Since last year, rumours were rife that Sreeleela, who has worked in Telugu and Kannada films so far, was the top contender to complete the love triangle in Kartik Aaryan and Bhumi Pednekar’s Pati Patni Aur Woh 2. It would mark her second project with Aaryan after her maiden Hindi film, Anurag Basu’s yet-untitled love story that is currently being shot in Siliguri. But trade sources reveal that director Mudassar Aziz and the makers are now keen to rope in Rasha Thadani for the comedy.

Insiders suggest that the Pati Patni Aur Woh 2 makers want a fresh pairing. That has made them consider Thadani, who forayed in the movies with Azaad this January and caught the audience’s attention with her track, Uyi Amma, despite the film’s poor performance.

“Sreeleela and Kartik are already working together in Anurag’s film. The team of Pati Patni Aur Woh 2 feels a new jodi will attract attention. The final decision rests with Mudassar. He will take a call after conducting look tests,” reveals a source.

Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019) starred Ananya Panday alongside Aaryan and Pednekar. The sequel is expected to roll after the leading man wraps up Basu’s love story.

Mirror recently reported that after wrapping up his ongoing period drama, Prithviraj, and the cross-cultural love story Atrangi Re, Akshay Kumar will kick off work on Sajid Nadiadwala’s Bachchan Pandey from January. The Farhad Samji-directed film features him as a gangster and a wannabe actor, alongside Kriti Sanon, a journalist, who’s an aspiring director. After completing that in March, he was to move on to Aanand L Rai’s Raksha Bandhan, followed by an action comedy with Ekta Kapoor. Mirror has now learnt that the actor has given his nod to one more film that will flag off around July next year.

“Akshay has come on board for Mudassar Aziz’s next, a whacky comedy. He said 'yes' as soon as he heard the subject. He is trying to consciously strike a balance between real-life subjects, action thrillers, love stories with a difference, and laughter riots,” informed a source. Mudassar has previously directed romcoms like Happy Bhag Jayegi and the Pati Patni Aur Woh remake. It will be his first collaboration with Akshay.

We hear Akshay is in talks for two more films, an investigative thriller and a social comedy, but is yet to take a final call on them “He has almost 10 films in his kitty and there’s talk of a show towards the end of 2021 too,” adds the source.

In August, Akshay flew to Scotland and shooting in a bubble, wrapped up an espionage thriller which is looking at an April 1 opening. Before that his cop drama, Sooryavanshi, which was to open in March this year, will arrive in the theatres between January and March next year. 

Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 3, 2019)

Mudassar Aziz, best known for directing the 2016 romcom Happy Bhag Jayegi and its sequel, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, which released last year and was fronted by Sonakshi Sinha, is gearing up for the release of his next, Pati Patni Aur Woh, an adaptation of B R Chopra’s 1978 classic by the same name. Asked if it’s coincidence that his fourth release also revolves around marriage like his previous films, the director, who debuted with Dulha Mil Gaya, points out that in our country nothing is celebrated like weddings.

The earlier film, featuring Sanjeev Kumar, Vidya Sinha and Ranjeeta Kaur, was one of his father’s favourite films. “When Juno (Chopra’s grandson and the film’s producer) retrieved the negatives and I revisited it, I realised it was way ahead of its time,” he points out, adding that rather than remake it, he opted to write a new story about marital discord and the ‘woh’ which could be a man or a woman or even non-communication and mundaneness which over time, creeps into a relationship. “When Juno heard my version, he decided we had to tell this story because under the guise of comedy, we were saying something important.”

Unlike Sanjeev Kumar’s character, Ranjeet Chaddha, who is going through a midlife crisis, Kartik Aaryan’s Chintu Tyagi has tied the knot a little too early and he believes that will be his connect with the audience. On his part, Kartik’s command over Hindi with a Kanpur-Lucknow accent, is what tipped the scales in his favour and now he says, “When people tell me as an actor Kartik has arrived, I want to tell them he’s just started.”

Ask him if a real shaadi is on the cards after four on screen, and his lovey-dovey insta posts with Huma Qureshi, Mudassar says cagily, “I’ll talk about my personal life when I have to.” 

Mudassar Aziz on what drew him to the Pati Patni Aur Woh remake and what makes it different from the original 1978 romcom
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 5, 2019)

Amidst rumours of a new love story, Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday came together for the trailer launch of their upcoming film, Pati Patni Aur Woh, a remake of the 1978 romcom, featuring Sanjeev Kumar-Vidya Sinha-Ranjeeta Kaur. Refuting the buzz and reiterating that he is single post his break-up with Sara Ali Khan, the actor insisted he had neither a wife nor a ‘woh’ in real life. To which producer Bhushan Kumar quipped, “Iske life mein bahut saare ‘woh’ hai”. Kartik’s characters, be it Sonu in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Guddu in Luka Chuppi or Chintu Tyagi in this film, have had an impish side to them, but he was quick to point out that their intentions have always been pure. The streak of mischief, coupled with an innocent face, made for a perfect blend, he pointed out, tongue-in-cheek.

The film is a comical take on extra-marital affairs, and director Mudassar Aziz pointed out that while adultery is an universal concept, he has tried to keep the treatment light. Taking a dig at his own marital status, he joked, “We try to show things onscreen that we fail to live out in real life. Since my marriage didn’t work, I thought I should at least make someone else’s successful in the film.”

When asked if the film is going to be a frame-by-frame remake of the original, Mudassar pointed out that while B R Chopra’s film was considered bold in its time, today it might appear dated. “So, while staying true to the essence of the original, we have created a modern-day adaptation,” he said.

When prodded on whether the subject may seem sexist today, Bhumi Pednekar, who plays the wife, admitted that while they were walking a thin line here, once she read the script, doubts were flushed out. “It’s a situational comedy, but it isn’t frivolous. Neither the makers nor the actors belong to a school that preaches such an ideology.” Mudassar was quick to add that women have always been in the forefront in his films and this one is no different. “Kartik is the situation and Bhumi and Ananya drive the situation home,” he maintained.

In an interview to Mirror (January 17, 2019), Taapsee Pannu had slammed the makers for dropping her at the last minute. The actress was in the running for the role of the wife. Without confirming or denying the story, creative producer Juno Chopra said, “The actors in the film were my first choice. I approached them, and they said ‘yes’.”

This is Bhumi’s first glamorous role and she’s delighted. “This is how I am in real life,” pointed out the actress who looked sexy in a sari. “This character is the most apt culmination for the year,” added Bhumi, who plays an octogenarian champ in her recent release. Meanwhile, the thorn in her flesh, Ananya, who flagged off her career with a love triangle, shot back, “I guess there’s something in me that attracts love triangles.”

Pati Patni Aur Woh marks the second collaboration for Kartik and Bhushan. The duo also has Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 coming next year. When the actor asked his producer why he came to him, Bhushan acknowledged his skyrocketing brand and slyly added, “Tum chal rahe ho na aaj kal.” He then went on to laughingly add that his new name for the flavour of the season was “pati”.

Pati Patni Aur Woh director on recreating Govinda's hit Ankhiyon Se Goli Maare, under Farah Khan's supervision
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 28, 2019)

Although the cast has wrapped up the shoot of Pati Patni Aur Woh, Kartik Aaryan, Bhumi Pednekar and Ananya Panday will reunite at a city studio next week to recreate Govinda and Raveena Tandon's chartbuster, Akhiyon Se Goli Maare, for the film.

The Dulhe Raja (1998) number had become a smashing hit on its release and gained cult status over the years, courtesy Govinda's signature moves. Matching the dance icon's steps is a tall order, but director Mudassar Aziz insists they will give a new spin to the track.

"Farah Khan will choreograph the song. I'm excited to have her on board because she has seen me grow from an assistant director to a writer and finally, a filmmaker," says the director.

The movie — a remake of the Sanjeev Kumar, Vidya Sinha and Ranjeeta starrer by the same name — offers a comic take on infidelity as it narrates the story of a married man getting involved with another woman. Agreeing that the dance number doesn't organically fit into the narrative, Aziz explains it was necessary to include "a fun song" in the story.

"Our film is based in a certain milieu. This requires most songs in the movie to take the narrative forward. We collectively felt that we needed to communicate to the audience that the movie is an entertainer. So, we required a fun song where the characters could let loose in an alternate setting, where even the Patni and Woh could be together."

Huma Qureshi talks about everything from style to international projects, Diwali plans and link-up rumours
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 28, 2019)

Huma Qureshi has been in Los Angeles since July this year, filming Zack Snyder’s larger-than-life zombie thriller, Army Of The Dead. She returned to the Bay only on Friday to celebrate Diwali with family and friends, catching the flight home as soon as they wrapped up. “Everyone was asking me to stay back and celebrate Halloween, but I wanted to bring them here to show them what I would have missed had I stayed back,” she laughs. And while the jet lag is yet to wear off, Huma couldn’t have been happier, having reunited with her pet, Streak, and brother, Saqib Saleem, after almost four months.

“I was gone so long that I was afraid Streak wouldn’t remember me. But to my surprised delight, he was so excited to see me that he didn’t even let me shoot a proper video. It was also good to finally meet Saqib. We had not seen each other for five months, since he had taken off in May to shoot for ’83,” relays the actress.

She goes on to add that though she has been away from home turf for a while, she has been doing her bit to promote Bollywood in the West. “Every morning, while getting my make-up done, I would put on the latest Hindi film song and tell the team that this was what was trending back home. By the time the shooting came to an end, they were all hooked to our desi tunes,” the actress chortles and admits that this was all part of a well-thought out plan. “Now that I have landed this opportunity, I want to represent my country and promote it in my own way,” she points out.

So, is the next stop Hollywood? “I have worked pretty hard to make my way in. What’s the point of backtracking now? They are doing some pretty interesting work out there and as an actor, it is liberating to not be bound by language or territory,” Huma avers.

She recently made it to the New Wave Actors list, released by Film Independent, an organisation that recognises diverse performances, for her turn in Deepa Mehta’s dystopian drama, Leila. Huma admits that the honour means a lot. “I had to turn down quite a few lucrative Bollywood projects for that series, and all along, I wondered if it was worth the risk. This inclusion is a validation of sorts,” she acknowledges, enthusing about her recent project. “Working with Zack has been such a treat. I told him he is big in India and he admitted he knows that,” she laughs.

However, she is quick to add that she hasn’t bid adieu to Bollywood and is hoping to land a romcom soon. “This is home. No matter where I go, one leg will always be in India,” the actress asserts. For now, the only thing on Huma’s agenda is to catch up on all the Hindi films she has missed over the months. “I am asking for suggestions and recommendations as I compile a to-watch list. The next one week will be pretty laid-back as I want to doll up in festive finery, visit friends, gorge on sweets and not think about work,” she reveals with a smile.

Then, she plans to take off to Delhi to take a look at the oldest branch of her dad’s 40-year-old restaurant, Saleem, which she helped renovate and reopen while shooting in the capital last year. Reiterating that she would be in the hospitality business if not an actress, Huma says they plan to expand. “It’s not business, it’s a legacy now which both Saqib and I want to be a part of. We have started a tiffin service in Mumbai and hopefully, the restaurant will be here by next year. In fact, we want to open outlets all over India,” she says, quickly crossing her fingers.

But doesn’t being in the food business make counting calories that much more difficult? “Not at all,” she negates. “I like having a good time, and food is obviously a part of it. But as an actress, I have a certain responsibility. So, being fit is important as well. I enjoy working out, the goal is not to lose weight but maintain fitness.” However, she says, her frame, helps her be relatable. “I don’t want to do anything drastic. It makes young girls aspire to unachievable standards of beauty. Anyway, there is already so much pressure on them and as a middle-class Delhi girl following her dreams, I want them to believe that they don’t have to look a certain way to be successful,” insists Huma.

While on the topic, does she see the body positivity movement hitting Bollywood anytime soon? “Our actresses, be it Malaika Arora, Masaba Gupta or Sonakshi Sinha, have always been comfortable in their own skin and dress for themselves,” she points out matter-of-factly.

Talking about her own sartorial choices, the actress says that she likes to let her films do the talking, especially when it comes to events like the Cannes Film Festival. “I’m not insecure about my looks. I know I can look glamorous and if required, I can be the girl-next-door as well. But I like making brave fashion choices on the red carpet. My brief to my team is that I should not look like everybody else, my personality has to shine through,” she maintains.

And what are her thoughts on the #MeToo movement in Bollywood? “There’s no system in place yet,” she sighs. “Maybe I’m being an idealist, but I want people to know that it’s not okay to exploit another person, be it physically, financially or emotionally. There’s a need for a safe working place. Both my recent projects had a lot of women on sets and it creates a comfortable space. But at the same time, we shouldn’t make little boys feel bad for their gender. So many of those wrongly accused had their work and careers questioned. Their livelihood was at stake. That’s wrong too, no?”

While she is candid throughout, Huma clams up when the conversation veers towards her personal life. She’s been putting up lovey-dovey posts for director Mudassar Aziz, wearing her heart on her sleeve, literally, on his birthday, but ask her if a wedding is on the cards and pat comes the reply, “All I can say is that I’m happy to be surrounded by supportive people—family and friends.” But what about the wagging tongues? “Let them keep speculating,” she shrugs.