Producer Dinesh Vijan is thrilled about the unbelievable success that his films like Stree and Chhaava have achieved. The Maddock Films head recently revealed that getting funding for Stree was an uphill battle, with no one willing to back the project initially. This forced him to fund the film on his own, a decision that turned out to be one of the best he ever made.
The producer has backed several successful films via his banner including Cocktail, Badlapur, Hindi Medium, Luka Chuppi, and the recent blockbuster Chhaava. However, the journey has not always been smooth. Speaking at a media interaction, Dinesh shared that the last three years have been unbelievable for Maddock Films. He pointed out that Stree became the number one Hindi film, something nobody would have imagined.
Why No One Wanted To Fund Stree
When Dinesh Vijan first set out to make Stree, he faced significant resistance from potential financiers. The reluctance was primarily because of the movie’s title, which others said would not work. The unconventional premise of a horror comedy based on an urban legend did not inspire confidence in traditional backers who preferred safer commercial bets.
Left with no choice, Vijan decided to fund the project himself. This risk paid off spectacularly when the 2018 film became a massive hit. Stree is based on the urban legend of Nale Ba that went viral in Karnataka in the 1990s. Starring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead, the horror comedy was directed by Amar Kaushik.
Success Led To More Daring Projects
The success of Stree gave Dinesh Vijan and his team the confidence to pursue more daring projects. He mentioned that Chhaava became the number two film, and together these successes have given them the flexibility to be more ambitious. This led to films like Ikkis and the upcoming Mahavatar, which require larger budgets and tackle unconventional subjects.
Vijan emphasized that it is very important to tell stories so that Indian culture is not forgotten. He wants to tell the world who Arun Khetarpal is or who Bhagwan Parashuram is, just like people needed to know about Shivaji and his son who was a Chhaava. The producer believes that audiences now want to go to theaters to experience something bigger and technically superior.
The Philosophy Behind Maddock Films
The 44-year-old producer shared his philosophy about filmmaking. He said the criteria to produce a film is for the story to strike a chord with him. He emphasized that being unique is very important and he does not like repeating the kind of movies they make. Vijan stated that while they might lose money on a film, they never lose value, and to him, value is more important than money.
About Ikkis
Ikkis is directed by Sriram Raghavan and is based on the life of the youngest Param Vir Chakra recipient, Arun Khetarpal. The film stars Agastya Nanda, Jaideep Ahlawat, the late Dharmendra, Sikander Kher, and Simar Bhatia. It is set to release theatrically on January 1, 2026. The film is produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films banner.
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