I've had enough of brooding films: Sudhir Mishra

Mumbai, March 1 (IANS) Sudhir Mishra, the prolific director whose last work, "Khoya Khoya Chand", failed to find a sizeable audience, says he has had enough of dark films and wants to make fun films.

"Enough of these dark, brooding films for now. My films always reflect my mindset at any given time. And one doesn't have to be in an introspective, probing, serious mood all the time," Mishra told IANS.

"I think all my recent films 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi', 'Chameli', 'Khoya Khoya Chand' and now the ready-for-release 'Tera Kya Hoga Johnny' have been exercises in soul-searching. I need to loosen up, lighten the load of existence and have fun," he added.

He has already zeroed in on a soufflé subject.

"It's in the same genre as my first film 'Iss Raat Ki Subah Nahin'. But much lighter and certainly not set in the night like 'Iss Raat...' For now 'Tera Kya Hoga Johnny' will be my last dark film."

So what about "Devdas"?

"Well, first of all it isn't really 'Devdas'. Yes, the main characters are the same, but I've added new people to the plot like Mahesh Manjrekar's role as Paro's uncle. And the drama is set in a fiercely political scenario. So this is 'Devdas' as seen through the lens of a political parable. My writer Jaideep Sarkar has mixed 'Devdas' with 'Hamlet'."

The director has even plans to change the defeatist ending. In his "Devdas", the protagonist may not be a loser at all.

Along with Shiney Ahuja and Lara Dutta as Devdas and Paro, Mishra's old favourite Chitrangada Singh has been signed to play Chandramukhi.

"When I heard she was back, I was very happy and offered her Chandramukhi. She and Lara will make a striking study in contrasts, just like Suchitra Sen and Vyjanthimala in Bimal Roy's 'Devdas' and Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit in Sanjay Bhansali's remake. Both my producer Pritish Nandy and I agreed they were a great pair."

Meanwhile, he has turned co-producer with his latest "Tera Kya Hoga Johnny".

"My last release, 'Khoya Khoya Chand', suffered because the US release never happened on the scheduled Friday. The prints didn't reach on time. I need to get savvy about the marketing side of my films. I also need to get happy. That's why there is a light film in my schedule next."

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