Filmmaker Kiran Rao appears determined not to repeat the lengthy gap that separated her first two directorial ventures. After returning to the director’s chair with the acclaimed 2024 film Laapataa Ladies, Rao has revealed that she hopes to direct more frequently in the coming years and is already developing several new projects across different genres.

Kiran Rao says she wants to make films like Rohit Shetty; reveals plans for horror, noir and comedy-drama projects

In a recent interview with Variety India, the filmmaker spoke candidly about her approach to directing and admitted that she often spends considerable time evaluating projects before committing to them. “Obviously, I want to just keep directing. Every director just wants to go from film to film. I wish I were Rohit Shetty. Like, literally, while he’s editing one film, he’s directing the next film and promoting the third. If I had the confidence to just do that and not be so worried about the outcome, I would make many more films,” Kiran said.

The filmmaker’s comments come after her return to directing with Laapataa Ladies, which marked her first directorial feature in 13 years. The long gap between projects had prompted many to wonder whether she felt the urge to direct during that period.

Addressing the question, Kiran explained that her hesitation often stems from a strong sense of responsibility towards the stories she chooses to tell and the resources involved in filmmaking. “But I’m almost too careful about the viability of a project, the story and what I want to say. This is something that everyone should think about because films take a lot of resources; they’re not just nothing. I try to be mindful of that. But yes, I’d love to make many more films,” she added.

Despite her cautious approach, Kiran appears to have a packed creative slate ahead. The filmmaker disclosed that she is currently working on four or five different projects simultaneously, each belonging to a distinct genre.

According to Rao, one of the projects is a supernatural horror film, while another explores the noir genre. She also revealed that she is developing a comedy-drama that carries shades of the storytelling style seen in Laapataa Ladies.

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