that Maa carries, Kajol explains. “It’s the first time we’re doing this anywhere, and we’re so proud of the first-time tag to it.”
But Maa isn’t a typical female-led film, Kajol is quick to clarify, and that it’s not about a “female lead” at all. Instead, it’s about Maa: the creator, the giver, the fighter and the goddess.
While in conversation, Kajol also spoke about Ajay Devgn’s role in the film. As producer and director of parts of the climax, Devgn brought his sharp commercial instincts to the table. Maa continues the world that Shaitaan introduced, and Kajol admits that while Devgn has a more mass-appeal lens, their creative DNA ultimately balances out. “We are pretty much the same,” she says, adding that they would love for Maa to eventually become a franchise if it does well at the box-office.
There are moments when she felt a scene might be “too much,” but that’s when trust kicks in. Trust in the director, in each other, and in the larger picture. “Whether it is something that you as an actor agree with or not, he is seeing the pitch from a film level,” Kajol points out. Owing to the luxury of digital film, there’s always room to experiment. “Let me do one my way and one your way, and then you can choose on the editing table what works better for the film,” she says.
Watch the full interview with Kajol dropping later today on The Hollywood Reporter India's YouTube channel