No jhootha promise this!
Jasmine Singh
Director Smeep Kang packed the DVDs of his best Punjabi films, Carry On Jatta, Bhaji In Problem, and left it with the super star of Hindi film industry Rishi Kapoor, for him to see and assess his work. The result of this exercise is that now he will be doing a Hindi film with Rishi, Jhootha Kahin Ka.
“He liked my work, and so I narrated the story of the film, and he was on board,” shares Smeep, who is back after shooting some part of the film in Mauritius.
Jhootha Kahin Ka also stars Jimmy Shergill, Omkar Kapoor and Sunny Singh in the film, and has nothing to do with old film Jhootha Kahin Ka other than the title. And before he lets us in about the comedy film, the director talks about the superstar who melts in his roles like butter, “Even smoother than it,” Smeep smiles. “Rishi Kapoor is one superstar, who understands that even though he is not playing the lead roles anymore, he puts himself entirely in the strong characters he plays. It is a delight working with an artiste like him, who is always open to ideas, accepting and giving the best.”
Taking out Punjabi from a Punjabi filmmaker, well, this is not happening here either! “See, my taste is going to remain Punjabi, but this time consciously I haven’t cast any Punjabi actor, Jimmy Shergill is more of a Bollywood actor. I haven’t shot in Punjab consciously so that the film Jhootha Kahin Ka doesn’t look like my old Punjabi films.”
But, Smeep couldn’t help bringing in a Punjabi character. “I had the image of veteran actor Prem Nath, Rishi Kapoor’s uncle in mind. I told Rishi ji about it and he said, why not! So, we Rishi Kapoor’s character in the film is loud and boisterous,” adds the director.
Smeep’s debut Bollywood film, Second Hand Husband, starring Gippy Grewal and Dharmendra, failed to create magic on screen, something Smeep minces no words acknowledging. “People in Bollywood still think it was a Punjabi film, this could be because there were so many Punjabi characters in it, but this Hindi film is certainly different,” he smiles. The director will soon start shooting for his Punjabi projects, comedy of course. “I will only make comedy. Period!”
jasmine@tribunemail.com
