“I am a selfish director”, says director Aanand L Rai

If one glances back at Aanand L Rai’s set of movies, one can make out that the director likes to work with his set of actors. Rai, who helmed Tanu Weds Manu (2011) with Kangana Ranaut in the lead, proceeded to make Tanu Weds Manu: Returns (2015) with her. He, who produced Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017) featuring Ayushmann Khurrana, teamed up with the same actor for Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020). Also, he worked with Dhanush in Raanjhanaa (2013) and as of late worked with the actor in Atrangi Re (2021). The same movie featured Akshay Kumar, who Rai is teaming up again within his forthcoming film Raksha Bandhan.

Talking about his pattern of working with his set of actors, he says, “I am a selfish director. Only when I feel my character can go to this particular actor and they can do justice to it is when I approach them.” He further explains, “See, I worked with Dhanush after 8 years! For me, my story, my film, my character is more important than anything else.”

In a prior conversation with BT, Rai had clarified that each time he reunites with his actors he has a fear of losing magic. He had said, “When you collaborate with the same actor you know each other too well. So what worries me is that will we be able to create the same kind of magic again? Knowing each other so well… the magic can lose. You know each other so well that everything is smooth and then if everything is smooth where is that moment of surprise?”