Filmmaker Prakash Jha, known for serious, big screen outings such as Aarakshan and Satyagraha, is happy to produce a non-star cast comedy Crazy Cukkad Family as he wants to support small films and fresh talent.
Crazy Cukkad Family, directed by debutant Ritesh Menon, stars singer-composer Swanand Kirkire in his acting debut and Shilpa Shukla of Chake De fame.
“Over the years I have done my films but also supported small films. It is time that new talent and content-driven cinema gets the focus. The industry has been taken over by the corporates and they don’t invest and develop. They are always into big stars and projects.
“I felt I should give chance to younger talent. It is a very conscious decision that I will keep making movies which are my forte but there are others whose stories I like so I will support them,” Jha said in an interview.
The director said he was attracted to the relatable and entertaining story of the film.
“Crazy Cukkad Family is a small budget and non-star cast film. It is a very entertaining comedy. The film is about values and a family, where people keep running after the golden egg and eventually become ‘cukkads’.
“It is a sweet, light-hearted story with a fresh bunch of people, who are very talented. The situations are very real in the movie,” he said.
Praising Swanand’s performance in the film, Jha said, “He is so natural. He has done a lot of theatre so he is not new to acting. He has done a great job in the movie. He was so apt for the role. You will be surprised to see him,” Jha said.
Crazy Cukkad Family, produced by Prakash Jha Productions and also starring Zachary Coffin, Nora Fatehi, Kushal Punjabi Jugnu Ishiqui and Anushka Sen, is set to release in India on January 16.
