Exclusive: B.K. Modi talks about Shankar – The Revolutionary Man, digital transformation and building a new India

Your series, Shankar – The Revolutionary Man, is based on Adi Shankaracharya. How does this series aim to connect with the revolutionary ideas in modern India?

Well, I see Shankar as a revolutionary because he changed the whole way the Hindu society was working through various, you know, mathadhish and various people, pundits and all, and puja path, and karamkand. So, he brought everything out and changed the whole thinking about what is Hindu. So, that is again something which was disruptive to the Hindu society and created a new society. So, that's why we call him a revolutionary man because that's the disruption part.

So, everybody who comes, he should disrupt something which is not right. And there is a lot of things which is not right. So, hopefully I will make films where youth are frustrated because they are being told this is right and their consciousness tells them this is not right. So, I think there is a big conflict among the youth and the older philosophies. I won't say old people. Older philosophies.

They don't link it with themselves. They feel they have to focus on themselves rather than what… They don't have time to go to temples or they don't have time to, you know, spend time for various old rituals and things like that. They will rather say that, okay, I take Sun as my visible God and me and myself can see what is good for me. I don't need… I am the boss of my own life.

Your journey spans entrepreneurship, spirituality, and filmmaking. What inspired you to take the leap into creating a web series now?

Before filmmaking, you know, I used to write books on spirituality, but nobody reads the books, okay? So, now we have to tell the story which will give people understanding of what is spirituality for themselves. So, that is the way I made Oh My God! I made this Buddha and now Adi Shankaracharya and many more.

Because life is speed up. Now I am more experienced in what are the glitches in making a film which I was not aware in the past.

You backed OMG – Oh My God! that sparked national conversation around faith and religious practices. What inspired you to support such a bold narrative, and in what ways do you feel its message still resonates in today's socio-cultural landscape?

No, because it's about yourself. It's not about society. Everybody should focus on himself and he can do whatever he likes. It's a self-confidence building. So, that is what is required. It's nothing to do with the society. Society is made of people and the people are confident, they change the society.

Your upcoming series boasts a stellar cast including Shilpa Shirodkar, Rati Pandey, and other prominent names. What was your experience collaborating with such seasoned actors, and how did their presence elevate the storytelling?

Well, this is the, you know, we have the story, we have the cast and then we have a casting director who tried to get the cast which is… Because there are certain cast which can be known people.

But there are certain cast which cannot be known people. Like the guy who plays Adi Shankaracharya, cannot be known person. But the guy who is his mother or gurus, they can be known people.

Because the people like to know who are the… So, most of the character artists are known artists. And the person who plays a hero is not known. Or person who plays some of the key roles of, you know, in the story are not known. So, it's a mixture of both.

What’s next after this series? Should we expect more creative ventures from Dr. Modi in the entertainment space?

Because last time we had a team, we break it, then the next team comes. So, I am making a team which will be with me for the next five years. And then we can make many pictures because most of the people have a team, you know. That's why they made. Like just Chopra has a team.

He keeps making films. Most of the actors also have their own teams, you know. So, they keep on making films. The actor himself is the hero in most of the films they make. So, everybody has a team to make films. I don't have a team yet. I hope this project will give me a team.

There is a lot of debate about language, you know, Pan India. What do you think, are language, culture, heritage, religion, as per you, these contributors and are these catalysts for an India for progressive?

Nowadays, you know, we are working worldwide. So, world mein toh bahot languages hai [A lot of languages are there in the world]. So, now, when you make films, I think they are dubbed in many, many languages, okay? So, when you make a content, it goes in, not in one language, but in all the languages, there is a demand for that content. So, language in this film industry is dying, especially with the OTT, like Netflix.

You have led successful ventures across sectors like telecom, healthcare and real estate. How do these diverse businesses align with your current focus on spiritual and cultural initiatives like these cities?

Well, you know, I do business, not as a business; I'm a tech operator. So, whatever business I do, I'm the first to do that kind of business, okay? So, telecom, the first mobile call was mine. In auto office, automation, Xerox, I was the first in this business. So, most of the business I do, I'm the first.

And depends on, it's accepted in the market, then other people come later, okay? So, now I'm getting into new business where again I'm first, okay? So, I'm getting into the business of real estate construction material, which is prefab, so that you can make buildings very fast. So, that is, I'm starting a total new business where I'm the only one who is doing it, okay? So, the same way in healthcare, I'm doing business which only we are doing, which is how to live beyond 100, okay? So, in the film also, I'm doing something which nobody else is doing. Because my films are something which will last not for one month or two months, but at least five to ten years.

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Which sectors are you currently prioritising, and how is your group adapting to global shifts such as digital transformation, wellness, and conscious living?

Okay, yes. So, first I'm getting into building a new India. Because I'll build the smart cities of India, which India has not even built one.

So, all this program of smart city has virtually failed. So, for that, I'm building new type of construction material, which is never seen before. And this will be, what I say, the walking cities, okay? Which are where you can walk, everything is close by, okay? So, that is a city where people, it's like a downtown area I built, okay? So, that's, and I'm bringing a total new technology in construction.

Which will disrupt the whole, this building material industry, okay? So, that's one. Second is the health also. I'm bringing a technology where you will be able to fight disease in you at the first stage. So, that you don't die from any disease, whether it's heart failure or anything else.