Director and actor Jean Paul Lal has revealed that the commercial failure of ‘Nadikar’ was one of the toughest moments of his career, admitting it made him worry that people would no longer trust him with their investments or future projects.
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Speaking in an interview with Manorama Online’s Soul Side, Jean said he never dreamed of becoming a filmmaker despite being the son of veteran director Lal. His childhood ambition was to become a pilot, but he gave up the dream in Class 10 after realising it required Mathematics and Physics.
Jean began his film journey as an assistant director on ‘In Harihar Nagar 2’ before directing films like ‘Honey Bee’ and ‘Driving Licence’. He is now receiving praise for his performance as police officer Pavithran in ‘Balan’, following his appearance in ‘Manjummel Boys’. However, he said acting was never part of his original plan and believes a performance is recognised only when the film succeeds.
Looking back at ‘Honey Bee’, Jean said he made the film to portray young people realistically at a time when those who drank alcohol or had unconventional appearances were often stereotyped. While he does not regret making the film, he admitted he would approach the subject differently today, saying stories involving alcohol or drugs should also show the consequences of such choices.
Speaking about ‘Nadikar’, Jean said the criticism was painful, but the financial losses suffered by the producers affected him even more because they had trusted him with their investment. He added that if the film had succeeded, it could have opened doors to directing projects with some of India’s biggest stars. Instead, its short theatrical run left him questioning whether the industry would continue to place its faith in him.
Despite the setback, Jean says he accepts that failure is part of filmmaking and remains committed to moving forward in his career.
