People told me not make a film like 'Hichki': Sidharth P Malhotra

With an unusual story about a protagonist suffering from Tourette syndrome, Sidharth P Malhotra approached a lot of producers for "Hichki" only to get rejected, but the director is now beaming with a smile and enjoying the success of the film.

The Rani Mukerji-starrer, which released last week, has been lauded by both the critics as well as the audience, and Malhotra is "still numb" that the movie he "breathed, lived, consumed" for five years is getting overwhelming response at the box-office.

"I pitched it to every person in the world and everyone told me 'don't make a film about a teacher, what is Tourette syndrome, are you mad and this isn't a commercial film'. Some heard me, some said I've lost the plot," Malhotra told PTI.

"Then even I questioned myself - do I have it in me, have I really lost it? I went through this many times. I've been really fortunate that I got Yash RajFilms to back my story," he adds.

Malhotra says he holds no grudges towards anyone for rejecting the story.

"I thank them for teaching me more humility and that one shouldn't lose faith."
"Hichki" is an adaptation of US-based motivational speaker Brad Cohen's autobiography, "Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had."