Awarapan, banjarapan...

Mona

Three young couples without a clue on how to best manage relationships and guiding each other at that...is the premise of a very contemporary film with a conventional name — Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara.

Made under Joy Mukerjee's banner, the film directed by Monjoy, has an ensemble cast and has been largely shot in Kashmir. The young crew made a brief stop-over at The Tribune on Tuesday and shared their awarapan.

Sahil Anand, our own Chandigarh guy, plays a struggling musician in Mumbai with steady girlfriend Pooja (played by Niyati Joshi). While Pooja pays the bills, this commitment-phobic artiste makes some music and some more girlfriends too! His friend Rikki is sailing in the same boat - living off his designer wife Sanya's (Divya Choksey) money. There is yet another couple — Patels — wherein the mother-in-law plays the catalyst for some fireworks.

The medley is sorted as these three couples head to Kashmir to explore love and are joined by another friend, Manjeet (Herry Tangri), and his wife. Would these tortured, twisted relationships get sorted or die a young death is what the film is all about.

Accompanying these young actors was producer Sujoy Mukerjee, happy with the energy that the newcomers bring to the sets. "We had a two-month thorough workshop before we embarked to Kashmir for the shoot." Happy how each one has got into the shoes of the characters they play, Sujoy is upbeat about the film and its music that's garnering good response.

Niyati Joshi and Divya Choksey debut with this film; they echo, "We try to bring in love, which is fast becoming a lost commodity." Feeling fortunate to have bagged the film with a banner like Joy Mukerjee, the girls don't deny the presence of casting couch. "I faced it first-hand with a very renowned director; as he came about it in 'go-around' manner. I was point blank that though I respect him for his craft I am not too desperate to compromise just to land a film." "Casting couch is not just there in the film industry, but in every field and it's up to an individual to get into it or not," chips in Divya.

The boys have challenges of their own. "The industry is divided into camps and its each other's children that they promote. Sridevi's daughter is yet to step into the field and already has Karan Johar backing her, Salman Khan too will only launch industry's sons," says Sahil, happy that there still are producers like Mukerjees who are ready to work and invest in outsiders.

Well, catch this gang in romantic comedy Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara that hits the screens on August 5.

FREE BIRDS

Taking after their film's title Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara, the film's cast admits being a little awara themselves; here is more on their awarapan...

Chanchal man, carefree attitude, I am awara in the sense that I do not take life too seriously. 

— Herry Tangiti

I play awara in the film, but in real-life I have found love in Kiran, an actor, who just like me, has passed out from the National School of Drama. 

— Vikram Kochhar

I am not as serious as I look. Apni space main total awara hoon. 

— Niyati Joshi

I follow my own heart, to heck with the worldly ways. Love my awarapan. 

— Divya Choksey

I was awara in college; Mumbai changed my life. I am a responsible sort now. 

— Sahil Anand 

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