Indian cinema most prolific in the world: Oliver Stone

Mumbai, Oct 26 (PTI) Three-time Oscar winning actor-
director Oliver Stone finds Indian cinema as the most prolific
industry in the world.
According to Stone, who will be conferred with the
lifetime achievement award at the 12th Mumbai Film Festival,
Indian cinema inspires people's desire to be flexible in life.
"It is only in Indian movies that you can shift from
comedy to romance and tragedy which symbolises life in
general," he told reporters here Tuesday.
On whether he would make a film in India with Indian
actors, Stone said he would love to, especially if he had to
have the luck of Danny Boyle.
Stone's "Alexander Revisited" will have a special
screening at the festival Wednesday.
"The film has not been released anywhere except the
US. The original was released in November 2004 after
completing the shooting in March that year. The post
production schedule was very tight. It did poorly at the box
office in the US and other English-speaking countries. The
overall box office collections were USD 150 million," he
recalled.
Stone said he decided to re-release the film after
re-working on it.
"Chemistry among actors, timing and luck play a very
important factor. Every film has its own destiny. Once it
comes out, it stays on celluloid. Some movies are instant hits
and some grow over a period," he said.
The actor-director, who arrived in Mumbai from
Singapore, said visiting India was like a homecoming.
"I have shot in Laddakh for 'Alexander' and have very
fond memories."
Stone said he grew up watching popular cinema. "Later,
I studied Satyajit Ray in my film school."
Stone said the sequel of "Wall Street" (1987), "Wall
Street - Money Never Sleeps" (2008) did not do well because it
turned out to be different and contrary to the audience's
expectations.
"They were expecting a different Oliver Stone," he
said, adding that the sequel to "Wall Street" was a family
drama of betrayal, love, trust with the Wall Street
developments as a background.
"I can never remake a movie. Both versions of Wall
Street matched their time."
Stone said he changed his style for every film.
"Both Wall Street and the sequel were very different
from each other. The 2008 film contained the visual language
of television."
The filmmaker said he was critical of former US
president George W Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq and
highlighted it in his movie "W".
"I am strongly against war and portrayed it through my
films," he said.
Stone said he was working on a 12-hour television
series on "the untold history of the US", which will be out
next year.
"It is factual that is lost to history and will be
depicted with archival footage and narrative," he said.