Ganpati celebrations at Sonu Sood's Mumbai home came with a message of new beginnings this year. The actor, who welcomes Bappa to his Juhu residence every Ganesh Chaturthi, spoke to NDTV about what makes this year particularly special, from the success of Hanuman Ansh to the new film he has been working on for over a year.
Talking about the success of Hanuman Ansh, Sonu Sood said the film's performance is proof that a film does not necessarily need a big budget, star faces or extensive marketing to connect with audiences. For him, the biggest factor is whether a story manages to strike an emotional chord.
"I am very happy that a film like Hanuman Ansh is doing so well. Apart from the blessings, it also proves that it's not about budgets, faces or actors or the marketing. It's about the content that works, something that connects with the soul," Sonu said.
The actor believes the film's success offers an important lesson for the industry, which often focuses heavily on scale, glamour and star power. According to him, filmmakers need to put greater emphasis on stories that audiences can relate to.
"So I think it's high time we make films not just for the glamour but stories that can connect to the people, that they can relate to. I think that is what the biggest learning from Hanuman Ansh," he added.
For Sonu, the arrival of Bappa this year also coincides with another new beginning. The actor revealed that he has been working on his upcoming project Nandi, spending an unusually long time on the writing process.
"It's going to be very special this year. We have been working on a script called Nandi. I have been busy writing since the last 16 months. I would say in my entire career I haven't done so much work in the writing stages," he said.
Sonu explained that he has deliberately invested time in getting the story right, pointing out that a film's foundation is created during the writing stage.
"Movies are made on the table when you write stories. We have given that much of time to make something really sharp. I feel this is the right direction. Now it's all up to Bappa to guide us and we will bring something very special," he said.
As Sonu Sood celebrates Ganpati at home, the actor is looking at both the success of Hanuman Ansh and the beginning of his next chapter with Nandi as signs of an exciting phase ahead.
