Sallu concerned about Katrina
Anees Bazmee is delighted with Ileana who stepped into Sonakshi’s shoes; and adds that she was more than perfect.
Salman Khan is indeed very protective about Katrina because they go back a long way
When the prolific writer-director Anees Bazmee began directing his new comedy Mubarakan, the film starred Sonakshi Sinha opposite Arjun Kapoor. But it seems that Sonakshi and Arjun do not see eye to eye. Hence, Sonakshi opted out, leaving the project short of a leading lady.
Now that the film is complete, Anees isn’t the least bitter about the past. “This was not the first time when I faced a casting crisis. Every time I had a lastminute panic situation, the replacement actor has proven to be the ideal choice. This time, Ileana D’Cruz came in Sonakshi’s place and fit the role so perfectly, I wonder why I never thought of her in the first place. She has many years of experience in South Indian cinema and has brought so much character to the movie.”
Talking about the other
lady in Mubarakan, Anees’ eyes light up. “Aathiya’s father, Sunil Shetty is my friend. I have seen her as a child running around the house. Aathiya has tremendous potential. Her debut in Hero was not that stellar,
a film’s success depends on multiple factors. I believe she has a long way to go.”
Anees is gung-ho about the male cast, too. “I’ve worked with Anil Kapoor before. He is so enthusiastic about his work that it’s contagious. However, it was my first time with Arjun, and even though the duo is chacha-bhatija, on the sets, they were two professional actors working on their scenes. Those who think nepotism drives this industry should see how professional this duo is on the sets.”
Coming across a multi-starrer like Mubarakan in present times is rare. Anees says there are three superstars in film. “The script, the script and the script.”
It’s better luck next time to Irrfan Khan, who was keen to play the legendary poet-lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi. Sahir wrote some of the most influential film songs like Jinhe naaz hai hind par who kahaan hai (Pyasa) and Woh subah kabhi toh aayegi (Phir Subah Hogi). Abhishek is going to be essaying the titular character. The actor has lost close to 12 kgs to play the lean and luminous poet who redefined the postIndependent Hindi film songs with words that arose from a wounded Indian civilisation. Abhishek, who is also poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s grandson, has been familiarising himself with Sahir’s brilliant lyrics. In fact, his father Amitabh Bachchan lip-synced to Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon and Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein in Yash Chopra’s Kabhi
Kabhie. The Sahirbiopic will be directed by debutante Jasmeet Reen and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Abhishek will be playing a real-life character for the second time in his career. He earlier played a character based on Dhirubhai Ambani in Mani Ratnam’s Guru.
This will be the actor’s first collaboration with Sanjay. For years, Abhishek has craved to work with SLB as both are extremely fond of one another.
“Sanjay has worked with my wife (Aishwarya) so many times and my father in Black. But I don’t think he has any place for me in his cinema,” Abhishek had grumbled goodnaturedly once.
Well, the story goes that Sanjay wanted to cast Abhishek as Mahatma Gandhi’s son Harilal. But theatre and film director Feroz Abbas Khan made the same story with Akshaye Khanna in the lead. Now, finally Abhishek gets to be in a Sanjay’s creation, albeit one where the celluloid magician is only the producer. We can’t wait to see the outcome.