It is almost beautiful how cinema offers an idea to grow into something much bigger than what it started of as. We have often heard stories about how a simple one-liner became a magnum opus as ideas grew in scale, and the vision was backed by the right minds. In many ways, a simple e-mail from an optometrist with filmmaking aspirations has turned into the HIT franchise. When Nani received the mail from filmmaker Sailesh Kolanu, and decided to back the project under his banner Wall Poster Cinema, they didn’t know it was going to be a franchise. “The thing is he didn’t tell me it was a franchise. We thought we could turn it into one after we made it,” said Nani, in an interview to The Hollywood Reporter India.
After backing the first and second instalments of the franchise, which featured Vishwak Sen and Adivi Sesh in the leads, respectively, the third part, HIT: The Third Case, will have Nani in the lead role. Talking about taking the franchise forward, Nani said, “The biggest problem with franchise films is that we have to cast the same actor in every film. After a point, it becomes difficult because the actors would be occupied in other films, there might be differences in the look, and of course, they can get expensive too. However, the filmmaker and the production have to wait for them to join the next instalment.”
Nani strongly believes that with the idea of the HIT franchise, they have managed to find the loophole in the franchise system. “See, HIT is Homicide Intervention Team, and just like we have a Telangana HIT, we can also have one in Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and even in Mumbai. This ensures there are multiple options to take the franchise forward,” said Nani, who has even higher aspirations for the franchise. HIT: The First Case was remade in Bollywood with Rajkummar Rao in the led role. In Hindi cinema, Rohit Shetty has already established his cop universe with his Singham franchise.
“There will come a day when we reach a point where we can bring all the cops together to solve a particular case. It will almost be like Avengers, but with cops,” said Nani, who expresses his genuine interest to build the franchise that will culminate in a huge finale. “It is going in the right direction.”
Considering he is the producer of HIT, there does come a question as to why he didn’t just opt for HIT to be his own personal franchise where he can go around solving cases. “I wasn’t at all tempted to do it. In fact, if there is an exciting opportunity that comes my way, and I think I am not best suited for it, I offer it to someone else. There have been a few stories in the past 5-6 years where I knew they would be blockbusters, but I told the filmmakers to try other actors because they suit the film better. That comes from my love for cinema,” said Nani, who reiterated that it is always the script that demands the right kind of team.
“I’d rather see a good film with someone else than an unconvincing film with me. A good script deserves the best of everything, and if it is in my power, I’d do things to ensure it happens. It is my responsibility towards cinema,” said Nani.
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With HIT: The Third Case set to hit the screens on May 1, Nani is currently working for Srikanth Odela’s sophomore film Paradise, which has piqued the interests of Indian audience with its unconventional glimpse. He is also presenting Srikanth’s third film, which will be headlined by Megastar Chiranjeevi.
