I like dealing with human emotions

It takes some guts and loads of convincing power to caste Big B and King Khan in the same movie. Karan Johar did that in Mohabattein. The only person to have done it again is the relatively unknown Vivek Sharma. That too in his first film Bhootnath. The man who has been in the news recently for a number of reasons including the launch of his new production company Filmzone and the claim of having 67 ready scripts ready to hit the floor!

Vivek is also the director for the forthcoming film Kal Kissne Dekha starring Jackie Bhagnani (son of producer Vashu Bhagnani) and Vaishali Desai (grandniece of Manmohan Desai) and is all excited about it. He took time off his schedule to speak to Srabani Chakrabarti. Excerpts from the interview:

About Kal Kissne Dekha…
It is a youth-oriented film where the story is largely based on various happenings in a campus. But it’s certainly not another mushy teenage love story. It has amazing twist and turns and some really good characters. Rishi Kapoor will be seen in a unique role here.

Kal Kissne Dekha is the story of a young guy from Chandigarh who comes to Mumbai to study in a college and make it big. He has a special power through which he can predict the future and whatever he says becomes true. I like dealing with human emotions. Even Bhootnath was about human emotions. This movie is no different.

On taking the risk of launching two newcomers…
I don’t think that is the right perspective to look at this film. I have never looked at this as a launchpad for either of the newcomers. The script of the film demanded a new pair and that I what I am giving in the form of Jackie Bhagnani and Vaishali Desai. I know Jackie for a long time – even before I made Bhootnath. At that time, he did not have the physique to be a hero.

Post Bhootnath, I met his father Vashu Bhagnani and discussed the concept of this film. Vashu ji wanted to give his son a break and thus was in discussion with few other directors including Ken Ghosh and Gautam Menon. None of the other projects materialized and I started working on this project with Jackie.

On Jackie and Vaishali…
I have a very emotional bond with Jackie hence casting him was a very easy thing to do. And, one of my friends introduced Vaishali to me and I could immediately see my heroine for Kal Kissne Dekha in her. I don’t believe in the concept of auditions and thus took her then and there only. We did a number of workshops before starting the shooting schedules for the film. Both the leads gained a lot from these workshops and their spontaneity to face the camera increased a lot. These workshops were not done just for the sake of it, but as a genuine tool for improvement.

Believe it or not, throughout the schedule of this movie, Vaishali did not require a single retake!.Every shot was okayed at the first instance only. Amongst all the newcomers I have seen or worked with, Vaishali is undoubtedly the one with the most potential.

On casting Rishi Kapoor for Kal Kissne Dekha…
The role that Rishi Kapoor is playing here is a lifetime one for him. I feel people will remember him for this role. All of Chintu ji’s fans will have a pleasant surprise with his role and performance. In fact, so different is this role from the ones he has played before, I used to tell him that this will be his launchpad as well.

About his own special power of being able to predict…
In a way I also am endowed with something similar. I can never lie. I always speak the truth and whatever I feel will happen. There have been many instances in my life wherein I have felt that certain things in life can happen and it has happened just as I thought it would. In fact, believe it or not, even during the Tsunami disaster, I had predicted something to my friend and it happened. I don’t know how or why it happens, but it does happen to me.

About his newly launched production company Filmzone…
Having my own film company is a dream come true for me. As you know, I have a bank of 67 scripts ready! And they are from all genres. I don’t want to make routine films. I love to experiment. You will see a new cinema through my films for sure – I vouch for it. Every film or subject of mine is different than each other. Bhoothnath had the innocence of a child and Kal Kissne Dekha has the innocence of a small town boy from Chandigarh. - SAMPURN