Graduation from an actor to an actor producer

Arjun Rampal joins the list of actors, who graduate to being an Actor Producer, with his new film I SEE YOU which is going to be released on 29 December. From a career starting in 2001 with PYAAR, ISHQ AUR MOHABBAT through a journey of 17 films to, I SEE YOU seems to be point of realization for Arjun Rampal that his potential as an actor has not met with the expectations that he might have had for himself so it is better to produce a film for him.

Arjun Rampal therefore is now in the list of the actors like Rakesh Roshan, Sanjay Khan and Feroze Khan, etc., who switched to being a Director Actor as they were not able to get the good banner films. Where one to run through the oeuvre of Rampal, it would become clear that till the advent of EK AJNABEE he could not get big banner films inspite the potential that he has, and in EK AJNABEE he had to be content with sharing the screen with Big B. Before, EK AJNABEE he had a solo run in TEHZEEB, but there also the success eluded him. He was able to garner good visibility for himself from the song in MOKSHA, ‘Ishq Hai Jan Lewa’, which gave him the publicity to let him continue for this long time. Then came DON and KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNA, where again the screen presence was less than satisfying, vying as he was with Shah Rukh Khan in both the films.

There are also other categories of actors, and in this category fall actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgan who turn producers, either to produce the films for their creative satisfaction or to unfold a facet of themselves, which does not come out as they are bracketed into a certain category, or else they want to satisfy the creative aspect, which they are not able to do otherwise. Shah Rukh Khan's association with Aziz Mirza and Amol Palekar to produce off- beat films like PAHELI, etc., as Ajay Devgan's attempt to do it on his own through RAJU CHACHA, are a clear pointer in this regard.

During the era of Raj Kapoor etc., most of the films that Raj Kapoor worked were produced by him under the RK Banner and so was the same with Dev Anand who continued to work under the NavKetan Banner, and rarely stepped outside its ambit to work for other producers. Dilip Kumar did this in the later stages of his career with films like GANGA JAMUNA.

Advantage of being a Producer and Actor was that as the actor donned the hat of producer as well; he was able to have a tight leash on the flow of the film and could ensure that the films were completed on time. Besides, after becoming a Producer many a recalcitrant actors who played truant with the Producers and never reported for shooting on time, turned an angel when there films started rolling. The same was sheepishly accepted by Govinda when he had become producer for RADHA KA SANGAM, and Arjun Rampal also said so on the side lines of built up of release for his films.

It is a good trend for the industry, as the economic aspect is taken care of, apart from the fact that the hero can use his charm to ensure that the film is not delayed and is released on time. And as the actor himself is the Producer he would see to it that the quality of the film in terms of its content, package and marketing stands up to the mark. This may be trend where the actors, may grudgingly be becoming producers, but this may inject the much needed discipline needed for the industry, but for that to happen, it should not be bracketed as an attempt on the part of the actor who has not been able to make his mark otherwise becoming an actor, but as an affirmation of an intent to have serious stake in the industry.

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