He is known for his Hindi remakes of south Indian films. He is ready with the remake of Manichitrathazhu, a film originally made in Malayalam by his one-time mentor and Malayalam filmmaker Fazil. Priyadarshan had assisted Fazil during the making of this Malayalam film. Its Hindi version is called Bhoolbhulaiya and it is being produced by T Series.

Excerpts from an interview with ‘Priyan’:

Is Bhoolbhulaiya yet another comedy of yours?
Yes. It is a humourous film. But there is more to it. You can call it a heady blend of comedy and horror, Hera Pheri and Bhoot. It is a rollercoaster ride that makes you laugh as well as gives you goose pimples.

Is it a Hindi remake of Manichitrathazhu?

Yes.

How different it is from the original?
I was the co-director of the original, which was hemmed by my mentor and Guru Fazil. He fell ill in the midst of the shooting and I had to direct almost fifty per cent of the film. It was later remade into a very successful Tamil film titled Chandramukhi with Rajnikant into the lead. The story was changed to suit Rajnikant. I have taken the core elements of the original and written a completely new screenplay for Bhoolbhulaiya, which has an earthy, Indian feel. It is an international subject though. We have shot the film in Banaras. In terms of looks and impact, considering all my Hindi remakes of South Indian films, this comes very close to Virasat.

Since when have you been trying to make this film?
Manichitrathazhu was shot in twenty-seven days and it won three national awards. After having made Muskurahat, I was after film producer Vijay Gilani to make it in Hindi. He felt it was not a subject that would work with Hindi film audiences.

I asked Venus people to do it after having made Hungama for them. Nothing happened. I narrated it to Akshay later and he showed willingness to be part of it. This made it a saleable proposition and finally T-Series agreed to back the film.

What is the core theme of Bhoolbhulaiya?
It revolves around a palace and its mysterious past. I have woven a web of comedy around a mystery. There is a psychological element in the film as well.

What is that?
I am an MA in psychology and have a fairly good understanding of the subject. I have tried to explore this element in the film as well, apart from bringing in human sensitivities and sensibilities.

Your films often have a rural background.

I am from a village. I identify with rural life and people. I can even set an action film in a village.

Tell us something about the story of Bhoolbhulaiya.

A boy Aaditya (Shiny Ahuja), who is one of the descendants of the family of a king (Manoj Joshi), visits his palace along with his wife Avani (Vidya Balan). The palace is situated in a village.

Certain developments force them into taking the help of an America-returned psychiatrist (Akshay Kumar). This guy has a few screws lose in his head. This leads to some very funny incidents.

The film also has Paresh Rawal and Ameesha Patel. Ameesha plays a character that will win the sympathy of the audience.

Do you think Akshay fits into a character that was originally played by Mohan Lal in Manichitrathazhu?
Yes. He fits the character in Bhoolbhulaiya. Why do you forget that this film is inspired in its core theme alone? Its characterisations suit our present cast. I have done 31 films with Mohan Lal. Be assured, Akshay is as impressive in this film as Mohan Lal was in the original. He too can handle different kinds of roles with great aplomb the way Mohan Lal does.

Is it true that you had considered Aishwarya Rai for Avani’s character, which was finally played by Vidya Balan?
Yes. I had Aishwarya in mind originally. I opted for Vidya after watching her in Parineeta and Munnabhai. She fitted the role better. I wanted the girl to look totally Indian. Vidya has all those qualities. She is a modern-day Smita Patil.

You have worked for the first time with Shiney Ahuja and Ameesha Patel in the film. What is your opinion of them?
They are highly talented actors. Ameesha plays the role of a girl who has a lot of sadness in her life. There is this lurking sense of poignant tragedy that gets reflected in her eyes. Shiney has a great screen presence.

You have made films like Kala Paani in the past. In the last few years you have just been giving comedies? Aren’t you fed up of them?
As long as the cinema audiences will keep watching my comedy films, I will continue making them. I still make serious films. I have made a film titled Kanjiveram in Malyalam recently. It is about the life of silk weavers in which I have criticised communism. Unfortunately, these films do not find acceptance among mainstream cinema audiences.

Do you find any difference in south and north Indian audiences?
No. There is very little difference, which is mostly in terms of the look of the film. Mani Ratnam and Shankar fail to impress the north Indian audiences because they don’t give a north Indian look to their films.

What about the music of Bhoolbhulaiya?
We have recorded four songs. Three of these songs are part of the film’s plot. The film’s climax also has a song.

You make so many of these comedy films. How do you differentiate one film from another?
They are different films. I explore new facets of humour in each of them. It varies from slapstick to something like Bhoolbhulaiya, which is a blend of humour, horror, psychology, and the supernatural.

Do you believe in the supernatural?
Yes. I believe in the supernatural powers of man. Incidentally, that is the theme of my film. You have got me to spill the beans. Congratulations.

You are accused of repeating your favourite actors.

I prefer to work with people who I know and who fit into my characters. They are excellent performers. I don’t do any favours to them. They deserve to be in my films.

What about your new projects?
They are in the pipeline. We have planned a film with Sanjay Dutt. The shooting of which is yet to begin.
ST