'Working with Anil Kapoor is always a treat'

Director's cut

Indian producer and director Anees Bazmee has some of the most popular comic movies like ‘No Entry’, ‘Welcome Back’ and ‘Singh is King’ to his credit. Anees, who started his career as a dialogue writer and soon went on to become a script writer, has also written scripts for hit movies like ‘Aankhen’, ‘Karz’, ‘Gopi Kishan’ and more.

In a chat with Surupasree Sarmmah, the director talks about his recent release ‘Mubarakan’ and his definition of comedy.


‘Mubarakan’ is receiving quite good reviews.Your thoughts...

It is always fun working on a comedy movie and I am so happy with the response that it has garnered.


Almost all your movies are in the comic genre. Any specific reason?

Making a comedy film is always a tough job as the script has to be written properly. Once the film is ready, it’s fun to watch it and make others watch your work. But I have also written movies like ‘Pyaar Toh Hona Hi Tha’, ‘Aankhen’ and ‘Deewange’ which were successful too though they were not comedies.


Any other genre you would like to explore...

Well, I am open to working in any genre as long as the script catches my eye and also sends out a message to the audience. However, I get bored easily so I prefer working on stories that are fun.


You have worked with Anil Kapoor before. How was it working with him this time?

Working with Anil Kapoor is always a treat. He and I have done more than 30 films together and our understanding is really good.


What runs through your mind when a movie doesn’t work out?

As a director, I always make movies that keep people engaged. Of course, nobody likes a movie if it doesn’t work but it’s not the end of it. I make sure that I grow with every movie and also make people happy. They should create an impact on my audience.


What do you keep in mind when you are working on a comedy film?

I always make sure that a family can come together and watch the movie. I ensure that the scenes in the movie are not vulgar. I don’t prefer ‘non-veg’ jokes, it is important that my movies send out a good message.


Any projects in the pipeline?

Now after ‘Mubarakan’, I would like to relax for 10-15 days, freshen up my mind and think about what can be done next. There are many scripts in hand and I am waiting to read them.