“We could have made a Mr India universe,” says Shekhar Kapur; shares thoughts on remaking the Anil Kapoor starrer : Bollywood News

Shekhar Kapur is considered an innovative filmmaker and his filmography reflects that effortlessly. Among many others, it was Mr India that impressed the audience and the film is still loved by many. Recently, when asked if he would make Mr India again, the director was quick to say no. While explaining the reason behind it, he also remembered late actors Sridevi, Amrish Puri and Satish Kaushik, who played pivotal characters in the Anil Kapoor starrer.

“We could have made a Mr India universe,” says Shekhar Kapur; shares thoughts on remaking the Anil Kapoor starrer

It all happened during his latest conversation with Indian Express. When the portal asked the filmmaker about his thoughts on making Mr India 2, he asserted, “Actually, it would be a big problem if I direct it. I have never ever repeated a genre — Masoom, Mr India, Bandit Queen, Elizabeth, The Four Feathers, What’s Love Got To Do With It? These are all completely different genres; there is a fear that if I repeat myself, I’ll fail.”

To explain his answer in detail, Shekhar recalled how he would turn to his imaginary 11-year-old self while making Mr India, who gave him constant feedback, which eventually led to a “sense of playfulness” in the film. He continued, “Now if someone asks me to do Mr India again then that sense of playfulness and naivete won’t be there. It would be like, ‘Mongambo was like this, now he should be like that’, so it would be better for another director to come in and use what they fundamentally are and bring it to Mr India. I wouldn’t do it. I would do something else.”

Shekhar went on to say that he thinks Mr India is the kind of movie where it may be possible to create a “Mr India Universe” similar to the Marvel Universe, with each character potentially getting their own spin-off stories and independent movies.

Elaborating on the same note, the 77-year-old filmmaker added, “Today we could have made a (Mr India) universe where Calendar would have his own story, different stories with Miss Hawa Hawai, or Mogambo and his kids — Mogambo and his son, who knows what could be (possible). But Mr India was probably India’s only universal character film. I haven’t seen that in another film. People still talk about the cockroach scene, so ya, somebody else has to do it. I just want to do something where another part of me comes and does it.”

As the conversation progressed, the veteran director mourned the loss of Amrish Puri, Satish Kaushik and Sridevi as he said, “Mogambo is gone, Miss Hawa Hawaii has gone and now Calendar is gone, it’s so sad. The film is alive with three main characters gone… I’ll cry.”

Also Read: Shekhar Kapur remembers making Mr India; says, “I was constantly having a conversation with my 11-year-old self”