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The pasha of entertainment tells an interesting story on how he ‘discovered’ Katrina Kaif for his new entertainer, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya. “Salman and I were sitting together when Katrina walked in. I exclaimed, ‘What a lovely child!’ She’s by far the best-looking heroine to have entered the film industry in recent times.”
Isn’t Dhawan unhappy that Ram Gopal Varma has stolen the thunder of re-booming Katrina? Dhawan is always the jolly Santa of the social circles. “No, no!” he protests. “Why should I be unhappy about Katrina being in Sarkar? She had a small role. But everyone liked her. She’s here to stay.”
| David Dhawan, the master of celluloid comedy,
is planning to remake the Bachchan starrer, Amar Akbar Anthony. The remake will
be his personal tribute to his guru, Manmohan Desai. This was his long-cherished
dream and with remakes of Don and Sholay making news he is determined to do his
bit soon. “I kept postponing my dream project. But now I’m going to
do it within a year,” he says. Dhawan’s version will definitely have
established stars, though not finalised. But what’s bugging him is the relocation
of the plot. The original Amar Akbar Anthony was based on Mumbai. |
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As for Sushmita, who plays the nurse’s role in Dhawan’s own version of Cactus Flower, the director was sure he wanted none but Sush for the part. “She was my first and last choice for the nurse’s role.” The mention of Salman lights up Dhawan’s demeanour. “He’s such a yaaron ka yaar. All my films with him, from Biwi No. 1 to Judwaa to Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge to Mujhe Shaadi Karogi have been hits. Hopefully, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya will also join the gang. It’s a very young, chic film?younger than Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. Very chilled out. I banked on the youth for success in Mujhse Shaadi?. And now this film as well. Although the hero is the same, the girls, the film’s look and plot are completely different. So those who are saying Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya is an extension of my earlier film are barking up the wrong tree. I’d say I’ve gone steps ahead. If Mujhse Shaadi Karogi marked the reinvention of David Dhawan then Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya marks my growth in my new phase.” As usual, David sounds totally in control. “I’m very charged, very upbeat about the kind of films I’m making now.”
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Was the female lead and the film’s title Salman’s idea? “Not at all! I wanted them both in my film. The title seems so apt for the film’s plot. It gives a sense of immediate and easy identification with the hero. Salman’s Maine Pyar Kiya may have come 15 years ago. But no one has forgotten it. Both Salman and I have come a long way?I can’t believe Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya is my 37th film! And I’ve just completed my 38th film, Shaadi No 1. In fact, I just saw it last night. It’s looking really young?again.”
As David grows older, his cinema seems to be getting younger. “I feel I’ve rediscovered my youth. I think I’ve come a long way in terms of technique. But finding story writers is becoming a problem,” says the ever-grin man of great mirth worth. Suddenly, David gets nostalgic about his favourite hero. “I’ve missed working with Govinda lately. We’re definitely doing a film together very soon. Govinda may be going through a lean patch. Even I’ve gone through that. But talent like his cannot be kept down.”
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