Sonam says Khoobsurat is a tribute to the late iconic filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee. (Image courtesy: Santosh Nagwekar)
Mumbai: Actress Sonam Kapoor says her latest Bollywood release Khoobsurat is a tribute to the late iconic filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who had helmed the original 1980 film which was titled Khubsoorat.
"Our Khubsoorat is dedicated to Hrishikesh Mukherjee, with love. Lots of it," Sonam said in an interview.
The film hit the screens Friday. Starring Pakistani sensation Fawad Khan as the male lead, the buzz for the movie was spread loud and wide.
Excerpts:
Ques: How does it feel to be the hero of
Khoobsurat?
Sonam: I don't feel I am the hero of the film. I think the producer, director and the writer are the heroes of every film. I can never take credit for a film's success. Likewise, please don't blame me if a film fails. A film is a team effort. All of us sink or swim together.
Ques:Are you more protective of
Khoobsurat because it's a home production?
Sonam: Not really. Since
Khoobsurat is a smaller film, we decided to go all-out for it. If you are selling a product, you must let the consumer believe that you completely believe in the product. That is why we are doing aggressive marketing.
Ques: Do you think if Hrishi
da were alive and he saw your
Khoobsurat, he would be happy?
Sonam: I'd be very nervous if Hrishi
da saw our
Khoobsurat. It is an ode to him. It's like writing a fan letter to someone whom you truly admire. We named the film after his film. We named my character Mili after another film of Hrishi
da. And my screen-mom Kirron Kher is named Manju after Rekha's character in the original
Khubsoorat.
Ques: Why did you feel the need to remake a Hrishikesh Mukherjee film?
Sonam: We essentially felt a lacuna in the entertainment being provided by our film. That space of innocent laughter that Hrishi
da's film once occupied is now vacant. Where are those simple happy films like
Guddi and
Jhooth Bole Kauva Kaate that Hrishi
da made? We wanted to revive the cinema that makes you smile, makes you laugh, makes you love and makes you believe in all the good things in life.
Ques: Do you believe that such a world still exists?
Sonam: Of course it does! We hope to bring back the kind of positive energy that Hrishi
da brought to Indian cinema. Our
Khoobsurat is dedicated to Hrishikesh Mukherjee, with love. Lots of it. It's meant to make the audience happy.
Ques:What is the immediate future plan?
Sonam: I start shooting again for
Prem Ratan Dhan Payo from September 21, and my sister Rhea immediately starts another film.