The tag line of Pritish Nandy Communications – MOVIES THAT ROCK – says it all. One of the forerunners of non-formulaic cinema catering to a discerning, cash-rich, multiplex audience, Pritish Nandy, founder and promoter of the company, outlines its goal simply. “All we wanted to do was make good, interesting, contemporary cinema.” The pioneer shares his philosophy and plans with Verve.

The birth of multiplexes and PNC happened almost simultaneously. Not so coincidentally, your films cater to an urban, niche audience. How do you choose your subjects?
It was actually a coincidence. When I entered the film industry, all I wanted to do was make the kind of movies I would have liked to watch. The stale formula of Bollywood needed to be supplemented with a new kind of cinema that was commercial in its language and yet was brave enough to experiment and connect with new, urban audiences. I agree it was initially niche. But today it is no longer so. The niche cinema that the industry made fun of is now the mainstream cinema of tomorrow. I make thrillers, comedies, drama and serious stuff. But they cater to the new audience who is young, clever, liberal and ready to be challenged by new ideas. We challenged the orthodoxy of Bollywood and fashioned, you could say, a new audience for ourselves.

From talented directors like Sudhir Mishra and Rahul Rawail to totally unknown names like Sujoy Ghosh and Leena Yadav – you gave opportunities to diverse talents. What is your yardstick when selecting them?
Good scripts cry to be recognised. Unfortunately, Bollywood is too busy bootlicking stars and making monsters out of mediocre directorial talents. I had no background in the industry. This allowed me the freedom to think outside of clichés and cliques. I did not follow anything except my heart. In the beginning, distributors refused our films, actors were wary of us and there were no financiers for the kind of cinema I wanted to make. Everyone thought corporatisation was a big joke. But we were one of the first to do an IPO and raise public funds. That saw us through. We created our own universe and that eventually redefined Bollywood. We were just lucky. But that luck began with the fact that we were not ready to compromise.

What are your criteria when signing the cast?
Very simple. We look for the ideal cast. When that’s not available, we look for alternatives. I am fortunate we have had some of the biggest stars working with us – Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Kajol – and some of the finest actors – Rahul Bose, Shiney Ahuja, Kay Kay Menon, and the biggest surprise of all, Mallika Sherawat in Pyar Ke Side Effects. Fardeen Khan has done some great stuff for us. So has Esha Deol. We are constantly looking for talent. There is no rocket science required in recognising talent. It socks you between the eyes.

How do you generate finance for small films?
We have never sought out money. We use our own funds to make movies and then put them out. We are not answerable to fund providers. We make the kind of movies we are committed to and the kind our audiences come to watch.

What do you count as your biggest success stories?
None. Only an idiot would claim any of his achievements as success stories. Success is what you strive for, not what you have achieved. The day I feel I have succeeded is the day I will quit movies and move to something else. A desperate, obsessive, manic desire to succeed is what drives me.

What have the damp squibs taught you? Any no-nos?
My only no-no is to compromise. I will not choose a second-rate script. I will not choose a rotten director however famous he or she may be. I will not choose an egotistic star only to please my distributors. I will not make a movie I don’t believe in. Because I am human, I will make mistakes. But I will not knowingly make the wrong choices.

Where do you see yourself in 2008?
Struggling to make a great film. Struggling to satisfy the demons within me. Struggling to find new talent, new scripts, new opportunities and new challenges. Trust me, it’s not easy.