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New Delhi: Nearly four decades after Tridev (1989) redefined the Bollywood action-thriller, director Rajiv Rai looks back on the film that made him and forward to what might still be ahead. In a candid conversation with News9 Digital, Rai reflects on the state of multi-starrers, revisits an old dream project with Salman Khan, and explains why he still believes every film should be built to last.

Look, I’m not sure (considering the question and thinking out aloud). I’ll answer that. Picture trying to cast a Sunny Deol, an Akshay Kumar, a Ranbir Kapoor, a Ranveer Singh, and from the younger generation, a Kartik Aaryan or a Varun Dhawan or Sidharth Malhotra a tier below them. Now try fitting five of those actors into one film. How on earth would you even manage it?

Honestly, I don’t see it happening. Not in the way multi-starrers used to be made. What I do see is that people are taking very good second-lead actors and character artistes and turning them into heroes. That’s a different phenomenon, not a true multi-starrer.

Yes, they are trying to make multi-starrers, and I think you’re talking about Dhurandhar here, which had a lot of faces in it. But Ranveer is the main face with Arjun Rampal and Akshaye Khanna playing antagonists. They weren’t written as co-heroes, even though Akshaye really stood out with his performance, and so did Ranveer and Arjun. All stood out individually. It’s a film with several strong performances, but it isn’t the same as a true multi-starrer that has three, four or five top heroes carrying the film together. I don’t think that’s happening right now.

If Tridev were to be made today, would you cast a fresh team? I think yes, though not entirely fresh faces. I’d lean toward the younger generation of actors. I don’t think I can find three fresh faces now. Where are they? I don’t have the energy!

So realistically, I’d work with whoever was available, willing to work with me and right for the part, provided I had a good script, can afford them and could make the film within budget. I’d absolutely cast the younger lot. Why not? It’d be a lovely idea.

In fact, there’s more to this than hypothetical casting. I actually have a Tridev script that Salman Khan and I once planned to make together. He still wants to make it. Salman is a one of my dearest friends. Maybe someday we’ll do the movie, but honestly I don’t know if I’ll do it.

Q. Looking back after 37 years, is there one scene or creative decision you’re most proud of, and one that you’d probably do differently?

Well, I’m proud of Tridev as a whole. But if I had to pick, it would be the set built on water that I’m really proud. It was designed by Bijon Dasgupta who took up the challenge. That decision was a creative one, and I am grateful to Bijon for it. The set gave the film real visual impact. It added a lot of oomph to it.

Would I do anything differently today? No. It’s a hit film, why would you want to do it differently and screw it up? If it’s done and it succeeded, you go to the temple, pray, look up to the sky and say thank you. You don’t go back and second-guess a result that’s already worked. Honestly, I’m happy with all my films

What do you think is the enduring magic of Tridev? Why does it continue appeal to audiences across generations?

I always looked at films futuristically. I made films that looked and felt modern. Even while shooting, I’d ask myself, “How will this look ten from now?” I always wanted my films and songs to look good even after 20 years. That was always in the back of my mind with every film. I don’t think I’ve been successful to do that with every film, but it’s always there.

No matter what film I do, I always try to make it eternal and evergreen. And when you try to do that, you have to look into the future ‒ that when the next generation watches it, maybe your own grandchildren watch it after 50 years, they understand it. The film, kind of, resonates with them. It’s a difficult task, because times change, taste changes. I don’t know if people will like Tridev today, but they sure did like it for a long period of time.

You just to make the film with everything you have ‒ your heart, mind, soul and give it your best shot. It’s a bit like batting, where you want to hit every ball that comes to you, for a six. It’s literally like that! So you’ve just got to hit it out of the park. That’s it. It’s not done intentionally, everything just happens magically. And that’s why it’s very important to believe in God. Because no matter how good or bad I am, it is God that does the magic, or whoever you believe is the power that governs the universe. You give credit to that Supreme Power. At least I do. Every night, every morning, I thank God and always hope to make a better film. Like I did with Zora (2025), another film of mine.

What about Zora?

I know I couldn’t pull off Zora commercially. I couldn’t get a release for it, and with the second one, Zoravar coming around September 18, I still hope people kind of like it. Because I may have made it in 1 or 2 crore, but I’ve done it to hit a sixer! But if I fail, I fail. You don’t cry and dwell on it, you keep trying till you get it right.

That’s always been my attempt, whether I am making a really big-budget film or an extremely low-budget one. So these two films were deliberately made on a shoestring budget as a challenge. Having met the challenge, I have no interest of repeating the exercise. If I return to making a film now, then I’d like it to be a big one.