Working with new directors learning experience: Ritesh Sidhwani

Jun 5, 2012 IANS

New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) Ever since he has ventured into filmmaking, producer Ritesh Sidhwani has launched new directors like Reema Kagti and Abhinay Deo. He says working with fresh talent is a learning experience.

"Working with new talent is always beneficial as one gets to learn a lot from them," Sidhwani told IANS on the phone from Mumbai.

"They have an eye to learn new things. We give them complete freedom in whichever way they want to execute their idea. We give them a platform and just see what value they can add to the film. Right talent with good team always works," he added.

Sidhwani ventured into the movie business along with his friend Farhan Akhtar with the 2001 blockbuster "Dil Chahta Hai", starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna. It was also Farhan's directorial debut.

The film won him his first National Award. He won the second one for "Rock On!" which marked his friend Farhan's acting debut. His other hits include "Don - The Chase Begins" and "Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd".

Sidhwani's last hit "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" leads the nomination list of the soon-to-be-held International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Singapore Saturday.

Farhan and Sidhwani jointly run production company Excel Entertainment. They experimented with storylines and treatment, giving the Indian audience a platter away from typical masala potboilers, and exposed it to youthful and urban cinema.

"I would says it is just the sensibilities. Why wouldn't one not make a film look good? It is not intentional. It feels really nice to see how people are liking the kind of films I am making.

"It does raise the responsibility and this responsibility always keeps us on our toes and shows us that we are on the right track. We've always tried to make films with a different appeal. It has to be true to something that we believe in and something that excites us. Making something just for people without being convinced about it yourself turns out to be a disaster," Sidhwani added.