Sundeep Kishan awaits the release of 'A1 Express' on March 5. In this interview, he talks about the content of the sports drama, why it is a unique movie, why hockey is an exciting game and more.
This is my 25th film and I was looking for the perfect content. 'A1 Express' may be a remake but it is content-driven and raises a valid point. We have made the film in the perfect way possible within budgetary constraints. We have only borrowed the core idea from the original. It's not a frame-by-frame remake.
Since it's the first hockey-based movie, we wanted the scenes to be extraordinary. We are very happy with the output. Despite the pandemic, we could complete the film with better-than-expected output.
The rom-com scenes involving me and Lavanya Tripathi are entertaining. But the track is not the core of the film. There are no unnecessary comedy tracks. It's a new-age, modern sports-based film.
Talent and hard work deserve recognition. That's what 'A1 Express' drives home. There is corruption everywhere. Even when an outsider wants to enter the film industry, he must be ready to invest to bag an acting offer.
Rao Ramesh garu's character is going to be a highlight. The fight for a sports ground is at the centre of the story.
We shot at the Mohali Stadium in Chandigarh. It's a vast one. A unit of 400 members was involved in canning the hockey scenes there.
Hockey is not a dull game. It's true that not many watch it. Tennis and Badminton have picked pace in terms of popularity. Businessmen decide what sports we have to watch. When 'Amma Nanna O Tamilammayi' released, Puri Jagannadh garu said that there is drama in kickboxing. The same goes for hockey. A lot of cinematic drama can be created around the game. When we watched 'Sye', not many knew about Rugby.
Doing a rom-com is easy because it's not physically exerting. But doing a sports drama is a different ball game. I wouldn't be ready to do another sports genre movie now. The body language, the dynamics change when it comes to hockey, which is an arrogant game. I would observe the body language of sportsmen to know how they stand, etc.
'A1 Express' has a unique visual experience. In Hollywood, the audience look for larger-than-life movies. I wanted to do a film whose premise is exciting. That's how 'A1 Express' started. It's a massive sports film. There is a great hockey match, there is a love story, there is a strong emotion... What more do you want?
Hiphop Tamizha's background music is extraordinary, especially for the climax match. If you ask him, he will say that 'A1 Express' is different compared to its Tamil original.
'A1 Express' is the most expensive film in my career. I am confident that it is going to be the biggest hit as well. People don't want to watch dull movies repeatedly.
All that a film can do is provoke a thought. A film can't change the opinions of people.
