Lootcase director Rajesh Krishnan shares how the film took inspiration from real life. (Photo: Kunal Kemmu/Instagram)
Rajesh Krishnan is excited about the release of his directorial debut – Lootcase. Krishnan has been a popular name in the ad world and even helmed hit web series TVF Tripling. His film Lootcase has an ensemble starcast of Kunal Kemmu, Gajraj Rao, Vijay Raaz, Rasika Dugal and Ranvir Shorey.
The plot of Lootcase revolves around a middle-aged family man who comes across a suitcase full of money. The film is set to premiere on Disney Plus Hotstar on July 31. In an exclusive interview with indianexpress.com, director Rajesh Krishnan talks about how he got the story idea, its digital release and more.
Here are excerpts from the conversation:
Q. How is directing a film different from working on a web series?
I have been associated with ad films and then got to shoot these long formats. I believe the skills are the same. The shift was quite seamless. On any film set, nothing goes as planned, if it does it’s a rarity. Only the nature of the graph differs when it comes to a feature film and the skills just need to be converted in the required manner. Also, it is very important to have a perspective and a unique style to stand out.
Q. How was it working with such a varied cast in Lootcase?
I was so glad that these actors came on board. I was really nervous on the first day of the narration, as I was going to work with some of the biggest names. The only way to convince them and still feel like a director around was to make them buy my vision. I started by telling them that we are not doing a comedy film and they are playing very serious parts. Their situation ensures humour.
Q. What was the inspiration behind the storyline of Lootcase?
Every incident in the film has inspiration from real life. We easily talk about money but for a lot of people that might mean a lot of money. I shared this idea with my writer who converted it into an entertaining story. The film is not really about people chasing money. It is about a guy’s inability to deal with the fact that he’s found a suitcase full of money. And his wife has moral compasses, who can be dangerous if she gets to know about the suitcase. Our subconscious decision was to do a film which people of all age groups can watch in India. There is zero adult content in the film and honestly, that is an achievement for us.
Lootcase director Rajesh Krishnan with actor Kunal Kemmu on the sets. (Photo: Kunal Kemmu/Instagram)
Q. Was the decision to release the film on a streaming platform difficult?
I am a theater person and Lootcase being my first, I really wanted to see it releasing on a big screen. When a film is in the cinemas, you get to know people’s reactions just after a show ends and now when it will be on this OTT platform, we need to wait for people to come up and share their views on social media. Though, considering the time, I am happy that my film will be finally releasing and will be viewed by millions.
There is so much going on around us due to this deadly virus. People are sad, depressed, a few have even lost their jobs. And all this is so unfortunate. If our film beings a little smile on people’s faces, it will be a success.
Q. Do you see a Shakuntala Devi and Raat Akeli Hai as a competition since they are releasing simultaneously?
Our film is set as a comedy-drama while the other two are of totally different genres. There will be a lot of variety for the viewers and I do not see it as a competition. Audience can watch them at their comfort. I wish and pray that all three films get a lot of love.
Q. What’s next up your sleeves?
I have a book in mind which I want to document. The work is still in progress and we are yet to decide if it will be a web series or a film.