No one will do it for me: Actor Vishwak Sen on directing Cult after Laila failure

Actor Vishwak Sen is looking to bounce back at the box office with Cult, an action drama that marks his return as a director after his recent films failed to perform as expected. The actor has confirmed that the film has completed shooting and will release in theatres on October 30 as planned.Vishwak Sen plays the lead role in the film and has taken over as director, having initially announced Tazuddin for the position. He revealed that the decision to make Cult came after the failure of his previous film, Laila.Speaking about the emotions he experienced during the difficult phase, at the trailer launch event, Vishwak Sen said, “Don't take the anxiety, depression and anger into you, as you have to give them to others.”The actor also apologised to Tazuddin for taking over the film's direction. “When the film was launched, we announced Tazuddin garu as the director. But I want to apologise to him because I have taken over the direction. Tazuddin garu is one of my acting gurus, and whenever I have any doubts, I go to him and attend a workshop. I asked him to direct Cult, but once the film started, I decided to direct it myself. So, I want to apologise to my guru,” he said. Vishwak Sen acknowledged that he had faced a series of setbacks but maintained that he did not blame the directors of his earlier films for their box-office performances.“The reason behind doing Cult is that I have seen unexpected flops continuously. I always believe my directors blindly, but I never blame them for the failures because we all worked as a team, and there are so many reasons for the failures. When I want to direct a film, I do it directly. Otherwise, I don't do ghost direction and put someone else's name on it,” he said. Explaining what prompted him to take charge of Cult, the actor recalled a conversation with his elder brother after Laila failed to perform well.“I told Tazuddin garu that I should stand on the bank if I want to save someone from drowning. Though I speak and look strong, I was feeling a bit low inside. After Laila, I was dull and sat at home. At that time, my elder brother called me and consoled me. He told me, ‘Your weapon is in your hands.’ That was when I realised that my comeback is in my hands. I have to stand up for my own sake, and no one else will do it for me. That was when I decided to come up with Cult,” Vishwak Sen said.The actor also thanked the nearly 150 professional actors who participated in the film. “I want to thank each and every one of those 150 professional actors. I want them to grow in their careers and reach greater heights,” he said.Describing Cult as an intense drama with global appeal, Vishwak Sen expressed confidence in its reception. “For the first five minutes, the film takes you into another world, and it is an intense drama. The audience will definitely like the drama more than the action. Whenever I experiment with my films, the audience encourages me a lot, and I am confident they will do the same with Cult. This two-hour-and-20-minute film will enthral everyone,” he said.The film's trailer introduces Vishwak Sen as DSP Sankalp Nayak, a police officer who strongly opposes drugs and refuses to tolerate those who consume them. The story unfolds inside an isolated estate on an island in Goa, where more than 300 people find themselves trapped.Surrounded by electric fencing, the property has an entrance rigged with RDX explosives, leaving those inside with seemingly no way out. To survive, the trapped individuals must participate in a series of deadly games, with every decision carrying potentially fatal consequences. Sankalp Nayak is among those caught in the dangerous situation and must navigate the escalating fight for survival. Cult features Gayatri Bharadwaj as the female lead and Tarak Ponnappa as the antagonist. Murali Sharma, Srikanth Iyengar and others play key roles. The film has also been dubbed into Japanese and Spanish.Tharun Bhascker has penned the dialogues, while Arvind Mule has handled production design. Aravind Viswanathan is the cinematographer, and Ravi Basrur has composed the music.With filming complete, Cult is gearing up for its October 30 theatrical release. For Vishwak Sen, the film is an attempt to reclaim his box-office footing while taking creative control as both the lead actor and director.- Ends