After an eight-year hiatus, Ishkq in Paris director Prem Soni returns with Laila Manju, India's first mainstream film on drag culture
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 16, 2020)

With Bollywood finally expanding its horizons to tell stories about the marginalised sections, it is only fitting that director Prem Soni is set to explore the subject of drag queens with his next, Laila Manju. Featuring Shashank Vyas of Balika Vadhu fame, Abhimanyu Tomar and Nehal Chudasama, the film revolves around two Southall boys who participate in a beauty contest.

Soni, who is returning to the industry after an eight-year hiatus, says, "Since I am coming back after a long time, it was important that my film offer a novel idea. It is India's first mainstream drag [feature] film. Unfortunately, there is not much awareness about the subject in India. The drag culture has been embraced in the West, where they have stand-up comedians, singers and performers."

If RuPaul — with his appearances and the wildly popular reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race — brought global attention to the community, the culture is slowly gaining momentum in India with Keshav Suri's Kitty Su hosting local and international drag performers, in its bid to encourage inclusivity.

The director says the film, which also features Iulia Vantur in a key role, will shine a spotlight on the LGBTQIA+ community.

"The idea is to tell the audience that we cannot discriminate basis one's skin colour or sexual preference or style of dressing. For long, homosexuality was not considered 'normal' when in fact, we [who carry this prejudice] are the ones who need to shed our layers of conflict."

The past eight years have been hard on Soni — the director says he battled depression after his films Main Aurr Mrs Khanna (2009) and Ishkq in Paris (2013) did not receive a favourable response at the box office. "Post 2013, I was in severe depression and went through a suicidal phase. These eight years were tough for me. So many people came up to me and said, 'Your career is over. You can't rebuild it now.' I went through so many rejections. People stopped talking to me. They did not even have the compassion to understand that if a film does not work, it does not mean that the person is not talented. Even after 14 years in the industry, I have not been accepted here — it could be because my films didn't work, or because I am an outsider. The only person who supports outsiders is Salman Khan and I am thankful to him for supporting me."

With debut vehicle on back-burner, Salman Khan's rumoured girlfriend Iulia Vantur begins another project, with the same director
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; January 15, 2020)

Iulia Vântur's Bollywood launch, Radha Kyun Gori Main Kyun Kaala, which was rechristened Moh Moh Ke Dhaage, did not take off. Prem Raj Soni's directorial venture was announced in 2018. Two years later, the Romanian actor-anchor finds herself back in his fold for another project, Laila Manju.

The comedy, starring television actor Shashank Vyas, beauty pageant winner Nehal Chudasama, and Abhimanyu Tomar, who featured in the song, Yaad piya ki aane lagi, is being shot in London since a month.

Says a source, "She is the latest addition to the cast. Iulia began shooting on Monday. The makers are keen to keep things under wraps and have told the cast to not post pictures from the set, or reveal details about the film at this juncture."

Both Vântur and Soni have a common connect — their proximity to Salman Khan. The source adds, "It is because of this [connect] that she landed a role in Radha Kyun Gori... but the project faced production issues."

Soni earlier directed the Khan-starrer Main Aurr Mrs Khanna (2009) and later helmed Preity Zinta's 2013 film, Ishkq In Paris, in which Khan had a cameo.

When mid-day reached out to Soni, he responded with a pithy: "I am busy with the shoot." Vântur did not respond to our texts.

Last year, Vântur shot for Ali Jacko's thriller, Jack Stall Dead, in London. Jacko, a former world lightweight kick-boxing champion, who is based in the UK, is also Khan's buddy.

"Vyas and Tomar play the title roles. It is a laugh riot about two youngsters trying to win over a girl [Chudasama]. Jimmy [Sheirgill] and Farida Jalal are also part of the cast."

It is also said that Khan is keeping himself up-to-date about the project. The film is being shot in a start-to-finish schedule. The unit is slated to return next month.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 1, 2014)

While Salman Khan may be the reel-life Prem, a real-life counterpart, who goes by the same name, is now gearing up to make his foray into acting. Director Prem Raj, known for films like the Salman Khan-Kareena Kapoor starrer Main aur Mrs Khanna and Preity Zinta's first home production Ishkq in Paris, is ready to make the transition.

Mirror has learnt that a major studio is producing the film. Tentatively titled Laila Manju, it will be a spin off of the 1975 Rishi Kapoor-Neetu Singh hit, Rafoo Chakkar. The film is expected to roll in July and the hunt is on for an actrress to play the role essayed by Neetu Singh.

Soni confirmed the news saying, "I’ve been training for the last six months and have lost around 12 kilos. The acting offer came as a surprise, but I've decided to take on the challenge.”

Soni admits it will be difficult to fit into Rishi's shoes in the crazy caper. He says, "I’m scared as hell, but since my heart is in this project, I’m sure I will pull it off.”