“I won’t be very comfortable calling ‘99′ as a comedy” - Kunal Khemu

It seems Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie are the latest Hollywood directors to have influenced quite a few of their Bollywood counterparts. Anubhav Sinha was inspired by the KILL BILL director in CASH while Ahmed Khan was one of the first directors to apply a story telling technique similar to that of Guy Ritchie’s SNATCH in his FOOL N FINAL. Now if one closely notices the promos of the film, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, co-directors of the film ‘99′, seem to have been inspired by the two film makers.

"I won’t say that ‘99′ is 100% set in the same way as Guy Ritchie or Quentin Tarantino but yes, in a way there is a definite inspiration (or shall I say resemblance) in the approach taken by my directors. I am happy if audiences get a feel like that because it means that the message of ‘99′ being a fun-n-cool ride is met", says Kunal Khemu, the lead hero of the film which also stars Soha Ali Khan and Cyrus Broacha.

Elaborating more on the technique applied in the film, Kunal says, "Of what I have seen of the film, it is a different way of telling a story. ‘99′ is a very stylishly shot film. Not that we have choppers in the air or some slow motion shot or some cool Matrix like stunts. But yes, on the basic level, this is going to make for a very fresh way of seeing the film."

Even though the film is coming at the time when producers and multiplexes are on war and there is a clear stand off between the two groups, Kunal Khemu is confident that the film would do the trick at the box office.

"I am very confident about ‘99′ because it is very light hearted funny film. It’s the kind of film where young people can go in a group and have a blast. The casting of the film was of paramount importance in ‘99′ and that’s something which has worked so perfectly for ‘99′ as well. How many movies would you find actors of the calibre of Vinod Khanna, Boman Irani and Mahesh Manjrekar coming together," he questions.

So what’s the best way to describe ‘99′? A comedy or a thriller?

"I won’t be very comfortable putting the movie that way. I would instead call it as a comic thriller because it not just has a lot in it which would make you smile but also ample thrill elements that would keep you on the edge of your seat. Ok, so the film is not going to blow you away or something but for those two hours that you spend in theatres, it will surely make you forget about the outside world."

Produced by Anupam Mittal and Aditya Shastri, the film is releasing all over on 8th May. - SAMPURN (Joginder Tuteja)