IMAGE: Ajay Devgn in Naam.
After the success of Bhool Bhulaiya 3, Director Anees Bazmee’s equity has upped by leaps and bounds. Seen in that context, the sudden release of an old shelved film called Naam is not very surprising.
But excavating an old forgotten project for a release 20 years after it was made is doing a disservice to all concerned.
Still, Bazmee chooses to not see the release of Naam in a negative light.
“What can I do if the producers have decided to release an old project I had forgotten?” Bazmee asks Subhash K Jha.
“I made this film in 2004 with Ajay Devgn, Bhoomika Chawla and Sameera Reddy. This is 2024 and everyone has moved on. So it’s not just a disservice to me but to all concerned.”
Has Anees spoken to Ajay about it?
“No, I don’t see the need. Ajay too must have forgotten about it until the producers brought it out of the cans. It’s okay. If it helps them to make even a bit of money, I am okay with it. But I hope they are not trying to pass it off as a new product. Aaj ka audience bahot hoshiyar hai. It cannot be taken for granted.”
Naam releases alongside the Abhishek Bachchan starrer, I Want To Talk, on November 22.
