No more 'typical' comedies from David Dhawan

Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) "'Shaadi No. 1' is my farewell film," David Dhawan jolts you with his declaration. "After this, no more such 'typical' comedies."

"Shaadi No. 1" is David's second release in six months. "I've again gone into my patent entertainment genre. But I wouldn't like to go into it again.

"It's the last of my trademark entertainers. I had six stars to handle in 'Shaadi No 1'. So it had to be a typical film...

"Not that there are many major stars besides Sanjay Dutt. But I had a great rapport with the entire cast. The new thing about this one is that I am back with producer Vashu Bhagnani. In between he was doing his own films and I was doing my own thing," David said.

David denies any rift with Bhagnani. "In fact he had asked me to direct 'Om Jai Jagdish' for him. But I just didn't connect with the script.

"Vashu's passion for filmmaking remains undiminished. Other directors may have had problems with Vashu. Not me. If I did, why would I work with him for the fifth time when I have 15 producers at my doorstep?

"I don't want to name them. But I dumped two producers to accommodate Vashu's 'Shaadi No. 1'. He's a very enterprising producer."

David seems to be well into Vashu-shastra. "He got me permission to shoot a song in France within two hours. A good producer is hard to come by. I hope for his sake 'Shaadi No. 1' works.

"After seeing the film he said, 'Don't worry.' Lekin worry to rahegi... I've been directing for two decades. I have survived.

"Today I am competing with a whole new generation of filmmakers. That's because I am not fearful of change. If you are not ready to move on people will move you out. I am ready to move on to a new level. I'm not scared."

With his next venture, David plans to "take care" of Govinda's career. "He's a diamond that needs to be polished again. I know he'll be rocking from the first shot I take.

"I won't disappoint Govinda or our fans. His character will be very performance-oriented. The focus will be on Govinda and Salman's performances."

David is ready to move to a different level. "And why just me? All those who are successfully making comedies will have to keep changing the style.

"There was time a few years ago when comedies didn't work. Now they work better than romantic films. Now everyone is doing a David Dhawan. I was honest to the task of generating laughter, to my gurus like Manmohan Desai.

"I learnt from him like Eklayva. I tell Manji's son that I am the true inheritor of the Manmohan Desai school of filmmaking. My most memorable day was when he came to visit me on the sets of 'Eena Meena Deeka' and offered me a film.

It was a dream come true. What I learnt from Manji before he died has stayed with me."

And now David Dhawan is planning a sequel of sorts to Manmohan Desai's best-known film "Amar Akbar Anthony."

"It isn't going to be a sequel. More like a modern interpretation. It would be how Manji would make it if he did it today. I have already finalised the producer - a very big name.

"It'll have to be a big cast. The script will have to be revamped. But Anthony Gonzalves will remain unchanged. You can't change that."

He looks back on the "Shaadi No. 1" experience with satisfaction. "Sometimes I wonder how I pull such things off! Only I could've done 'Shaadi No. 1'.

"There are 12 characters in the film, and the three boys - Fardeen, Zayed and Sharman - are together all the time. They've lifted the film. Sanjay Dutt, who plays the big brother, is amazing... and the film is very fast paced. The screenplay unwinds at a rapid speed."

Suddenly there is a spate of three-hero films.

"Getting the dates of the top notch actors is becoming a problem. So the solution is to bring 2-3 heroes together. The audience gets a feast... yeh bhi hai woh bhi hai ... the collection of stars looks nice on the posters.

"Even earlier Amitji always worked with two heroes... in 'Sholay' he had Dharmendra with him... Even today leading men like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan have the one-hero clout, I tell you."

Now David is on a Salman trip. "Salman is such a generous actor. Any newcomer who gets close to him finds a role in his film. If I were a newcomer I would want Salman for a friend. He helps without making a noise about it."

Priyadarshan's comedy "Garam Masala" is releasing alongside "Shaadi No. 1".

"That film is also looking damn good. I want to see 'Garam Masala'. I like the competition. It's very colourful. The multiplex theatres have made so much of a difference to the film business.

"Which one would I buy a ticket for? 'Garam Masala' of course. Because I don't have to pay to see my own film! I always stand at the door and watch my own films. I am too tense to sit still. I stand at the door and evaluate people's reactions."

David is impatient to move on. "One thing is for sure. I am changing my style of comedy after 'Shaadi No.1'. Comedy has so many faces. I've just started exploring."

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Shaadi No 1