Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has once again opened up about the challenges he faced during the making of his 2007 sports drama Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal. In a candid conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, Agnihotri revealed behind-the-scenes friction involving actor John Abraham, the influence of Anurag Kashyap, and the turmoil caused by personal relationships on set.
Vivek said that the film was troubled from the start due to a lack of faith in his writing from the production house UTV.
“When I was working on the film, the production house UTV didn’t consider me a capable writer. UTV was fascinated by the idea of working with Anurag Kashyap, even though the film’s subject did not align with him.”
He added that John Abraham came on board because of Anurag, taking a clear swipe at the actor’s performance.
“Everyone was like, ‘Let’s take John, he is a footballer. That’s how he became a part of the film. But you tell me, if it’s a film about football, what should an actor do? We called a premium league coach to train Arshad Warsi, Raj Joshi, and they all put their soul in preparing, but in all of John’s scenes, we had to shoot his face and feet separately.”
Agnihotri further praised Arshad Warsi’s commitment, contrasting it with John’s alleged limitations:
“Arshad had given his all for that film. He questioned me on things, he didn’t tell me, ‘reduce my dialogues’ Why? Because you can’t say them at once? You can’t say five lines of dialogues in rhythm at once. This is your problem. Then why should these actors be given so much money?”
Despite the difficulties, Agnihotri still acknowledged the film’s cultural value and popularity:
“Goal was still a good film for its time, with the film’s songs becoming chartbusters.”
He also spoke about the impact of John Abraham and Bipasha Basu’s breakup during the shoot:
“When you’re in love, you have to deal with one set of issues, and after a breakup, a whole new set of problems arises. So, it became very difficult for me to manage everything. Even though I was the director of the film, the entire system was functioning based on the intelligence of a very mediocre actor.”
About the Film
Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal is a 2007 Indian sports drama set in the UK, centered around the fictional South Asian football team Southall United. The story addresses themes like racism, identity, and community unity through the sport. The film starred John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, and Bipasha Basu in lead roles.
What’s Next for Vivek Agnihotri?
Agnihotri is currently gearing up for the release of his next film, The Bengal Files: Right to Life, which is expected to explore the political climate of 1940s Bengal. Featuring Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, and Govind Namdev, the film is slated for theatrical release on September 5, 2025.