I always try to create interesting onscreen couples: Kunal Kohli

MUMBAI - Kunal Kohli says he roped in Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone for his first production venture “Break Ke Baad” because he believes in making interesting onscreen pairs.

“It wasn’t just that we wanted to make a new on-screen couple. In all my films, I have tried to create a fresh and interesting pairing. Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji in ‘Hum Tum’, Aamir Khan and Kajol in ‘Fanaa’ and now these two - they are one more interesting couple that we have managed to put together,” Kohli told IANS.

For the film, Kohli teamed up with debutant director Danish Aslam who worked with him as an assistant on “Fanaa” (2006) and “Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic” (2008).

“I am producing for the first time. I read the concept Danish had and I had seen him on sets, so I knew he was ready to be a director,” said Kohli who feels “Break Ke Baad” is an interesting take on the complications created by people in their love life.

“Today, the formula of love has expanded. It’s not like there is a hero and a heroine and one villain comes in between. Villain today is within only. There is no external villain. The hero-heroine are themselves the villains of the film. So the conflict is internal. So we have really complicated our lives and that’s what ‘Break-Ke Baad’ is all about,” he said.

Kohli gave creative inputs while developing the idea into a full fledged script, but pulled out during the making of the film.

“I have been there as a consultant, so whenever they would finish some part of the script, I would sit with the script. I was creatively involved, but not in directing the film. I think that is Danish’s job. Everyone has his own voice, if I was to interfere in it, I might as well direct it myself,” said Kohli.

The film is made at a budget of Rs.16 crore and Kohli believes that this is the right kind of money to pump in a project.

“Today, if you have made film in Rs.15-16 crore, you are already sitting on a profit. If you spend around Rs.5 crore in publicity and total expenditure is say Rs.20 crore, you recover around Rs.19 crore from television, so you are already sitting on profit. So, I think that’s the correct economics that we have managed to work out for the film,” he said.

Asked if he would give chance to other new directors, he said: “I am not a Yash Raj (Films) or Dharma (Productions) that would make five films a year. As and when I get a good script, a good person to direct the film and a good star cast, I would make the film.”

Kohli says his directorial venture will come next year.

“Next is my film. I am just finishing the script. It’s really too early to speak on that. Still, making a love story and it is a big love story,” he said.