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Atlee is producing Baby John, the Hindi adaptation of his Tamil film Theri, featuring Varun Dhawan in the lead role. The film is set to hit theatres on December 25. Busy promoting the film nationwide, Atlee, who delivered a blockbuster with Jawan starring Shah Rukh Khan, shared insights into his box office success.
In an interview with Pinkvilla, Atlee discusses the reasons behind the box office success of all his films. Though he has directed only six films, Atlee has consistently achieved impressive box office numbers with each release. He attributed his success to taking risks and effectively capturing the ‘mass’ appeal in his movies. He recounted how in Bigil and Theri, actor Vijay placed his trust in him, allowing him to portray an older version of the character.
Reflecting on his collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan for Jawan, Atlee recounted, “When I told Shah Rukh sir that Vikram Rathore would be a mass character, he just looked at me and said, ‘No sir, girls like me, Azad will be the massy one.’ I responded confidently, ‘Bet, sir.’ After watching the film, he admitted I was right,” referring to the success of Shah Rukh’s older character with audiences.
Atlee on interpreting mass
Atlee went on to explain his interpretation of mass. He said, “To me, mass is a motherly feeling, not something alien. When you shed a tear for love, for a cherished emotion, or for a baby, that is mass. When you feel anger for the right cause, that’s mass. Truly standing up for society—that’s mass. Anything else labelled as mass doesn’t resonate with me. This is the essence of true mass, and I believe that’s why my films resonate with audiences and perform well at the box office. That’s my secret mantra.”
Atlee’s recent projects
In addition to co-producing Baby John, which is set to release in theatres on December 25, Atlee is also preparing to announce his next directorial venture. Rumours suggest that Salman Khan, currently collaborating with AR Murugadoss, has agreed to a project with Atlee. Furthermore, Atlee confirmed plans for a Tamil film featuring Vijay Sethupathi.
