Producer Ronnie Screwvala on re-releasing ‘Swades’: It needs a second release
Fans of Shahrukh Khan’s film ‘Swades’ are constantly demanding that it be released in theaters again. In a special interview, producer Ronnie Screwvala talked about this and said that it needs to be brought back to theaters.
In the last few months, several old classic films have been re-released in theatres, much to the delight of cinephiles. While some films were part of festivals, films like ‘Lakshya’ and ‘Rockstar’ made it to theatres to meet the demands of fans. Social media is also flooded with requests to re-release Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Swades’ in theatres. In an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in, producer Ronnie Screwvala confirmed that the 2004 film might get another chance on the big screen.
Ronnie Screwvala told India Today.in, “It can definitely be released again. I keep telling everyone that it was a film ahead of its time. So, it needs a second release.” The producer also added that Ashutosh Gowariker’s film is also an ‘evergreen story’ that has ‘inspired a lot of people’. He explained how ‘Swades’ is relevant even in today’s times and represents the spirit and mood of the nation.
“We started our own organisation and after the film, we renamed it Swadesh Sanstha. Shah Rukh Khan is a NASA scientist and he comes back to rural India and wants to light bulbs, quite literally. Today, the younger generation connects with it. You may go abroad to study, but eventually, you want to come back to your country. This film represents the spirit and mood of the country and is therefore very relevant,” claimed Screwvala.
The producer also highlighted that the trend of re-releasing films should not be seen as a business but as a way to influence the youth. Referring to the great response to the second phase of ‘Lakshya’, he said, “Today it should not be seen as a way to fill empty hall seats. The truth is that evergreen films can come back. ‘Lakshya’ was an inspirational film and many people joined the army because of it. This is very important. America is a superpower because of its soft power. India and cinema should be a much bigger soft power than it is today. This means that we have to influence the youth in a very different way. If some films do that, I think they should be (re)released.”
When we asked if this also makes money for the producers, Ronnie Screwvala smiled and said, “More satisfaction than money.”
His production company RSVP’s new project ‘Pill’ is going to stream on Jio Cinema from July 12. Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, this web show stars Riteish Deshmukh in the lead role. This will also be his first web series.