When ad man Vijay Lalwani went up to Farhan Akhtar to ask him for filmmaking tips, little did he realise that he was talking to his future lead actor and producer. As soon as Farhan heard the script of Karthik Calling Karthik, he was on board.
Lalwani, 31, talks to Nithya Ramani about directing one of the best directors in Bollywood, and what we can expect from the film when it releases this Friday.
A romantic thriller is quite a new concept.
The idea came to me when I was having dinner with a friend. We were talking and I remember mentioning what if one phone call can sort out everything in life. Six months later, I found myself developing the idea into a script. The film is primarily a thriller with a romantic track running in the background.
There are several theories doing the rounds about the two Karthiks in the movie. So what is it? Is Karthik hallucinating? Does he have a double role or a split personality?
As much as I would love to discuss this with you, I suggest you go and watch the film. We have designed the promos in such a way that it will give you a fair idea of what's coming.
Why did you cast Farhan? Is it because he was willing to produce your film?
No. I had decided to meet up with him to get some tips on filmmaking. But I ended up narrating the script to him. By the time I was done, he wanted to act in it. I was more than happy because I wanted a new face and he was a relatively new when it comes to acting. So it was a blessing in disguise for me to have Farhan co-produce the film as well as act in it. I am sure people will perceive him and his acting abilities differently after KCK.
What about Deepika?
Again, I wanted a new face for Shonali's character. When I signed her, she was only four films old. I wanted someone who is bindaas, who lets down her hair and does things her way.
Why did you have Deepika cut her hair?
Because she wouldn't have looked bindaas with waist-length hair. It took me a long time to convince her to cut her hair. In the end, I'm sure she was glad she did it.
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