"We never wanted to Direct Chillar Party," says Nitesh Tiwari on Komal Nahta's Game Changers Podcast

MUMBAI: Nitesh Tiwari, renowned for his brilliant filmmaking, has created memorable films that balance humor with heartfelt moments. His unique approach to storytelling has made him one of the best in this field. One of his standout works remains his directorial debut film Chillar Party. In a recent interview with Komal Nahta on his podcast Game Changers, when Nitesh was asked about the unsettling fear of not having a big budget nor a hero in his film Chillar Party. The filmmaker revealed that directing Chillar Party was never part of his plan. It was an organic opportunity that turned into a remarkable success.

The director revealed how he and Vikas Bahl wrote the script of Chillar Party for fun, "That fear never came because we never wanted to direct Chillar Party,” Nitesh spoke to Komal Nahta. Talking about the inception of Chillar Party and how the film came to life, Tiwari shared, “When Vikas and I started writing Chillar Party, it was just for fun. I was working in my advertising job, and Vikas was doing his job. So, just for fun, we started writing on weekends, and while writing, it turned out well, we had a lot of fun.”

Nitesh further revealed how the film wasn’t approved by directors, adding, “We took it to 7-8 directors, traveled a lot, and no one wanted to make it. There were 10 kids, and 1 dog, because many directors didn't want to make a film without a Hero. They thought it would become upscale, that this person only makes children's films. So we shelved it.”

Nitesh added how he finally decided to direct the film, saying, “Vikas asked me if I would direct it. I said, 'No mad dog has bitten me. I have a good advertising career, I have no experience in direction.' But he kept insisting and said, 'I will also jump in to convince you, we will work together. Either we do it or forget about the film.' So I thought that a film is coming my way, such a big opportunity is coming my way, if the direction didn't work, I still have engineering. Let's try it once, if not direction, then there's writing."

Chillar Party was a box office success, winning numerous awards and accolades for being the best children's film.  With Game Changers, Komal Nahta is set to redefine the landscape of Indian cinema conversations. Tune in to the YouTube channel for Game Changers!