Bollywood has finally come of age and is promoting their adult flicks unbashedly and without a pretense. We take a look at what makes filmmakers more in-your-face today
MID-DAY (January 3, 2016)

There is no denying that Bollywood has evolved over a period of time. Filmmakers are no longer being coy about promoting their adult flicks under the guise of thrillers and comedies, but are openly marketing the genre, as they seem to be getting more and more comfortable with the idea.

The first half of 2016 will see three sex comedies, 'Kya Kool Hain Hum 3', 'Mastizaade' and 'Great Grand Masti', making their way to theatres. The trailers of 'Kya Kool Hain Hum 3' and 'Mastizaade', which released recently, have already created a buzz among the audience and, in a one-of-its-kind move, the former is being called the first porn-com in India. So, what makes the makers more in- your-face today?

Being accepted
The reason why films relying heavily on sexual content are doing well at the box-office is that the audience is open to all genre of films today. Says trade analyst Akshaye Rathi, "Sex comedies in India are getting bolder and audience is showing interest in the genre. Many sex comedies are popular in the international market, but in India the market has grown in the past five years. According to me, the genre will enjoy its moment for a while in the country. As far as introducing the word porn-com is concerned, I think it’s a great marketing gimmick. It is a brave and smart decision."

While the audience is accepting the genre, it can also be said that an increasing number of producers are backing sex comedies as well.

Gizele Thakral, who features in Kya Kool Hain Hum 3 says, "Producers backing sex comedies is a testimony to the genre being accepted by Indian audiences. Box-office collections also show that if you have a good story, making sex comedies is no longer a risky affair. Also, calling Kya Kool… a porn-com is a genius stroke by Ekta (Kapoor). It will arouse curiosity and audience will be more interested in watching the film."

Important to have fun
Actors such as Aftab Shivdasani and Vir Das who have starred in films with heavy sexual content feel that it is high time people stopped considering sex as taboo and had fun with it instead. "We are a country of over a billion people. We didn’t get to that number through telepathy. Someone somewhere is having sex. We might as well have a sense of humour about it and have some fun with it," says Das, who stars in the upcoming 'Mastizaade'.

Aftab Shivdasani, who will be seen in 'Kya Kool Hain Hum 3' and 'Great Grand Masti', seconds Das’s opinion and says, "I believe that it is important to have a sense of humour. There are a few sensitive issues which should be dealt in a particular manner, but there are some issues which should be dealt with humorously/lightly. I know for a fact that a lot of people criticise such films, but secretly enjoy watching it. I am not hypocrite, if I choose to be a part of an adult film, I will have to use my sense of humour accordingly. We should be open-minded."

The other side
It’s a fact that films revolving around adult content make a lot of money at the box office but on the other hand, the returns on satellite are very low due to censor issues.

Says Komal Nahta, "The market for sex comedies in India is growing but the films’ success depends only on the box office collection since there is hardly any return on satellite. This genre is not for satellite television. So producers have to ensure that the film is rightly budgeted properly."

Rangita Nandy, producer, PNC, opines that films with adult content were always popular, but Bollywood has given them a stepchild treatment. She says, "Films with adult content have always been popular in India, but yes, despite their success, Bollywood has always treated them like stepchildren. Actors, even banners, have shied away from the genre. But through the years, the numbers on the genre have only exploded. This means, like it or not, these movies have a thriving, flourishing and expanding audience. And that has its respect amongst the business community of Bollywood. Every change that enhances box office collections are welcome. And really, these are adult themed movies for an adult audience and for the large part, we are adults". Rangita adds, "So where’s the taboo? But I guess, the taboo associated with the genre will remain till respectable, A-grade actors sign on board like in Hollywood with films like Hangover 1-2-3, Wedding Crashers, etc. Until then the genre will be celebrated as a super money spinning machine. No harm or taboo in that."

BOMBAY TIMES (December 24, 2015)

Birthday boy Tusshar Kapoor opens up about his next few films…
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; November 20, 2015)


Actors have inhibitions about acting with Sunny Leone. Did you?
I was very fond of Sunny right from the SAW (Shootout at Wadala) days when we filmed the Laila song together. In fact, I was the one who told Ekta and Sanjay Gupta to see to it that she does the song. I always thought she will be one of the most popular faces here. I cannot talk of other actors, but I feel Indian audience is the most liberal and accepting for anyone who’s good on screen. Sunny is beautiful and has a camera-friendly face. She is where she needs to be. Audiences care about what they see on screen so there was no question about doing Mastizaade as well. Of course, I was offered the film first and I did it because Milap Zaveri was the director. Sunny and Vir Das came in shortly but it’s been a riot.

Do you feel sex comedies which were considered risks before are now more of a norm?
People keep saying our audiences are not ready for it. But since Kya Kool 1 came, 10 years ago, there has been a huge audience for these kind of films too. You will be surprised to see the amount of people who like these films. They might not go with their families but they go in groups to watch them. Women especially love such films. The aunties, the young girls, in addition to the youth and masses. And I believe just one thing. No matter how shocking something is, it won’t work if the thread of the story isn’t there. You cannot run a film purely on jokes. You need to have the performance, and the storyline. Otherwise it won’t work.

And the audience too is becoming more accepting of the same…
We have had adult comedies before too, which weren’t full on sex comedies, maybe. Audience has always been ready but it took us time to gradually come out and accept it as a society.

You’ve been appreciated in your comic avatar. Comment
I enjoy doing films like Mastizaade or a Kya Kool Hai Hum because it’s in a very happy space. Also, I know I’ve been liked in this zone so it makes me feel happy. It gives you a high. These are stress-buster kind of movies.

Given censorship rules today, a bold film is a risk, no?
It’s an adult comedy and it’s in the American Pie zone sure. We always anticipated the Censor to have certain issues with certain scene. So we filmed extra material, we shot for 5-10 minutes more, presuming that there will be a few cuts.

Also there have been a lot of disparities in the way the Censor has been functioning. Your take?
Each film has to be looked at individually. From what I have heard, they are following certain guidelines. The Censor is doing their job. There’s so much thought going into what needs to be censored and what doesn’t. After all, at the end of the day, the CBFC is also doing it for the benefit of our society, our culture and I’m sure they have a lot of pressure. It’s very easy to say but very difficult to be in the chair and take decisions.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; October 8, 2015)


Effectively, Kya Kool Hain Hum 3, directed by Umesh Ghadge and starring Tusshar Kapoor and Aftab Shivdasani and which was submitted for certification, has been rejected outright.

A source in the know says, “The film was found to be extremely vulgar and distasteful. There are scenes of unmentionable vulgar sex acts in the film. The CBFC has placed a complete ban on the film.”

The makers of Great Grand Masti have enough reason to worry. Apparently, the I&B Ministry is keen on probing how Grand Masti got passed by earlier CBFC members.

Tusshar Kapoor talks about playing a character with disability once again in his next film
Sneha Mahadevan (DNA; May 28, 2015)


He further adds that though he plays a character with a disability, he will play it with sensitivily, “It won’t be derogatory or offensive to anyone. I don’t want to ridicule anyone so it won’t be in bad taste,” he explains. His co-star from the previous installments, Riteish Deshmukh opted out this time and was replaced by Aftab Shivdasani as he wasn’t comfortable with the subject. Tusshar, however, says he will do whatever roles the audience accepts him in. “I have no qualms being a part of an adult comedy. It is a genre that everyone watches but very few accept that they enjoy. There is double standard at play, but I am accepted and liked by my audience in this genre. So why not? I am sure 30 years later, there will be remakes of adult comedies being made and then people will credit us for having started this trend,” he says.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 23, 2015)

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 10, 2015)

Alok Nath has established himself as big screen's favourite babujee with a string of roles. Ekta Kapoor made a futile attempt to break that image and approached him to play Tusshar Kapoor's to-be father-in-law in the third film in the Kya Kool Hain Hum franchise. However, much to her dismay, the veteran actor turned her down.

A source close to the development told Mirror, "Alok Nath wasn't comfortable with the sexual innuendos and double-meaning jokes and politely made this clear to the studio executives that he wasn't interested in being a part of Kya Kool Hain Hum 3."

Confirming this, the actor said, "Yes, they did approach me with something I have never done in my entire career. Suddenly, if I were to be seen in a sex comedy, it wouldn't be acceptable to my fans."

What was the role exactly? "It was that of Tusshar's potential father-in-law and the dialogue was pretty much in sync with the franchise's USP. As an actor, I admit, I should experiment with different characters, but I couldn't see myself doing anything so drastic," he asserted.

Tanveer Bookwala, Chief Creative Officer of the production house, admitted that they had expected to pull off a casting coup of sorts by getting the sanskari babuji to do a sex comedy. "But things didn't work out," he sighed.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; December 4, 2014)