Ever since actor Paresh Rawal revealed that a sequel to Malamaal Weekly is in the works, fans have been excited about its development.

While recent reports suggested that Maidaan director Amit Sharma would helm the sequel to the 2006 film, he firmly shut down the speculation.

“There seems to be some speculation around this, but no, this is not true. I’m not attached to the film in any capacity,” Sharma says.

Requesting an end to such reports to avoid confusion, he adds, “I’d really appreciate it if we could avoid circulating unverified information.”

Malamaal Weekly, directed by Priyadarshan, starred Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Riteish Deshmukh, Asrani and Shakti Kapoor, among others.

Twenty years ago, filmmaker Priyadarshan created a laugh riot as he told the story of a village chasing a lottery-winning ticket in Malamaal Weekly (2006). The laughs are set to return as mid-day has learnt that Malamaal Weekly 2 is in the works. Paresh Rawal and other members of the cast, which included Riteish Deshmukh and Rajpal Yadav, are expected to reprise their roles.

But there’s a change of guard — sources have told us that director Amit Sharma of Badhaai Ho (2018) fame will take up the baton from Priyadarshan.

“Amit is in talks to helm the sequel. He is excited to take the franchise ahead,” said an insider. 

The change is not only in the directorial department. Shailendra Singh’s Percept Picture Company and Sahara Motion Pictures, which produced the 2006 comedy, aren’t attached to the sequel.

When mid-day contacted Singh, he revealed, “Paresh contacted me on Sunday, asking for the sequel’s rights on behalf of an independent producer. We told him that the rights are placed between Sahara and someone else. I don’t have clear documentation in my possession.”

As the comedy classic Malamaal Weekly completed 20 years since its release, actor Rajpal Yadav marked the milestone on March 10 by sharing a video compilation of his comic moments from the film on social media. Along with the clip, he wrote, “Yakeen nahi ho raha ki 20 saal ho gaye! Bajey ko aur film ko itna pyar dene ke liye aap sabka dil se shukriya.”

Looking back, the actor describes the film as one of the most memorable experiences of his career. He shares, “Malamaal Weekly hamare jeevan ki ek bahut yaadgaar film hai. We shot the film in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, and the whole experience there was wonderful. Wahaan jogging, shooting, shirting, sab hoti thi (laughs!). My character was offbeat and humorous, and the film carried elements of black comedy as well as a comedy of errors. Through this role, I could explore many dimensions of performance. Since I am also a common man and represent the common man, I feel a natural connection with such roles. I’m very happy that even after 20 years, MW continues to hold its place.”

He also recalls how his distinctive look in the film came about. He says, “During Malamaal Weekly, my hair had grown quite long, but Priyan ji didn’t want that look. Toh Chennai ke jo makeup dada the, maine unka get-up dekha aur ussi se inspire hoke ek look bana kar Priyan ji ke paas gaya. He approved it, so my hair was saved from being cut. The look eventually turned out quite different. Mentally bhi woh character kaafi alag tha, isliye woh experience mere liye bohot yaadgaar raha.”

One particular scene still stands out for the laughter it created on set. He shares, “There is a scene where Riteish Deshmukh and I get into an argument, after which I go to my sister and say I want to get married. She asks, ‘Kisse?’ and I say, ‘Ladki se.’ Then she asks, ‘Pyaar kab hua?’ and I reply, ‘Abhi aadha ghanta pehle.’ ‘Aadha ghanta pehle’ wali line par sabko hassi aa gayi thi, and the whole set had a very lively atmosphere.”

Working with director Priyadarshan has always been a learning experience for him. He says, “Priyan ji khud bhi ek actor hain, isliye woh har actor ki capability ko bahut achhi tarah samajhte hain aur timing ko bhi bahut clearly explain karte hain. Chahe role chhota ho ya bada, he makes sure it is properly shaped on screen, because har moment ek learning moment ban jaata hai. Hamari association kaafi purani hai. It started with Hungama and continues even today. Woh alag-alag situations create karke actors ko surprise bhi karte hain, aur humein bhi honesty ke saath dhamaal karne ka mauka milta hai.”

On the film’s timeless appeal, he says, “Some films like Malamaal Weekly, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, or Angoor are special. Inse achhi ya alag filmein ban sakti hain, lekin waisi filmein dobara nahi ban sakti. They are as enjoyable to watch as they are to be a part of.”

Days before the Delhi High Court granted actor Rajpal Yadav 30 days of interim bail in a ₹9 crore cheque bounce case, filmmaker Priyadarshan had said in an interview that the actor’s financial troubles stemmed from “poor education”. The director has now clarified that the remark was not meant as an insult, adding he was referring to a lack of awareness, not formal schooling.

“Actually, I didn’t mean that. Education is something we learn from the street and from books too. Now, I just meant that (street smartness), maybe because education is also awareness, ” the filmmaker tells us. His clarification comes after Rajpal, who was recently asked to surrender in the cheque bounce case and later released, called the comment “completely wrong”, adding, “Priyan ji doesn’t know me. I am a well-educated guy.”

Priyadarshan maintains that the remark was never intended to demean the actor. “I didn’t mean to insult him or anything. So I said that because I’ve never seen such an innocent person in my life like Rajpal… innocence comes out of lack of education in the broader sense,” he explains, adding that the actor’s village background may also shape that simplicity.

The director-actor duo first collaborated on the film Malamaal Weekly (2006) which marked 20 years on March 10. They are currently awaiting the release of the horror-comedy film Bhooth Bangla, also starring actor Akshay Kumar.

The 69-year-old expresses confidence that Rajpal will bounce back strongly. “After Bhooth Bangla releases, I believe Rajpal will spring back as one of the biggest stars of comedy… because he’s done a fantastic job for me in this film.”

In the days since Rajpal Yadav was sent to Tihar Jail in connection with a Rs 9 crore debt and cheque bounce case, many in the Hindi film industry have offered financial help to the actor. The latest to extend support is Priyadarshan. The filmmaker, whose next is a comedy starring Pankaj Tripathi and Yadav, revealed that the makers have hiked the actor’s fee, in light of the current situation.

When mid-day reached out to Priyadarshan, he said, “I have known Rajpal for over 20 years.”

The director, who was neck-deep in the post-production of Bhooth Bangla in Hyderabad, added, “I saw him for the first time in Jungle [2000] and was surprised by his performance. My first film with him was Malamaal Weekly [2006], and after that, he has starred in most of my films. I told the producers [Jubilee Films] of my next to pay Rajpal more than what he charges because of his situation. We want to save him. The producers have agreed. Rajpal plays the villain in my movie.”

Yadav reportedly borrowed Rs 5 crore in 2010 to finance his directorial venture, Ata Pata Laapata (2012). With the film failing at the box office, the unpaid dues over the years apparently escalated to nearly Rs 9 crore.

As one of Yadav’s close associates, Priyadarshan was aware of his financial distress. “I knew about his problem. That’s why I kept signing Rajpal for every film. I pushed him in ad films too. The poor guy made a blunder because of his poor education. Rajpal is a good soul.”

Sudha Chandran was recently in Lucknow and though it wasn’t her first visit to the city, the actress said she can’t help but fall in love with it every time she is here. “The trip to Lucknow never fails to amaze me considering its richness in culture and heritage,” said the actress who is presently seen in the show Doree.

She added, “I went to Imambara, saw Rumi Gate, and had the famous chaat in Hazratganj. Once when I was in the city a while back, having heard so much about Bhool Bhulaiya, I was eager to visit the place. Initially, when I entered, it looked very complicated to me, but as we moved around Bhool Bhulaiya, I was able to pave my way through it. I believe in the same way, it defines our life also. For me, visiting Bhool Bhulaiya was a life lesson.”

“Dance and acting go together in my life like hand and glove. Why would anybody want to give up on something for the other thing? Has our mother ever given up on her household duties to pursue a career? Women are the best time managers and multi-taskers. Acting is an extension of dance. Today people tell me that I have the skill of conversing through my eyes, that is because of dance. The thought process required for the understanding of emotions, expressions, and acting is better comprehended when you are a dancer or a performer. Many things make one a good actress, among which also counts dancing.”

Despite her long-standing presence in the industry, Sudha believes that the film industry has yet to accord her the recognition she rightfully deserves. “Having started my journey from films, I do have a regret that the film industry has not done me justice, honestly. I’d have consoled myself if TV also had not accepted me with the thought that probably I was not meant for this. However, I became one of those TV actresses who survived a long time doing meaty roles in the industry. When the TV industry has that faith in me, then why is the film industry failing to trust me? Especially even after giving hits like Malamaal Weekly, I am nowhere. When people ask me why I am not doing films, I say jab bulanyege tab karenge na. I don’t want to be disloyal to the TV industry. I won’t abandon TV, as it has given me everything, unlike the film industry that didn’t offer me opportunities when I wanted them.”

Ask Sudha about mostly doing vampish roles and she says, “In all mediums, negative characters persist, it’s just that television hammers it for a long time compared to films, making its impact staggering. To glorify Ram, Ravan’s presence was necessary. I always say for every protagonist the antagonist has to be very strong. When you’re playing a negative role, it becomes more difficult if you’re not that type of person. When people meet me they say you are such a positive person in real life, how can you play such a negative character? That challenge is big when you have to play a character diametrically opposite of what you are.”

Sudha shot for her latest show Doree extensively in Varanasi. “Everything about Banaras is special and holy to me, especially seeing and doing Ganga Aarti for which so many people gather together. Having that sacred dip in Ganga was one thing I had never thought of doing in my entire life owing to my fear of water. Fortunately, I got the opportunity to take the dip as one of the scenes in my upcoming serial demanded it. Shayad mere kuchh paap bhi dhul gaye hongay.”

Subrata Roy, who passed away on November 14 at the age of 75 after a prolonged illness, played a key role in the careers of several film fraternity folks. Ever since his foray into showbiz in the early 2000s with Sahara One Motion Pictures, he not only backed several movies that set the trend with the advent of the multiplexes but also bailed out several actors and filmmakers from their financial crises. Apart from film production and distribution, Roy expanded his media conglomerate with news and general entertainment channels, too.

That’s not all. His studio gave a new lease to the careers of actors like Sridevi and Karisma Kapoor with television serials like Malini Iyer and Karishma: The Miracles of Destiny on the group’s general entertainment channel, Sahara One. Moreover, several B-Town celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai were on the board of directors of Sahara entities. Not surprising then, that whenever any Sahara event was scheduled in Lucknow, where the group headquarters were located, most of Bollywood would fly down to show their allegiance to and solidarity with Roy. 

At the same time, it’s also not surprising that when Roy and his Sahara Group got caught in financial issues in 2011, several film industry folk began keeping their distance from the ‘controversial’ businessman.

However, few continued to associate with Sahara Shri, as he was called. One of them is Vivek Oberoi, who forged a bond with the businessman-industrialist before he began working with the latter’s studio. Beyond the equation they shared, the actor remembers two unforgettable instances. One is when the actor got injured during the shoot of Yuva on the Howrah bridge in Kolkata.

“Even Mani Ratnam sir had a heart issue and had to be hospitalized. Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan were taking care of me. Sahara Shri called me, spoke to my father and took over—he organized the beat doctor and orthopedic for me at Hinduja Hospital. When I was to be flown down to Mumbai, he got the front row seats of an Air Sahara flight removed so I could be accommodated with the stretcher,” recalled Oberoi. 

The actor was even more touched to see the business magnate had flown down to Mumbai to be by his side. He added, “After the surgery, while I was in and out of consciousness, Dada sat there by my side. It was great a gesture from Dada, a billionaire industrialist who had tons of things to do in his corporate empire.”

The other instance was when the actor was getting married to Priyanka Alva in 2010. Businessmen, industrialists, politicians and VIPs were invited to the wedding, besides his friends and colleagues from the industry. “Even though he was a VIP himself, he asked if there was something he could do. Dada was there on stage like a family member, receiving guests, ensuring they were looked after, asking if anyone needed anything. That is what set him apart as a person; his honesty and integrity also continued in his relationships,” reminisced Oberoi.