No point making film like ‘Conjuring’ when audience can see the original: Vikram Bhatt

Director Vikram Bhatt is of the opinion that Bollywood filmmakers would benefit more if they focus on making original content rather than copying Hollywood movies.

The filmmaker admitted he failed with his 2014 directorial outing ‘Creature’ because he tried imitating the stuff made in the West and hence, believes if an Indian director goes on aping a Hollywood horror film it will only result into a movie with sub-standard quality.

“Our horror films have always been the romanticizing of horror. We always had love stories, emotions, music. Whether it is ‘Mahal’, ‘Kohra’, ‘Bees Saal Baad’…That is the culture of our films. ‘Raaz’ belongs to the culture of Indian horror films. If we are to make ‘Conjuring’, then people say, ‘Oh this is Conjuring’,” he said.

“Anybody who tries to ape Hollywood now is going to become a lesser cousin of Hollywood. I’ve learnt that lesson myself in a film called ‘Creature’,” Vikram told reporters at a promotional event for ‘Raaz Reboot’ on Monday evening.

The director is geared up for the release of Emraan Hashmi-starrer ‘Raaz Reboot’, which is the fourth film in the horror film franchise ‘Raaz’.

Vikram said Hindi film industry doesn’t have the right budget to compete with horror films made in the west.

“When they are making films, which have hot aliens in it, we cannot compare. We don’t have the budgets. When you become a poor cousin of ‘Conjuring’, they (audience) have ‘Conjuring’ to watch. Why will they watch your films?”

Horror genre has largely remained untapped in Hindi cinema and fans have often complained of its ‘amateurish’ depiction of on screen by the filmmakers here. Although Vikram, who is among the handful A-list directors renowned for making Horror films, is certain he wouldn’t change his way of making such movies to please audience.

“We have to stick to the art form that we are. We are the romanticizing art form. If the ‘Conjuring’ audience doesn’t want to see it, then too bad. But we are not going to change for it,” he said.

Also starring Gaurav Arora and Kriti Kharbanda, ‘Raaz Reboot’ is set to release on September 16 in a box-office clash with megastar Amitabh Bachchan-led thriller ‘Pink’.

With inputs from PTI