Next Goal Wins maker Taika Waititi says Remo D'Souza's dance film ABCD is his 'favourite': 'I think everyone should...'

There have often been moments when Hollywood actors and directors have looked up to Indian Cinema and loved our films and shows. While the notion remains the same on how Hollywood is way too ahead of us in terms of filmmaking, technology and storytelling, it’s not always correct. Many films and Indian filmmakers have carved a name for themselves with their movies and inspired others. Recently, in what might come as a surprise for everyone Hollywood director Taika Waititi, famous for his films like Thor Ragnarok, and Jojo Rabbit, revealed that Remo D’Souza’s 2013 film ABCD: Any Body Can Dance, is one of his favourites. Taika also praised Satyajit Ray’s film Pather Panchali and said that it was an inspiration for him when he started making movies but immediately brought up ABCD as the film that “everyone should watch.”

Speaking about Indian cinema to India Today, Taika said, “Of course, the Satyajit Ray film Pather Panchali. It was beautiful and very inspirational when I was making my early films. Next is the fabulous ABCD which is a fantastic big film which I think everyone should watch.”

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ABCD was a dance film starring Prabhu Deva, Kay Kay Menon, Lauren Gottlieb, Punit Pathak, Dharmesh and Salman Yusuff Khan. The film had a sequel which was released in 2015.

After directing the much-acclaimed Thor Ragnarok, Taika was brought back by MCU to direct Thor Love & Thunder. In an earlier interview with Deadline, Taika had mentioned that he had “no interest” in directing Thor Ragnarok and only took up the project for financial reasons. Ragnarok was a massive success but the same success could not be repeated with Love & Thunder. After the release of his 2022 film, he told Business Insider that he won’t be involved with Thor 5.

Taika’s last directorial, Next Goal Wins, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, is all set to release in Indian theatres on February 2. He has previously won an Oscar award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his 2019 film _Jojo Rabbit_.