Do they hate cricket or Harman: Ajitpal Mangat By Subhash K Jha

The Victory Director Ajitpal Mangat Feels His Film Victory Was Badly Treated Because The Critics Hated Cricket& Harman, Not Necessarily In That Other

How much do you think Zoya Akhtar's Luck By Chance affected your film?
Honestly when I heard we were both coming on the same day I thought my film won't get affected because we belonged to different genres. But I was apprehensive about the two heroes being compared.

You mean because both Hurman and Farhan were doing their post-debut films?
Yes and compared unfavourably. But for reasons completely unknown to me the critics decided to take off on my film. Why? Because I'm not from the industry and I don't fraternize with the big stars? My film shouldn't have been panned just because Harman's first film didn't do well.

Most reviews are talking about Hurman's performance. There's more to Victory than the leading man's performance. You can't poison the audiences' mind against the film.

You're giving too much important to reviewers?
No, critics are very important nowadays when watching a film is such an expensive thing. And I think a film about cricket should've been reviewed by critics who at least didn't disliked the game.

So what worked against your film, cricket or Harman?
I definitely think it was Hurman. Some critics said the cricket scenes were not shot well. That's not what Yuvraj, Jai Surya and Sachin Tendulkar said. I had told Hurman that the critics would be very very harsh because I'm from outside the industry. They hate my lead actor for whatever reason.

So do you think Victory would've been better received without Harman?
I can't say that. All I can say is, I'm happy I chose him. Hurman is a fine actor and he has done the cricket scenes very effectively. Sections decided to hate the film even before seeing it. Either they hated Hurman or cricket.

Apparently you and Hurman were at loggerheads during the film's making?
Not true at all. We had absolutely no problem with one another. I don't know why my film was punished. I don't belong to a film family. I don't know about the workings of the industry.

I thought filmmaking was only about making a film. Whoever has seen Victory has liked it. Unfortunately not enough people were encouraged to see the film.The critics were terribly harsh on me.

Do you think Luck By Chance was treated too kindly?
I haven't seen Zoya's film. I'm sure she has made a good film. But why was my film rammed? Do they hate cricket or Harman? All of us have slogged hard on Victory.

Why are you ripping it when I know I've made a good film? Just because my film doesn't have a superstar in the lead? Just because my actors are not media savvy? Just because I am not close to powerful section of the industry and don't sit and wine and dine with the who's who? Whatever the reason I'm very hurt. I made a film on cricket and we all love the game. So why slam a film on the game?