In a recent candid conversation, filmmaker Milap Zaveri opened up about the challenges he faced following the disappointing reception of Satyameva Jayate 2. The film, which starred John Abraham and was produced by Nikkhil Advani’s Emmay Entertainment, failed to resonate with audiences and critics alike. Speaking to Siddharth Kanan, the filmmaker expressed his deep sense of letdown, particularly regarding John Abraham’s faith in him as a director.
Milap Zaveri reveals John Abraham did not speak to him for 2-3 months after Satyameva Jayate 2 failure; Nikkhil Advani dropped him: “I was 100% made to feel I had delivered a disaster”
Zaveri remarked, “Honestly, there was a period of about two to three months when he wasn’t communicating. I reached out through phone calls and messages, and he eventually replied saying, ‘Milan, I’m very sad.’ He didn’t say he was upset with me; he said he was sad because he had a lot riding on this film, he was very excited, and he was upset that it didn’t work out. He had gone into a shell for a while, but later we talked. I met John, and we hugged it out. John told me, ‘I will do a film with you. I love you; I believe in you as a director. When a great script comes, I will work with you.’ He told me that. But obviously, something had broken. Somewhere, both our hearts were broken because the film didn’t succeed. More than anything, I felt I let him down. I felt I let John down; he trusted me blindly. He did whatever I told him to do. Hats off to him for that. There were some moments when he wasn’t happy; he felt I was going too over the top, that I was making it too cinematic. But he did everything.”
He continued, “Today, if you see my film, it’s the film I wanted to make. Nobody stopped me; nobody held me back from making what I wanted. So, during the shooting, John came to you and told you, ‘Why are you doing this? It’s too much?’ Yes, a couple of times he had his issues. I have to give him credit; he told me a few things, and I convinced him otherwise. He did what I wanted him to do. Everyone, including Monisha Advani, Bhushan Kumar, and everyone else, supported me. When the film didn’t work out, I felt I let down Bhushan, I let down Monisha. But I will tell you one thing, after that, Bhushan has always been wonderful with me. Monisha, to this day, is one of my closest friends. Many people dispersed, many left after the failure of Satyameva Jayate 2, but Monisha Advani always stood by me as a friend. We’re not working together on anything right now.”
The dynamics with Nikkhil Advani were more complex. Zaveri described how their creative visions often clashed. He said, “For some reason, during that time, Emmay Entertainment, whatever project I was presenting to them, wasn’t happening for some reason. And in a way, I love Nikkhil Advani and respect him a lot, but Nikkhil and I are different filmmakers; we are different kinds of human beings too, right? Nikhil believes in a certain kind of cinema, while my cinema is different. As long as my cinema was successful, everything was great. But as soon as my cinema wasn’t working, I automatically felt like I was the bad apple in the company. There was a time when I felt that way, and I also sensed a wink in Nikkhil that he felt I had told him that this film could go wrong. His behaviour reflected that.”
This realization of being the “bad apple” stemmed from the disappointment surrounding Satyameva Jayate 2. Zaveri sensed that Advani, who was focused on making the kind of films he enjoyed, felt differently about Zaveri’s cinematic approach. “I always wish him the best, but I felt to an extent that Nikkhil especially washed his hands of me. He was happy doing his own thing. I think he was content at Emmay Entertainment making the films he wanted to make, the kind of cinema Nikkhil wanted to create. He could go back and make that mass commercial masala cinema, like Manmohan Desai’s films. I was making that, and now he realized he didn’t need to make that because nobody would tell him not to since Milap had fallen out of favour,” he said.
Zaveri acknowledged the mixed reactions from the industry and the criticism Monisha faced for her unwavering support. “During this time, Monisha was there with me throughout, supporting me, but she too had to endure backlash. People told her that she always supported Milap, that she had perhaps made Milap too overconfident, and that was probably why Satyameva Jayate 2 didn’t work. I’m friends with all of them; I go to their events and parties, and I wish them all the best in their ventures. But I felt a little let down, mainly by Nikkhil Advani. I love him like a brother; he produced four films for me, right? You tend to feel disappointed with those you care about deeply and respect highly. I love Nikhil; I know what he did to bring Satyameva Jayate to life; how he convinced Bhushan. But somehow, my cinema didn’t resonate with him, and that issue kept coming between us. Monisha used to try to balance him and me out, you know? But once I felt I was of no use, once I failed, I felt there was no need for me in that company. Nobody needed me there. And I want to say that even Bhushan had a film that didn’t succeed like Satyameva Jayate, but he never made me feel that way. Whenever I met him, he met me with a lot of love, and he still does. I’m signed on for quite a few films with him. If I’m making a film outside, he always gives me an NOC, saying, “Go make your film.” He has been wonderful with me throughout,” he continued.
Zaveri shared insights into the dynamics at Emmay Entertainment during this challenging time. “But in Emmay, I felt a little hurt too because when my films were all hits, I was getting calls from all over the world to direct. My contract was with T-Series, with Bhushan; it wasn’t with MA. But I would tell everyone that I wouldn’t make a film without Emmay. One after another, producers, directors, and actors approached me during the period between Satyameva Jayate 1 and 2, asking me to work with them, and I would say I wouldn’t do a film without Emmay. They would ask about my contract, and I would say it’s not just about that; it’s a matter of my heart. They are my family, and I won’t work without them. I turned down many big films; I can’t even tell you. I could name many offers I received, but I said I wouldn’t work without Emmay Entertainment. The moment Satyameva Jayate 2 failed, I sensed they didn’t really want to do anything with me at that point, except Monisha Advani,” he said.
The filmmaker admitted that he was made to feel that he delivered a huge disaster. “I was 100% made to feel that I had delivered a disaster. It was conveyed to me very clearly, and that’s fair enough. Maybe when I was successful, I behaved poorly or showed overconfidence. At that time, I might not have listened to their advice,” he said.
More Pages: Satyameva Jayate 2 Box Office Collection , Satyameva Jayate 2 Movie Review
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