Zaid Khan, the son of Karnataka’s 4-times MLA Zameer Ahmed, is making his film debut with a PAN India project titled Banaras. Directed by Bell Bottom fame Jayathirtha, the film has Sonal Monteiro as the leading lady, and Tilakraj Ballal produces it under the banner NK Productions. Ahead of the release on November 4, we met with Zaid Khan for a brief interview.
How are the Banaras promotions going on?
We have covered the entire nation almost. We went to Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Lucknow, Banaras, Gujarat, Andhra, Telangana, Kolkata, Tamilnadu, etc. We got tremendous responses everywhere, and the reception from the Vizag event was so special. I am thankful for all the love shown by the audience. Also, we got a terrific response in Lucknow.
Was Banaras your choice? How did the director approach you?
Banaras was ultimately my choice. I have approached Jayathirtha. I have been waiting for a good script and director for a long time. Finally, Jayathirtha came on board, and that’s how our journey started.
The visuals seem like a Bollywood movie. What’s your take on this?
I have concentrated more on the visuals part. Bollywood used to have not such a good view of the south cinema. They even stated that our films lack quality. Hence we made Banaras on a grand scale without compromising and on par with Bollywood films. So as of now, the South cinema is in an excellent state.
What’s the trigger point for selecting Banaras?
The experiment we have in the second half is the reason for selecting the film, and I believe it would be successful. People who watched the movie till now have given some glorious reviews. So the audience will definitely like Banaras, and they will get the feeling that they watched a good film.
Reason behind Banaras getting delayed?
We started the shoot in 2019. But there were floods during this period. Except for two songs, the talkie part was completed before the lockdown. Then our producers decided to release the films at PAN Indian level. So more time was taken for post-production and dubbing works. Banaras will be a visual treat.
Who are your well-wishers in Tollywood?
From the Telugu industry, I know NTR, Ram Charan, and Ravi Teja Garu personally. I also know Chiranjeevi Garu. I know Pawan Kalyan Garu as well.
About your future projects?
I have four projects on my hand. I will do them one by one after the release of Banaras. I personally wish to do more love stories.