Star cameos will bring audiences: Debutant director

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MUMBAI - Milap Zaveri, writer of rib-tickling comedies “Masti” and “Heyy Babyy”, is turning director with “Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai”. Apart from Riteish Deshmukh, who plays the lead, he has roped in big names for brief appearances to add to the film’s commercial value.

After getting Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Farah Khan, Sajid Khan, Amrita Rao and Boman Irani to make guest appearances, Zaveri made a last minute decision to rope in glam queens Deeepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma and Vidya Balan for cameo appearances in his film.

“The only star is Riteish Deshmukh. Jacqueline Fernandez and Ruslaan Mumtaz will become stars after the film is released. Until they do, I need to get audiences into theatres. That’s why we need to rope in more stars in cameos,” Zaveri told IANS.

The cameos with the five actresses are expected to be shot next week, just three weeks ahead of the film’s release creating a major last-minute pre-release situation. The film is releasing April 9.

“That’s true. I’m roping in the names you’ve mentioned. Shooting at the last minute would be no problem because all of the star appearances are in the first reel, so I just have to re-edit the initial reel. Also, I’ve kept slates in the pre-final print announcing the various star cameos which I’ve filled up as and when they’ve been available,” he said.

Besides his own clout in the industry as a long-standing and successful writer, Zaveri’s producer Nikhil Advani is also using his good wishes to rope in the glam queens to add a dash of allure to “Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai”.

Advani has apparently sent out messages to Deepika, Priyanka, Anushka, Vidya and Katrina who have all agreed.

While Anushka will shoot her portion on the sets of Advani’s “Patiala House”, the other ladies will touch base next week and do the needful.

“Vidya would be slightly difficult since she’s shooting in Delhi. But we’ll manage,” said Zaveri who is expected to fly down to Delhi to get Vidya’s cameo in place.

“Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai” is about the film industry and the director is expected to rope in all the stars that can be crammed in the film. Luckily for Zaveri he has a producer who can get his friends to do the needful.

“The stars making special appearances have been absolutely wonderful. Akshay insisted on seeing a part of the film before doing his cameo. Akshay speaks about Ruslaan Mumtaz’s character in the camera. Sajid Khan left the shooting of his ‘Housefull’ and drove down to our location. In fact, he saw Jacqueline dancing and decided to rope in her for the item song in ‘Housefull’.

“And do you know, Karan Johar actually agreed to be snubbed by Ruslaan Mumtaz! Ruslaan plays a superstar and in the film he refuses to take Karan’s calls.”

Farah Khan has a full-fledged role as a director. But the biggest sport so far seems to be Boman Irani who shot for just the trailer of “Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai”.

“That’s true. Boman is not in the film, only in the trailer. Everyone, who has made an appearance in my film, has been wonderful. I guess it comes from being around for so long.”