Jail which opened last week would serve as deterrent for potential law breakers. Or so director Madhur Bhandarkar would like to believe.

“Anyone would think twice before committing a crime after seeing in my film what life is like inside a prison,” says the director.

Madhur Bhandarkar’s Jail opened below expectations. The hard-hitting director has no qualms in admitting it. “It was a slow starter. But collections have picked up from the third day,” says Madhur, and adds, “You’ve to admit it requires guts to make a film set in a jail. The other film releasing with us was a light fun filled entertainer. We were fighting formidable competition since Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani was a lavish film. Ours is 12-crore rupee film and we’ll recover our money. The producers are happy. There are still the satellite rights to be sold.”

Madhur fights off comparisons with between Jail and his last film. “Fashion was a glamorous glossy big-budget film. Jail is a grim and honest look at life in a prison. It has a strong word-of-mouth element.”