Till barely a few years ago, adult comedies were lucrative box office propositions, following the success of Kyaa Kool Hain Hum, Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum and Grand Masti. However, with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) recommending a lot of cuts to certify movies like Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 (KKHH3) and Mastizaade, the genre seems to have taken a beating. The latest is that the CBFC has refused certification to Great Grand Masti on grounds of its adult content being too hot to handle. Industry folks attribute the rigidity to the current chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani, who, they feel is going overboard by following the archaic guidelines. Tusshar, who starred in KKHH3 (that was also his home production), says the recent censorship has come down strongly on this genre. “Distributors of KKHH3 told us the audience felt it was like a normal film and despite the 'A' rating, there was barely anything adult in it, unlike the first two instalments. The 100-plus cuts affected the film,“ he says. With a few outrageous gestures, skimpily-clad women and suggestive oohs and aahs, KKHH3, which positioned itself as India's first porn-com, lacked the porn and the com.

Rangita Nandy, producer of Mastizaade, which got its censor certificate after six months of going to Examining Committee (EC), Revising Committee (RC) and also Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), says, “Even today, it's difficult to make an adult comedy. We will always have a section of people saying this is the wrong kind of film for the social fabric of the country. However, as long as there's an audience for such movies, we will keep making them.“

Mahesh Bhatt believes his colleagues must stop complaining about the Censor Board's recommended deletion or revision. He says, “Even though we asked for an 'A' certificate for Love Games, the EC asked for 18 cuts. That wasn't acceptable to us so we approached the FCAT, which cleared our film with an 'A' certificate and no cuts.“

Though Tusshar concedes that CBFC members are doing their job and following prescribed guidelines, he also points out that the Board was considerably liberal and flexible a couple of years ago. He adds, “In lieu of the recent censorship of adult comedies, I would think twice before making another one. And after all the deletions, it will cease to be an 'adult comedy'. It will merely be an 'A'-certified film.“

Bhatt feels filmmakers should not be bullied by the Censor Board. He explains, “We want them to roll the red carpet and make things easier for us, which they won't. If you don't agree with the EC, you should go to the FCAT, which is more enlightened, independent, mature and dispassionate about its views. If you knock that door, I'm certain that despite the constraints of their guidelines, you will get away far easier there.“

Rangita's film was refused certification by even the FCAT before she began the entire exercise again. They finally got a certificate after agreeing to the 32 cuts asked for by the Censor Board. She says, “Though we have made adult films like Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and Chameli before, Mastizaade was our first adult comedy. There was so much conversation about our film that this censorship issue was blown out of proportion.“ When asked if she would make another adult comedy despite the censor hurdles, she says, “Hell, yeah!

However, Pahlaj Nihalani, chairperson CBFC, maintains that they view and certify films on the basis of the content they get. “We don't know what the original content is and are not concerned with it. We see only what the producer submits. You should ask the producers how many cuts they made in their films before submission and how many cuts we asked for. They are the content providers, not us. If you check the complete history of the film's certification, you will see that we are not being unreasonable.“

Given the current scenario, we wonder when our India audience will be treated to an all-out sex-comedy?

Iranian beauty Mandana Karimi, who got out of Bigg Boss (BB) on Saturday night after being locked up for three-and-a-half months, started promoting Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3, that is directed by Umesh Ghadge with Tusshar and Aftab Shivdasani in the lead, just a few hours later.

The first thing you notice on seeing her walk in your direction is that her bikini curves are missing! She has lost five kilos during the reality show ordeal, but her face unmistakably wears a pretty pink glow. So have you seen KKHH 3? “No,“ she wails, “I got to bed at 5 am and I have just been told that I have a screening of my movie for the Bigg Boss gang. So I guess, I too will see the film with them.“

Ask her whether she fretted over Ekta Kapoor's court case against her and Mandana replies, “At first, I didn't understand the implication. When you are locked up, it is hard to keep up with the news. However, when I learnt about it from Tusshar and Aftab who came on my show, I knew that I wasn't in the wrong. I had signed a contract to stay inside the house till I was evicted and everyone knew that. I guess no one believed that I would survive the entire duration.“ But wasn't it foolish on her part to miss the promotions of her first big Bollywood release? “To the contrary,“ she replies, “Being locked up inside the BB house was godsend. For 105 days, I was top of mind for hundreds of thousands across the globe. That according to me is the best publicity for the film.“

Ask her whether she is upset at having lost out to Prince Narula and she says, “No, I think I'm a winner. During my 105-day stay, I won 11 nominations and survived eviction till the end. That means I am already a winner. I met so many fans when I got out and all of them said, 'Mandana, we respect you because you are a strong woman. You managed beautifully inside the house despite all the odds being stacked against you.“ Her face breaks into a big smile as she says, “In my head, I was also Bigg Boss' favourite. However, Salman Khan is a very fair host and he never shows his bias.“

Talking of how she is going to miss the reality show for a long time to come, the actress continues, “I loved being on the show. Though I had no friends in the house and was perhaps the most hated person inside, I will miss everything from the swimming pool to the kitchen. I will miss those cameras and tasks. However, what I will miss most are my chats with the Bigg Boss.“

Suddenly, tears stream down her rosy cheeks and when you tease her that she was labelled the cry baby of the show and accused of weeping copiously for TRPs, she petulantly quips “I'm a sensitive girl, not a dramebaaz. Even Bigg Boss understood that.“

One hears that the first thing she got after she came out of BB was a big hug from her boyfriend. “Yes, that's true,“ she says, “Inside the house, no one gave me any hugs or presents. As you know, people kept their distance from me. Even when I took ill, I got no visitors. I truly missed getting affection. But when I came out, my boyfriend (Gaurav Gupta) gave me a warm hug. It was very emotional.“

Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3, produced by Alt Entertainment, is currently playing in theatres across India.

Tusshar Kapoor and Aftab Shivdasani the porn stars who will tease, tickle and make your funny bone moan with their madness. With a triple dose of spoofs, goofs and uproarious sexcapades - in the upcoming sex comedy Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3, proudly called a 'porn-com' by the makers. Tusshar and Affy, who play adult movie stars in film, tell us all about the bard of the bawdy, the sanskar in this sex comedy and the taboo around it. And how all they want you to do is shake off your cares and watch their wares while they 'pornicate' your sensibility - with puns galore. It's a roll...

At the outset, there is nothing sanskari about this movie, right?
Aftab: Everything is sanskari about this film. In fact, the whole family featured in it is sanskari. They do what they do because they have to. Otherwise, they are absolutely normal people.
Tusshar: The moral of the story is don't judge a book by its cover. People should be known by their seerat (inner self) not by their soorat or profession. You don't have to judge someone for being a porn star.

The film is being called a porn-com. The first time I heard it I thought it was popcorn. Will our eyes really pop out while watching your antics on screen?
Aftab: I was going to say it's porn for the entire family, but it's not (laughs). It is a porn family that eats together, drinks together and sleeps together (no pun intended). It is basically a 'porntertainer'. I just made that up, not bad, eh?
Tusshar: Other than all the madness, confusion and coolness that ensues between two families, there are also adult spoofs of Bollywood blockbusters. This concept is a thriving industry in Hollywood where the biggest films are spoofed.

Any fear that a film like this could get too outrageous, too raunchy?
Tusshar: If you focus just on the gags, then it won't work because everything has to be part of a smooth story. A lot of people feel that sex comedies are a shortcut to success. It is quite the contrary. Comedy itself is no mean feat, and here we are doing a sex comedy in a country like ours where people are so sensitive. Without naming them, there are some recently released sex comedies that had the potential of shock value, but they didn't work. So if a film in this genre is not made well, it can fall apart like a pack of cards. It is risqué and risky.
Aftab: Exactly! If we try to force the humour or innuendo on somebody, then it is a problem. But if it is already there at the script level and we are enacting it, with the sole intention of making it look genuinely funny and not vulgar - then we can crack it without being offensive. It is a thin line.

Though in the West this genre is widely accepted and enjoyed, in India a section of our audience still cringe at the idea.
Aftab: I think the problem is with the term 'sex comedy', that's why it is taboo. It should be rephrased as 'adult comedy'. There are a lot of jokes in the film that are beyond sex and not just about sex. If we say adult comedy, it encapsulates everything, not just sexual jokes.
Tusshar: Yes, the term throws people off. Big Hollywood stars like Robert De Niro, Barbra Streisand, Robert Redford and Ben Stiller have done he most outrageous films, and alongside, they also do their gangster movies and all other kinds of roles. Why do we differentiate between dilms and call them highbrow or lowbrow. A lot of actors say... I don't want my kids to watch his, I would be embarassed. Whenever I have kids, I won't force them to watch the films that I have done. But they should respect what I do and not cringe at my body of work. I am doing it for the audience.

Both of you have found a foothold in this genre. Are you comfortable with it?
Aftab: I don't think I have found my foothold in this genre. Yes, the sex comedies we have done have worked, but I have done different kinds of comedy and other films too. So has Tusshar. We don't want to discard our universal audience and only stick to this genre.

Well, a lot of people enjoy such comedies, but they just don't want to talk about it. Maybe double standards, or stigma?
Aftab: That is changing. A large section of people wanted to pan Grand Masti as they thought it would be too vulgar. But they went to the theatre and laughed their hearts out. In fact, it was the women audience that made the film successful. The hubbies or boyfriends are usually worried about what the ladies will say about such a film. The moment the women start enjoying the humour, the men around them feel cool and comfortable about it.

Sex comedies are often not so flattering to women, and are also blamed for objectifying them. Your take?
Tusshar: Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 is not objectifying women; in fact we are the ones who are objectified here. The purpose is not to objectify a man or a woman. The idea is to make people laugh with situations that are bizarre and outrageous.

Most sex comedies in India are not so critic-friendly. Are you boys prepared to take it on?
Aftab: Most of my films aren't (laughs out loud!). We are not expecting reviews for this film. Why should it even be reviewed? Let people decide if they want to watch it.
Tusshar: I don't get upset with the reviews for such films. Aftab is right...there should be some films which are not reviewed at all. Not a bad idea! A film like this should be reviewed like other films in this genre, and not compared with any other kind of film.

Forget the actors; even the dog in Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 is making his notorious comeback in the third part. The makers believe the pug, which is called Suckru, is a lucky charm for the franchise. Hence, they ensured he has a prominent role in the film. Last time, he was Riteish Deshmukh's pet. This time around, he plays Mandana Karimi's pet in the film. 

Tusshar and Aftab Shivdasani will be seen playing adult stars in their upcoming film Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3. While the movie was being shot, the makers decided to use real porn stars for a few sequences. Director Umesh Ghadge recalls, “Tusshar's and Aftab's characters in the film will be seen doing naughty spoofs of popular Bollywood films. For some of the sequences in Bangkok we needed other artistes too. Here, we decided to rope in porn stars to stick to the mood of the film. And it was such a blast shooting with them.“ 

Women empowerment is rearing its head and how. Feisty film producer Ekta Kapoor is spearheading this movement. A naughty track from her porncom Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3, which releases on January 22, is being noticed for its titillating lyrics. The song, featuring Mandana Karimi with Tusshar and Aftab Shivdasani, has the Iranian beauty lip syncing to Oh boy you are my soft toy. But the original lyrics were Oh boy I am your soft toy. When Ekta heard the song, she told music composers Sajid-Wajid that she loved it but felt the need for one change. Instead of the girl taking a weaker position, Ekta suggested that she should get the upper hand. So, the lyrics were changed accordingly; the song was re-recorded and then shot. 

Leaving behind sanskaari times in 2015, the makers of Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 are making sure that their brand of irreverent humour remains unaffected by moral diktats. After their naughty trailer took social media by storm, the makers have decided to release their racy new song Oh Boy, only online. The song, with its double meaning lyrics (Oh boy you are my soft toy) and smoking hot visuals, has obviously got an 'A' certificate. A source from the film's production house tells us, “We're working on toning it down for TV audiences, but until then, the 'not so soft' version can be viewed online.“ Now, that's a smart move!

Oh, don't let all their camaraderie fool you. Bollywood egos are legendary. And in their own heads, each superstar imagines that the sun first rises outside his bedroom. So while it may be fine to clink glasses and show each other how “they love one another“ on social media, actors are actually spoiling for fights in their own way.

The latest weapon they have found to declare war on one another is a release date. All Bollywood biggies know that when their films clash on the same date, catastrophe will strike. But do they care? No. It's the law of the jungle - may the mightier one win. Of course, there is no denying that there are only 52 Fridays available in a calendar year and at least 150 films are vying for these dates. It is a well-known fact that dates like Republic Day, Eid, Diwali, Independence Day and Christmas weekends are also coveted because they bring in huge box office numbers.

The last face-off of 2015 between Bajirao Mastani and Dilwale left many people within the trade red-faced. So will good sense prevail in 2016? “No way,“ says a trade insider. He adds, “Clashes are starting as early as January this year. Airlift and Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 have both decided to release on January 22.“

Throwing light on the situation, the source says, “Let's give the devil his due. Even if we do not look at it as an ego thing, clashes are inevitable. There are as many as 10 films lined up for release in January. The month that was years ago called jinxed January has now gone on to become jammed January because of the rush at the marquee.“

If you're wondering what are the two questions on everyone's mind in Bollywood, then they are: Will Raees and Sultan clash on Ramzan Eid as announced earlier? And will Karan Johar and Ajay Devgn bring Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Shivaay together on Diwali?

In all fairness, SRK had hinted in an interview that the release date of Raees could be shifted. Will it then move to the Independence Day weekend? If it does, then what happens to movies like Akshay Kumar's Rustom and Hrithik Roshan's Mohenjo Daro? Will they automatically shift to October 2?

Forget the biggies clashing; even debutants may not be spared. It is being said that Harshvardhan Kapoor's (Anil Kapoor's son) Mirzya may have to vie with Emraan Hashmi's Azhar for a piece of the pie on May 13.

Akshay, by virtue of the fact that he does a minimum of three films a year, is bound to clash with more than one hero. If all goes as per plan, after he has clashed with Tusshar in January, his Housefull 3, which is the first big-ticket venture post the Indian Premier League, is expected to clash with lovebirds Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif 's Jagga Jasoos. Not to forget, Emraan Hashmi's Raaz Rebooted also wants a window here.

Producer-distributor N R Pachisia sums up saying two big-ticket films should avoid clashing together. He explains, “With films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, PK and Dhoom 3, we have seen strong solo releases registering huge numbers. When two films release together, the business gets divided. The better film gets higher numbers. I believe such clashes should be avoided as collections get split up and comparison kills.“

But do prima donnas care? No, they continue to pretend that they are the only ones in the orbit. Others with whom they 'party with' are incidental.