Aditya Chopra’s Befikre goes on floors

On Valentine’s Day, Aditya Chopra’s fourth directorial venture ‘Befikre’ goes on floors today. The film, starring Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor, is scheduled to hit theatres on December 7, 2016.

On Yash Chopra’s birth anniversary, Aditya Chopra announced his first film without Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. The filmmaker has previously directed mega grossers like ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Mohabbatein’ and ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’.

Interestingly, SRK was around the same age as Ranveer when DDLJ released in theatres.

Befikre will be shot in the iconic city of love, Paris.

Announcement letter from Aditya Chopra (released on September 27 2015):

Today, as I remember my father on his birthday, I think of how he was my ‘Go to Guy’ for all important decisions of my life. Today I’m about to take a very important decision and although it’s been almost 3 years since he passed away, he is still my ‘Go to Guy’. So here is my imaginary conversation with my father on the eve of his 83rd birthday.

Adi: Dad I’ve finished the script of the film I want to direct next, but I’m not sure if you will be happy with it.

Dad: Why do you feel that?

Adi: Because you have always wanted me to direct the biggest films of YRF and this one is not that.

Dad: So are you saying that it does not have the potential to be as successful as your earlier films?

Adi: Probably not.

Dad: Then why do you want to make it?

Adi: Because I absolutely love it. I started writing it for fun while I was writing my most ambitious script. I thought I’ll give it to one of my directors and I’ll just produce it. But I enjoyed writing it so much that I knew half way that I’m going to direct it myself.

Dad: What excites you about it?

Adi: It’s just very different to any of the films I have directed so far. Till now all the films I have directed or written have been intense, dramatic and emotional. This one is just a light hearted romance, nothing more. It’s my happiest film. My youngest film. My riskiest film.

Dad: It doesn’t bother you that it might not do 100 cr, 200 cr type of numbers?

Adi: Actually Dad one of the reasons I want to make this film is to free myself of this burden. I don’t want to keep trying to better my numbers, I want to keep trying to better my films. I want to make what makes me happy and I’m sure if I do that well, the numbers will follow.

Dad: Let me tell you a secret son. I might come across as a producer who only believes in making the biggest films, but as a filmmaker I have always backed the risk taker in me. All my life I have always been most excited making the films where I took the biggest risks. Some did well, some didn’t. But all those films made me a better filmmaker and surprisingly a bigger filmmaker. So my advice to you today is what I have always told myself – Go ahead and make the film you love, but make it with conviction and make it fearlessly – ‘BEFIKAR ho ke’.