'Jannat 2', a sequel to 2008 hit film 'Jannat', depicts illegal arms trade in its backdrop, whereas the earlier movie was based on the issue of match-fixing.
Earlier, 'Jannat 2' was titled 'Informer', but it was later changed primarily to lure the audience.
"When we called the film 'Informer', we got a very cold response, so we renamed it as 'Jannat 2'. The title was not generating excitement in market. For a blockbuster mentality the opening weekend is always important. It gives you a feeling of safety. What 'Jannat 2' can do, 'Informer' would not do," Mahesh Bhatt told PTI.
"With sequels, audience feels the second or third part is close to what they have experienced in previous film. A new face, a newcomer, or a new title is not picked up by people immediately, but if it is familiar then it works in most cases. So the safety is to take the franchise forward. A franchise does give you an illusion of safety," he said.
'Jannat 2' is a tumultuous rollercoaster journey of a hard-bitten cop and his hustling informer set against the murky backdrop of the arms trade in north India.
Releasing this Friday, the film directed by Kunal Deshmukh stars Emraan Hashmi, Esha Gupta and Randeep Hooda.
The last release from Bhatt camp was Kunal Khemu starrer 'Blood Money', which was earlier titled 'Kalyug 2'. But the title was changed later and the movie did not have a decent run at the box office.
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"In case of 'Blood Money', people did come to watch but I had to work 20 times harder. We realised that it is difficult to sensitise people if you have something new and a new star," Bhatt said. PTI KKP GK
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