Filmmaker Goldie Behl, who has spent the last few years focusing on television and OTT projects, recently reflected on his journey with visually ambitious cinema and shared his thoughts on the upcoming epic ‘Ramayana’. The director-producer expressed admiration for the teaser’s visual scale and said he is eager to watch Ranbir Kapoor portray Lord Ram and Yash step into the role of Ravana. Goldie, who directed films like ‘Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai’, ‘Drona’ and ‘London, Paris, New York’, also looked back at how ‘Drona’ attempted to push the boundaries of VFX in Hindi cinema long before fantasy spectacles became mainstream.
Goldie Behl impressed by Ranbir Kapoor starrer ‘Ramayana’
Speaking about the ambitious adaptation of ‘Ramayana’, Goldie said he is happy Indian filmmakers are now attempting stories that can appeal to a global audience. The filmmaker also addressed criticism surrounding the teaser and defended the effort being made by Indian creators. “I think Indians have to get used to accepting that Indians are doing it first. I am sure ‘Ramayana’ will be an extraordinary film,” he shared with Variety India.Expressing excitement about the casting choices, Goldie added, “I am very keen to see Ranbir Kapoor as Ram and Yash as Ravana. I loved the scale and VFX of what I saw.”
Goldie Behl on ‘Drona’ VFX
Released in 2008, ‘Drona’ starred Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas and was considered one of the most expensive Hindi films of its time due to its extensive visual effects work. Even though the film struggled commercially, Goldie believes it played an important role in the growth of Indian VFX infrastructure. Reflecting on the film’s legacy, he said, “I would give credit to ‘Drona’ and ‘Aarambh’ for starting off trends and journeys. The problem with the first step is that it’s always the stepping stone. Someone makes a mistake and learns from the same. When others follow, they know what to avoid.”Goldie also spoke about the technical limitations filmmakers faced back then while working with VFX-heavy content. According to him, the infrastructure available today simply did not exist during the making of ‘Drona’. Explaining the challenges, he shared, “Every time we had to print it out and take it to the cinema hall to see it on the big screen. So, we created a VFX company in which we installed digital projections inside the screen.“Behl further added, “Back then, training people on VFX and working on a 4K resolution was a big thing. We did a lot of stuff that benefitted the industry. I feel ‘Drona’ had that purpose.”
Goldie Behl has no interest in revisiting ‘Drona’
Even though large-scale fantasy spectacles are currently finding success with audiences, the filmmaker admitted he has no desire to revisit the world of ‘Drona’ or make a similar film again.Sharing his honest thoughts, Goldie said, “Firstly, the thought of making another ‘Drona’ does not excite me and secondly, the problem with flagship is that it’s always under scrutiny.” He further added, “There is an old saying in Hollywood that you can always be hot or stay warm. So, I am happy to be warm rather than being hot and cumbersome.”
Goldie Behl on changing technology in Indian filmmaking
Goldie acknowledged that advancements in technology and AI have made filmmaking much more accessible and affordable for creators today. “Technology and AI that has become available to makers here. It’s made things much cheaper,” he said while discussing how the industry has evolved since the days of ‘Drona’.With mythology-driven spectacles becoming a major force in Indian cinema, Goldie’s comments have once again brought attention to how films like ‘Drona’ attempted to experiment with the genre much before it became the industry’s biggest trend.
