As Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta starrer Vadh 2 is receiving a great response from the audience, director Jaspal Singh Sandhu talks about its box office performance in an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla. Sandhu also talks about whether he is looking forward to expanding the Slaughter universe with Slaughter 3. In this candid interview, he opens up about the evolution of the franchise, connecting with audiences, and what’s next.
1. Despite many big-ticket films running in theatres, Vaadh 2 has registered almost 100% jump at the box office on the third day. How do you see this reinforcing the notion that content is king, especially in an era where films are becoming successful even without heavy promotional strategies?
I mean, it’s an obvious fact that people are liking the movie. This means that good content is here to stay and they are also recommending other viewers to watch the movie. And I think that’s how it should be – that if there is a good film and word-of-mouth is able to bring more audiences to the theatres, then the filmmakers also get a certain confidence. We are here to make good cinema, and if we make good cinema, it is here to stay. I mean, making a thriller and setting some standards with the cast – the hero doesn’t necessarily have to be only a 30-year-old, a 35-year-old or a 25-year-old. I mean, anyone can be a hero in any situation. If you are able to create that kind of content, people will see it.
2. The climax of Slaughter 2 took me by surprise. How did you arrive at such an unexpected climax, and what was the creative thought process behind structuring it this way?
The main theme was deliberately kept a low hanging fruit so that the second climax would work like a charm… that was the intention. I shared some ideas with Luv, and when it came out, we were happy with it… The idea of the first climax being the low-hanging fruit was meant to make the second climax better, and it did.
3. The film tackles a number of sensitive subjects—rape, honor killings, morality, and justice—yet never feels preachy or overly dramatic. How important was it to you to maintain this balance, and what was your approach to presenting these messages organically within the narrative?
Yes, the film deals with very sensitive topics, but I never wanted the film to be preachy, and I didn’t want the audience to feel disgusted while watching it.
4. Given the strong audience response and increasing franchise value, are there any discussions or ideas currently in the works for Slaughter 3?
Slaughter 3? So Slaughter 2 happened because we could write a really good story and then a good script, a very tight script that gave us confidence, and we’re critical of our own work. So if, going forward, I am able to create a story that can do justice to both 1 and 2, then why not 3? Content is king, so it’s not a pressure, but a responsibility. For me, if I’m planning a third, the story should impress everyone, the screenplay should impress everyone, and the film should impress everyone. So if we get there then why not?
Also read: Vadh 2 box office collection first weekend: Sanjay Mishra, Neena Gupta’s film registers reasonable trends, earns Rs 2.25 crore in 3 days
