Abhishek is not media shy

The word media seems to have become Abhishek Bachchan’s ‘favourite’ word as Shubha Shetty-Saha discovers during this interview

You must have pinned a lot on Dostana...
The story is different and novel. I have not done comedy for a long time. It’s special as Tarun (Mansukhani), who is a childhood friend, has directed it.

There is this gay angle to the film...
Not at all. This whole gay angle is being blown out of proportion, because the media had already decided what the film is about before even watching it…(huh?)

Would you play a gay character in a film?
Why not? If the script is good, and the director is sensible enough who would sensitively essay the character, I would do it. At the end of the day, we are actors and we would like to do roles which pose a challenge for us. I would do it any time.

Gay characters are more or less a taboo subject till now in Hindi movies…
(Flaring up) That’s not true. The media thinks it’s taboo. It’s very unfair to blame Hindi movies. The Hindi films never considered homosexuals as a taboo. Indian films have always dealt with daring subjects, for example Kabhi Kabhie which dealt with an illegitimate child. So there you are. (huh?)

Was Drona’s failure difficult to accept?
It was difficult, very difficult. A lot was invested not only financially but emotionally too. It is tough to accept at the end of the day, that you give your best to something and your audience thinks your best is not good enough. It is a tough pill to swallow. Drona was directed by a very dear friend (Goldie Behl) who had invested his entire life for the film. I feel bad for him. But you have to accept it and move on.

Do you think that it was not up to the mark?
If the film is not done well, the movie is bad. It’s as simple as that. I don’t believe it when people say our movie was ahead of its time. If it was so ahead, you should not have made it at that time. I was wrong. I realise that script is the most important thing. It should appeal to you at an emotional level. Rest of all is garnishing…

Is it true that you got Kareena Kapoor replaced in Dostana?
Not true at all. I don’t have the inclination or the power to allow people to do the film or not do the film. It is solely the producers’ decision. As far as I know Aishwarya was supposed to do the role. Karan later decided she shouldn’t do it and then Priyanka came in. Replacing and patching up are juvenile words used by the media. Something I don’t subscribe to. I really don’t understand what the big deal is. Do you really think I have the power to replace people?

You do, if you want to...
I don’t want to. That’s the point. I think Dostana is perfectly cast as it is now.

Do you forgive and forget?
I live and let live. I don’t have problems with anyone. I am pretty cool

SRK and Abhishek Bachchan in Vivek Sharma's Kal Kissney Dekha

Director Vivek 'Banku' Sharma is very busy these days. It is said that busy people are happy people. But he isn't just happy. He is over overjoyed and overworked and is loving every bit of it to the T. The director is shuffling up and down to the Film City where he has put up a giant guitar shaped set with the two talked about debutants, Jacky Bhagnani, son of Vashu Bhagnani, and Vaishali Desai, grand daughter of the late filmmaker Manmohan Desai, who are shaking their leg to the title track of the film which has a special appearance made by none other than...wait a minute! We cannot disclose that to you because Vivek doesn't want us to. Let's respect that.

But what we can reveal are two names, two big names, two of Bollywood's finest stars who are going to make an appearance in Kal Kissney Dekha. That makes it three, isn't it? One of them is a tight lipped secret. Now if we jog our memory to Vivek's debut film Bhoothnath, we know that he roped in the 'King Khan' Shah Rukh for a special appearance. Right? So no prizes for guessing that Shah Rukh is again going to make a cameo appearance in Vivek's Kal Kissney Dekha. The director says, "SRK is making a special appearance in the film and is coming at a very important time in the film's climax. He is a good friend and like a brother to me and for him to agree to be a part of Kal Kissney Dekha is like a blessing".