Manish Saini is a three-time National Award-winning filmmaker, known for films such as Dhh, Gandhi & Co. and Giddh: The Scavenger. With a strong focus on children and family-centric storytelling, his latest film, The Great Grand Superhero, stars Jackie Shroff.The film released in theatres when children’s vacations were coming to an end. Are you okay with the release timing?I felt that some of the things we had planned, such as interacting with audiences and visiting schools, could not really happen as intended. But this film is not only nostalgic; it is also a family film. It belongs, in a way, to people in their late 30s, 40s and mid-40s as well, allowing them to revisit their childhood memories. It reminds them of Raj Comics, Diamond Comics and their own home-grown superheroes. This is also a film for the audience that grew up watching Shaktimaan.How was your experience working with veteran actor Jackie Shroff?Jackie sir is incredibly punctual. He would always arrive exactly on time. Honestly, I hadn’t expected that. Many times, I would tell him, “Sir, we need to reach at this time,” and the most remarkable thing was that he would travel for almost one-and-a-half to two hours. His farmhouse is near Talegaon, and he would travel from there to the shooting location. Very often, he would even drive himself. Despite that, he would always reach exactly on time. He would tell me, “Just give me the exact time, and I’ll be there at that time.” When you receive that kind of support, and when an actor is so free, easy-going and generous, it makes everything much better.What draws you to telling stories for young audiences?What attracts me most about children’s stories is the innocence they have. That kind of emotion is very rare these days. We have all become very smart. We have smartphones in our hands, and we are making very sophisticated films. We are taking up complex subjects, but simple stories with innocence are slowly disappearing somewhere along the way. I feel that these kinds of genres should continue to be explored.Do you feel OTT could help the film reach a much wider family audience?Everyone has different perceptions about OTT platforms. In many places, there is a perception that OTT is meant for very personal viewing, that you watch it on your phone and stream content from wherever you are. But there is another perspective as well. The reason TV sizes have become so large and why huge televisions have entered the market is that people want to sit at home and watch together. If you look at the setting of most homes today, you’ll see a large television in the living room with a sofa placed in front of it. I think that setup is meant for the whole family.After three National Awards, what does success mean to you today — awards, box office or audience love?Success is a very interesting thing. If you achieve one thing, you naturally become eager for the next. Box office definitely attracts you. Awards also support and encourage you. Both of these things motivate you. But true success, in my opinion, is the appreciation of the audience.What do you hope children and families take away from The Great Grand Superhero?A filmmaker is a social communicator. Through films, they communicate with society, and people listen to what they have to say. They remember it too. People often recall that, “This was said in that film,” or, “That film conveyed this message.” The films I have made, such as Gandhi & Co. and The Great Grand Superhero, received a U certificate, meaning they are unrestricted and suitable for all audiences. A parent can put the film on an OTT platform and go about their work while the child watches it independently. They don’t need to worry because it is a U-certified film.The Great Grand Superhero is streaming on ZEE5.