Dethroning 'Ghajini'

People Picture’s film 99 is ready for release. As I’m in charge of publicity, they’ve asked me to go ahead and do my thing. I’m already confident of dethroning Ghajini with my new marketing gimmick of two 99 posters (6 x 2 in length) in all female toilets. Marketing is all about finding new methods and locations after all.

Now let me describe the film. It’s a cross between Sholay and An Officer And A Gentleman. It also is loosely inspired by Krammer vs. Krammer, meets Brokeback Mountain. The cine connoisseur will detect a note of Umrao Jaan, (the old version) sprinkled on Cape Fear (the new version). However, if it must come close to any film of the past, that film would be Naked Bomb or maybe Insaaniyat, actually make that Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Enough about the film. Let’s instead talk about the makers. The film is directed by Raj Nidimoru and DK Krishna, along with 15 other guys, who were kind enough to direct via email. The film stars Kunal Khemu and the lovely Soha Ali Khan and though she spent most of her time ignoring me, I thought we really hit it off well. Though frankly with the ladies I have been wrong in the past.

Working with Kunal was excellent, although, the first time I got mistaken for his spot boy it did irk me. Later on I settled down and took it rather well, even fetching him coffee on two occasions to complete the picture. Boman Irani and Mahesh Manjrekar make up the rest of the cast. But I was contractually obliged not to be present on the set when they were shooting. So, sadly I have nothing to report on that front.

Every film must have a ‘daddy’. 99’s is Anupam Mittal, who used some of his loose change to finance the film. The film is a …, well, it’s got … it really seems to … it’s cutting edge and a … whatever it is, it releases on May 1. And I, for one, am definitely going to see it. If for nothing else, just so that I can write this article again.

99 Coming Soon. I think.