Set to kick off in Delhi next month, the Abhishek Dogra-directed comedy also features Varun Sharma
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 30, 2017)

Poised for a celluloid comeback, Govinda has entrusted veteran writer Rajeev Kaul, who has written hits like Shola Aur Shabnam, Ishq, Dil and Salman Khan’s 2011 blockbuster Ready, and comic-actor-writer-lyricist, Manu Rishi (Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! dialogue writer) to pen a lavishly-mounted film. The full-fledged comedy is tentatively titled Fry-Day and features the 53-year-old actor alongside Fukrey’s popular character Choocha, Varun Sharma. It follows the duo in the course of a day.

“The idea was to put together two writers, who are great at comedy, but with completely different sensibilities. The final script is fantastic and it was great to see Rajeevji and Manu come together without any ego,” filmmaker Abhishek Dogra, who is directing the project, told Mirror. Abhishek began his film career as an assistant on comedies like Shaadi Se Pehle and Fool N Final and also worked on R Balki’s Paa, before making his directorial debut in 2015 with the Arbaaz Khan production, Dolly Ki Doli. For his second directorial, Abhishek thought it ideal to bring back Varun, who’d also featured in his first film, as Govinda’s partner-in-crime who, with a series of missteps sets the story in motion.

Point this out to Govinda, who was boarding a flight to Sri Lanka, and the funnyman reveals, “It’s a brilliant comedy of errors. A fun ride with two partners-in-crime, and I am so excited about it,” quick to add that he’ll share more when he is back in the Bay on Thursday. After he was last seen as a cop in Aa Gaya Hero, Govinda has been a fixture on reality TV shows and was most recently seen entertaining a live audience on Farah Khan’s new TV show, Lip Sing Battle.

The first schedule of the comedy kicks off in Delhi on October 21. “We’ll also be filming in Hyderabad and Mumbai and will zero in on a leading lady this week,” Abhishek reveals.

Meanwhile, Varun shares that he’s only seen Govinda at award ceremonies and that he’s looking forward to their first script-reading session next week. “I’ve grown up watching his films, dancing to his hits and imitating his dialogues in school. I’m excited to be sharing screen space with him but also happy that I’ll finally know how he improvises and what makes Govinda, the legendary comedian-actor tick on the big screen,” Varun says.