Known for his espionage thrillers, writer-director-producer Neeraj Pandey is gearing up for the August 2 release of his romantic drama Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, starring Ajay Devgn and Tabu. We chatted with Pandey about the film and the show business.

How did you decide on Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha as the title?

Neeraj Pandey: It is lyrical and poetic and lends itself nicely to the genre of the film. We didn’t think of any other title.

Did you think of making a romantic drama to break the clutter of thrillers?

Neeraj Pandey: We don’t step into it thinking that we'll make a clutter-breaker film. The process is about identifying the story that you want to tell and then going about making it. You would understand that it's a two-year-long journey with every story. You don’t have a sense of which film is going to release before or after your film’s release. You just leave it to providence. What you can control is how you can make the film to the best of your abilities and the best abilities of your team. And that's what you follow.

There are elements of thrill in Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha too…

Neeraj Pandey: A story should be told in a very entertaining manner. There has to be a sense of purpose for telling that story. It's a love story. There's no denying that. What we would endeavour is that it should be told as effectively and entertainingly as possible. Why can't a love story have a twist?

What are your favourite love stories?

Neeraj Pandey: We grew up on classics. Ek Duje Ke Liye (1981) was mind-blowing. That film really resonated. What a beautiful film. It captured the innocence and purity of love in such a unique manner.

Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) is another film that comes to my mind. Very different. Set against the backdrop of the show business. What poetry in that film by Kaifi (Azmi) Sahab! And fantastic music (by SD Burman).

What still challenges you in the thriller genre?

Neeraj Pandey: It’s not specific to the thriller genre. What challenges me is the story. Have I done this or anything close to this? Then it's a no-go for me. I'm talking theatrical right now. If there is a certain newness in whatever we are doing, then I'm game. The second criterion is what would the audience think of this story. Will this resonate with my audience or not? That's very important for me. It's an intuitive call.

You go with your gut feeling that this will be something new and good for the audience. If they don't like it, they don't like it. As simple as that. Then your calculations have gone wrong, your intuition has gone wrong, and all of that.

How did M.M. Kreem come on board to compose music for Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha?

Neeraj Pandey: He was working on the film. I've seen how the world reacted to him before he won the Oscar and I'm seeing it now. And I find it hilarious because this can happen in our line of business only. Kreem Sahab, Manoj Muntashir and I worked on the music of this film for two-and-a-half years. When the Oscar happened, all of us felt proud. I felt extra proud of him because our journey began with Special 26.

What do you think of while thinking of making a film for theatrical release?

Neeraj Pandey: I've said earlier too that for OTT, you're looking at a story that could be told over seven-eight hours. In films, you could tell your story in two to two-and-a-half hours. While making cinema, you have to be cognizant of what’s happening around the world and in India and what kind of stories are being told. You want to tell a newer story. It has to resonate strongly with the audience. That goes for OTT stories also. However, the length of the storytelling determines whether it's theatrical content or OTT content.

How important are box office numbers to you?

Neeraj Pandey: At the end of the day, people who put their money into a project must recover their money. So, in that regard, the box office is very important. But you're not thinking too much about the trend and the world and what's the easy way out. It would be very easy for me to do another espionage film right now. Or maybe another sports biopic, considering that Dhoni (M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story) did well. But why not discover or tap into something new? The audience would want to see something new, right?

How do you draw the audience to cinemas when there are so many options in content and mediums?

Neeraj Pandey: You make the best film that you can. That's number one. The second is that you do a good trailer which gives a good sneak peek to the whole film. And you just hope that they'll catch on to it. We let out the music of the film. We have dropped three songs till now and the music is tracking well. And we hope that the box office draw of Ajay (Devgn) and Tabu will help the film.

And then, you also depend on positive word of mouth. The people who come out of the theatres after seeing the film are the ones who strongly recommend that film to the world around them. We've always survived on that right from my first film.

What is your take on social media’s role in film promotions?

Neeraj Pandey: I don't navigate the social world as such. It's the marketing team that is doing it for film promotion. They'll bring to my notice what is going on, what is the curiosity around and all that. But it also has limitations of its own. If the public likes a film, no social media chatter can bring it down or stop people from watching it. And vice versa.

Do you think that conversion to ticket sales happens because of social media influencer activities?

Neeraj Pandey: That has become a part of our marketing culture. I have not done any study on this. But people who are into it would be the right people to tell.

You have your hands full in the OTT space…

Neeraj Pandey: We keep doing things. There are interesting formats for storytelling. So why not? Special Ops 2 will come out this year. Then there’s Khakee Season 2.

How do you work on such stories?

Neeraj Pandey: Books, newspaper clippings, meeting people, some R&D leftover from another project that you would have worked on and you found that it's interesting, we'll revisit it as and when we do something else. It's a combination. And the more you read, interact with people and work in that particular genre, the more stories keep on coming.

How do you gauge the success of your content on OTT?

Neeraj Pandey: That's very simple. If an OTT platform is telling you to make a season two, it means it has worked with the audience.

Today, the easiest bet seems to be creating a film universe.

Neeraj Pandey: I'll have to remind you that I did Naam Shabana, which was a spin-off of Baby. I got bored after making those two films. I didn’t want to keep making similar movies. I got a chance to do an MS Dhoni biopic. And I have no regrets. I can't allow Friday Filmworks to go in a factory setting. I'm very much at peace and considering what is happening now, I'm very happy I took that call. That is the reason why Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha is exciting for me.

Looking at the fate of most Hindi movies at the box office, are the makers not working enough on the content?

Neeraj Pandey: It's a transition phase. People will recalibrate. Our business is also such that you've got to keep up with the times. It's not an easy job. You are starting a film today. It will see the light of day in the theatre two years down the line, right? So, it's almost like you are taking a punt on an idea that should survive not only these two years while we are making it but be fresh at the time of release too.

Is it true that writers don't get enough money, time and credit?

Neeraj Pandey: Writers don't get enough credit in this industry. That's not something new. It's a fact. I wish there was more respect. Also, it would be important for me to say that writers also need to up their game. It's a vicious cycle. Writers will say that they want to tell new stories but producers don't allow them. Sometimes someone sitting at the OTT table will have their point of view and all that. But that's a part of our job as writers, directors and creators. It is about fighting it out. Certain things are non-negotiable.

What is a piece of advice you want to give to writers?

Neeraj Pandey: Any good writer will tell you how hard it is to genuinely come up with an original idea. There will be people who will tell you that. There are no takers. Everyone wants to make safe projects so that they make more money and stardom remains intact, I suppose.

Being a writer is not an easy job nor is finding people who can tap into your right creative mind. But there will always be those few people who would be looking out to make something new, create something new. And maybe if the collaboration between like-minded people starts happening more often than not, then things might change.