Bollywood loves a cross-border romance. Remember Veer-Zaara, the sweeping saga between an Indian army officer (Shah Rukh Khan) and a Pakistani beauty (Preity Zinta)? There was unbridled passion, retribution for falling in love with a forbidden suitor from a rival nation, petty politics and grand gestures at play.
Ali Zafar and Yami Gautam’s Total Siyappa, a romantic comedy between a Pakistani boy and an Indian girl, will have none of that.
“It’s a comedy of errors,” said Zafar over the phone. He plays Aman, an affable Pakistani man who is madly in love with the London-based Asha, a woman of Indian origin, played by Gautam.
“Just to be clear, we are not trying to highlight the rivalry between two nations. I know it’s impossible not to touch upon it, but we don’t spell out the politics in this one. And the best part is that it doesn’t get preachy about India-Pakistan issues,” said Gautam, who made a spectacular Bollywood debut with sperm-donation comedy Vicky Donor.
She plays a TV presenter in her latest film, releasing on Thursday in the UAE.
“It’s about real people, real situations told in a funny way. Asha’s from a mad Punjabi family and the confusion begins when she doesn’t tell the whole truth to her mum about her boyfriend. The film recounts what happens to them in the course of a day,” said Gautam. While she’s yet to establish her ability to make people laugh, her hero Zafar is an ace at comedy with hits such as Meri Brother Ki Dulhan and Tere Bin Laden.
“But I don’t want to be typecast as this comic hero. My next film, Kill Dill, is an action film and I am trying to bring in some variety into my roles because who would want to be typecast?” said Zafar.
The actor, who was Pakistan’s pop music prince before his Bollywood breakthrough, took on another comedy because of its intelligent humour. According to him, the scenes in which he first meets his potential mother-in-law (Kiron Kher) are laugh-out-loud hilarious. While Kher comes across as a liberal mother who is open to her daughter choosing her own groom, her attitude changes when she realises that Aman isn’t an Indian native (a fact that her daughter conveniently hid from her until their first face-to-face encounter). Things turn nasty and suddenly he falls from the eligible man pedestal.
“She’s such a good actress that I didn’t have to act. It was more about reacting to her expressions. That’s what’s great when you have talented actors on board. The only challenging part of the film is that we had to shoot the entire film in 28 days. It was hectic but we were so focused at getting it done right,” said Zafar.
While he has done remarkably well in Bollywood, his Pakistani colleagues, such as Shaan of blockbuster Waar fame, have been critical about his perceived progress. In an interview with tabloid! the legendary actor expressed his disappointment at Zafar’s choice of roles and felt that he was under-utilised in Bollywood.
“I am the first one from Pakistan who has made it this far. Three of my films have been box office hits. That says a lot about where my career is going and what I am able to accomplish… Truth is I am content at the way my career is going,” said Zafar. While he has milked all he can from his films, Guatam hasn’t reaped as much mileage from her 2012 sleeper hit Vicky Donor. Unlike her Donor co-star Ayushmann Khurrana, who has been a constant at awards functions and social events, Gautam has flown low.
“That’s my extension of my personality… I feel fortunate that I got such an overwhelming response from Vicky Donor. I am happy for Ayushmann and thrilled that he got all of that attention. Besides I am a private person and not as exposed to this whole world. But I am happy working because I enjoy acting,” said Gautam.
It’s been over a year since she has lit up the silver screen, but she isn’t worried. “I was waiting for the right script and that’s when Total Siyappa came along. It’s from the makers of films like Special Chabbis and A Wednesday, so I knew that it’s going to be film that will convert the hardest of cynics,” said Gautam.
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While Ali Zafar takes a swipe at Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi in the film, he hopes that his favourite cricketer will see the humour in it.
“Generally when couples fight, they start arguing about everything under the sun. My dialogue about Shahid Afridi takes a dig at all those who praise cricketers who perform well, but criticise them when they don’t perform to expectations. I am a huge cricket fan and I hope Shahid Afridi will watch the film and enjoy it,” said Zafar.
Stars in town
Taking the theme of fostering friendship between India and Pakistan forward, Ali Zafar and Yami Gautam participated in a concert called Umeed Ki Ek Nayi Dhun in Dubai on Wednesday. Featuring singers from India and Pakistan such as Javed Ali of Ishaqzaade, Komal Rizvi and stars from SaReGaMaPa (Jasraj Joshi, Zain Ali and Arshpreet Kaur), it will be telecast on Zee Middle East in April.
“Umeed Ki Ek Nayi Dhun is a celebration of love and respect, of peace and happiness, of brotherhood. It is the bonding of hearts of two great nations — India and Pakistan. In keeping with Zee’s corporate philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — The World is My Family, we are going to treat our audience to truly engrossing and engaging music,” Manoj Mathew, senior vice president and business head of Zee Telefilms Middle East, said in a statement.
