Writer-director Anees Bazmee has put the lockdown to good use; has been editing his horror comedy too
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 29, 2020)

After the shoot of his horror comedy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, featuring Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani and Tabu, was halted midway in Lucknow in March, Anees Bazmee took off with his family to his Lonavala farm house. It’s been six months since the filmmaker has isolated himself there. “Initially, no one thought that the Coronavirus lockdown would extend for so long. I took a break from work and spent some time with my family. But now, I have resumed work and after a long time, I have written a pure love story on the lines of Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha. The screenplay, with the dialogue, is locked,” he reveals with much satisfaction.

Through the lockdown, Anees was also in touch with his Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 team. “We edited the chunk we have shot so far, in Jaipur and Lucknow,” he shares, adding that he is in no hurry to resume shooting for the Bhushan Kumar and Murad Khetani production. “It’s essential to follow social distancing till the vaccine arrives. Executing the SOPs on the set will be difficult and expensive. But those who want to shoot should follow them for everyone’s safety.”

Prod him on his shooting plans and he says, “We had to pack up in Lucknow because of Covid-19 and for continuity purposes, we can’t resume filming in Mumbai. Whenever we decide on a date, we will fly to Lucknow again and that’s a big call to take as we had a crew of 300-400 back then. We have to figure a way to cut down on the unit now and that’s going to be difficult. Over 50 per cent of our shoot remains.”

Buzz is, Tabu’s character will be multi-dimensional like Vidya Balan’s in the first film of the franchise. Anees doesn’t get into the details, “It’s a very important character and only an actress like Tabu could have done it as she has grasped the character graph perfectly. The trio of Kartik, Kiara and Tabu has brought a lot of freshness to the script.”

On Wednesday, No Entry, which is among Anees’ most loved films, completed 15 years. Every year, there’s talk of a sequel. The writer-director reveals that the script of No Entry Mein Entry is ready. “This time, Salman, Anil and Fardeen have double roles, every character has a wife and also a girlfriend. There are 10 actresses in the film and to get such an ensemble in place is a challenge, which is why the film is taking so long,” he shares, promising that it will take confusion to another level and assuring that the film will happen. “Every film has its own destiny and this being a cult film, we are all aware of the responsibility of spinning a sequel.”

Revisiting the time he first narrated the script to producer Boney Kapoor in the presence of late actress, Sridevi, Anees says, “Sridevi ji was a huge fan of No Entry, so is Janhvi (Kapoor). She wanted to hear the narration and even congratulated me at the end of it,” he beams.

The filmmaker is also committed to doing a film for Ekta Kapoor. Buzz is it’s with Vicky Kaushal after he was snapped with Anees outside Ekta’s office. “Ekta ji is a friend and yes, finally, we are teaming up. We have been working on a script, but I need to complete Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 first,” he sighs, adding he’s also hunting for the right script to take the 2011 family entertainer, Ready, forward. “Salman bhai is also really keen, whenever we meet, he says, ‘Yaar, Ready ka kuchh banana hai’. But none of us have been able to crack a script for the sequel yet.”

Meanwhile, Mahesh Babu’s 2011 actioner, Dookudu is gearing up for a Hindi remake. The Hindi version is currently being scripted and we hear the producers are keen to have Anees on board as the director. “Yes, I am in talks for Dookudu, but it’s too early to talk about that now,” he concludes.

Even as Lucknow set stands unused, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 director says the unit will resume work by year-end if the situation improves
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; August 14, 2020)

In June, director Anees Bazmee had told mid-day that he was aiming to resume work on Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 from September. Two months since, the filmmaker has done a rethink — though he is tempted to go behind the camera for the Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani starrer, the state government regulation of working with 33 per cent of the original crew strength is posing a difficulty.

"The unit of our Lucknow schedule comprised 400 people. It will be a tough task to shoot with one-third of the strength," states Bazmee, noting that the camera crew consists of 20 people. "We have three to four cameras, with four people assigned for each. Then, there are light men, actors' staff and crew members from other departments."

The team of the horror-comedy was shooting in Lucknow when the Coronavirus lockdown was imposed. With an elaborate set standing in the city of nawabs, Bazmee says it would be unwise to consider shifting the location to Mumbai. "Since we have already filmed a few portions in Lucknow, it makes sense to shoot there to maintain continuity. We intend to resume work by the year-end, [with the schedule] running into early 2021. I hope the vaccine arrives soon; it'll make matters easier."

Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 7, 2020)

Bollywood hasn’t been at work since March-end, when the nationwide Coronavirus lockdown was enforced. But slowly, things are changing. While actor Akshay Kumar is set to start shooting for Bellbottom in the UK, others are likely to follow suit from September onward with safety norms in place, one such being working with smaller units.

Director Anees Bazmee says it’s “not going to be easy.” “Pruning the crew size and working with a small-ish team is going to be a huge challenge. How do you do it? Where do you start? Nowadays, even actors come with a big entourage,” he says, while recalling how for the shoot of Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998), a unit of just 40-45 people — including actors, their teams and the crew — had travelled to Switzerland.

“Woh zamaana hi kuch aur tha,” Bazmee says, adding, “We all managed to work beautifully with a smaller team. But things are different now. At any given point, there are so many people on the set. Also, with newer technology and ambitious storytelling style, there’s no option but to have more people on the set.” He explains, “For instance, earlier, if we would have three people — including the DoP — with the camera, we now have three to four cameras and five to six people with each one of them.”

However, Bazmee admits that ensuring a smaller unit is “going to affect a lot of people badly.” “If you have to retain just 65 out of 200 technicians, imagine how many of them would have no work. Since the real economic impact of the lockdown will be felt even more in the coming months, things will become extremely difficult. But, you have to adhere to the guidelines,” says the filmmaker, who will restart work on his next, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, later this year.

Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 22, 2020)

Before the lockdown came into force (around March-end), a number of Bollywood films were going ahead in full steam. But then, Coronavirus brought everything to a screeching halt. One of the films that got stopped in its tracks is Anees Bazmee’s Kartik Aaryan-Kiara Advani starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, which was being shot in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Now, although a number of filmmakers are trying to work out strategies vis-a-vis restarting shoot, there’s no clarity yet. The same holds true for BB2 makers as well.

“We’ve to go back to Lucknow itself for the film’s shooting, especially in order to maintain the continuity,” says director Anees Bazmee. “And travelling (to Lucknow) would involve a lot of planning as we have to ensure every cast and crew member’s safety and well-being. How would that happen? What precautionary measures have to be taken? And when would be the best period to go there and start work? All these things have to be minutely planned and worked out. Also, the entire unit — including the actors — has to be fully confident about it,” he says.

Bazmee says he is in “constant touch” with his producers (about restarting the shoot). “But as of now, there’s no clarity on exactly when we will go on floors again. Unfortunately, the numbers of Coronavirus cases are increasing, so it’s difficult to chalk out an exact plan. But we are hopeful and positive. So, let’s see,” says Bazmee, who is currently at his Lonavala home with family. “I don’t remember the last time I spent so much time with my family,” he says with a smile.
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The UP connect!
Last week, Chandan Roy Sanyal and Sanjay Mishra wrapped up a schedule of their film, Woh Teen Din, in Varanasi. Randeep Hooda might head to Lucknow to shoot his film, Mard. Also, Aanand L Rai as well as Kushan Nandy are likely to go back to the state to restart work on their respective next films.

Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 15, 2020)

The Coronavirus pandemic/lockdown has, quite literally, stopped people in their tracks. And so naturally, a majority of them are unhappy about being cooped up at home for about four months now. But Anees Bazmee would rather “look at the positive side.”

“Aap aur kar bhi kya saktein hain during a pandemic. Of course, it has brought tons of problems but somewhere, I also look at it as a blessing in disguise. In ‘normal’ days, I would find it difficult to take a break with family. And even if that happened, work constantly played somewhere at the back of mind,” he says.

The Welcome (2007) director “feels great” that for the past four months, he has been with his family at their Lonavala home. “We are spending time at leisure, enjoying food, and having a great time. I consider myself lucky that I am in a privileged position unlike many who are struggling, and that pains me,” he says.

Interestingly, Bazmee had gone to Lonavala with just 5-6 pair of clothes when lockdown came into force. “Plus, I have way fewer things here than my Mumbai home but I am happily managing. I have learnt that a person can actually live and lead a quality life with much less than what he/she keeps yearning for,” he says.

Going ahead, the director wants to be “a much more relaxed” person. “I have always been a simple person who doesn’t do much ‘shosha’ about being successful. But from now on, I guess I’ll be at much more peace with what I have. Work-wise too, I have been happy to make a film in two years. But I will be more relaxed about it,” he says.

Bazmee, who was busy working on Kartik Aaryan-Kiara Advani starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 right before the lockdown, now “hopes and prays that people learn from this period.” “We should become better human beings. If this doesn’t have an effect then I feel qayamat hi aapko sudhaar sakti hai (smiles),” he says.

Anees Bazmee takes stock of his 25 yrs as director from Lonavala residence
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 21, 2020)

For over two months now, Anees Bazmee has been at his Lonavala bungalow with his family. The writer-director shares that he has “never spent so much time at home with wife and kids” as during the lockdown brought on by the Coronavirus outbreak. He had packed up the Lucknow schedule of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 before several industry bodies called for a halt on production from March 19 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced nationwide lockdown on March 24.

“We were shooting with a huge unit and even though the numbers of positive cases were small then, I discussed the matter with my producers (Bhushan Kumar and Murad Khetani) and we voluntarily decided to wrap up the schedule. I returned to Mumbai on March 14 and the following day, came to Lonavala with my family,” he informs.

Before this, the director of films like Welcome, Welcome Back and Mubarakan would head to the bungalow with his team only to write for a week or 10 days. Admitting that he has learnt a lot during his stay at the property this time, he says, “I’ve realised that one doesn’t need too many things to live and should value those who work for you, from the house help to the chauffeur. I think after this, people will become more human than before,” he says fervently.

Mention industry guidelines for shooting with a smaller unit when they return to work and Anees recalls that during the Ajay Devgn and Kajol-starrer Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, which released in 1998, only a team of 40, comprising the actors, their staff and the crew, went to Switzerland for the shoot. “Now, every department has so many people. I hope that can be curtailed,” he avers.

The year marks Anees’s 25th year as a director. How does he look back at his innings, which began five years earlier as a writer? “I feel fortunate and blessed. Before that, I was assisting, ghost-writing, editing and even working in the sound and art departments. So, I don’t see whether I’ve completed 25 years or 40. Seeing my life and work, I know my today is better than my yesterday,” he smiles.

Given that sequels will always have an advantage over other formats and he hasn’t made thrillers in a while, has he thought of taking his Ajay Devgn, Akshaye Khanna and Urmila Matondkar-starrer Deewangee ahead? “It’s on my mind, but I haven’t found a good story,” Anees admits, adding that whenever they meet, Ajay tells him the same. “Ajay is a dear friend and if I think of something suitable, we’ll definitely team up. As a director, he was my first hero in Hulchul.”