Actor-director Saahil Prem has found a big supporter in Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. With his movie -Mad About Dance, presented by Essel Vision -hitting the screens today, SRK has a few words of encouragement for the youngster:

“I've known Saahil since his childhood, but didn't know he wanted to be an actor or a director. It takes a lot to act and direct together, it takes courage to do something different. MAD is very different in the sense that this genre is new to our country.So, more than saying that I am promoting him, because no one can promote anyone, I am just standing by him, because I think he has attempted something new and new genres, new actors and new talent should be stood by. All I can tell Saahil is, keep doing your work with all you have, everything else is peripheral. Do every film like it's your first film, with the same excitement and do it with such desperation that it's your last film. Film banane se bada koi khwab nahi hota... these dreams are very big dreams and yeh pehla khawab hai Saahil ka, Insha'Allah, MAD should find its place with the audience.There will be many bigger dreams in future, but the first dream, when it comes true, is always special. Saahil has put in a lot of hard work and is going by his heart and I hope it doesn't hurt. And even if it hurts, I would tell him, don't step back and keep on doing what your heart says.“

Mad About Dance, produced by Paanch Rupaiya Barah Ana Productions and Sunday Talkies, releases today.

Producer Smita with Thackeray, who is impressed actor-director Saahil Prem's upcoming release, Mad About Dance (MAD) has hinted that she may produce the sequel to this Bollywood film. For now, she has picked up the overseas distribution rights of the film that is presented by Essel Vision.

Says she, “My sons first told me about Saahil's film after watching the promos. We had liked him in Ragini MMS 2, but he looked totally different in MAD, which intrigued us even more."

Smita was so curious about Saahil's dance film that she immediately called up Farah Khan, who had launched the trailer, asking for the youngster's contact details. While she liked his acting, it was his directorial skills that left more of an impact on her. “When you watch the movie, you can't believe that it's his directorial debut," she says, adding, “I'm certain it will get a good response from those who enjoy music and dance, like my sons and I do."

Mad About Dance, produced by Paanch Rupaiya Barah Ana Productions and Sunday Talkies, releases August 22.

Actor-director Saahil Prem has roped in Dr Zeus to create a song for his maiden venture, Mad About Dance (MAD). The song, Assi Punjabi Munde Haan, will mark the UK-based singer-music producer’s debut in Bollywood.

Saahil was clear that he didn’t want the usual fare of lyrical songs for MAD, which is being presented by Essel Vision. He believed that instrumental tracks would do justice to the dance battles shown in the movie and hence, picked them up from Indian music producer Sharan and other music producers in Germany , UK and USA.

However, he was more than happy to make an exception for Dr Zeus. “His songs Kangna and Jugni Ji were hits, but he hadn’t specially produced anything for Bollywood. It was cool of him to agree to create a number for us. He dropped by on our location in Sheffield when Assi Punjabi... was being filmed and has also made a brief appearance in the song,” says Saahil.

Mad About Dance, produced by Paanch Rupaiya Barah Ana Productions and Sunday Talkies, releases August 22.





Saahil Prem was never supposed to direct Mad About Dance (MAD). “I turned director out of necessity and then fell in love with the process,“ he says with a smile.

He has a point. Here's a little flashback: What would you do if your director and cinematographer deserted you on the third day of the shoot of your debut film, a project which has been your dream for the longest time? Few would have the guts to pick up the baton and keep going, but that's exactly what the young actor did, when his director Abraham Cherian and cinematographer Arvind Kannibiran allegedly left the team high and dry in the UK.

“Those first three days in Sheffield were a nightmare for the unit," recalls Saahil, adding, “There was hardly any creative interaction between the actors and the director, we didn't know what we were supposed to do in front of the camera. The crew was demoralised."

It was then that the production-in-charge asked Saahil to intervene. “When we tried to speak to them, they got abusive. That really got me. I decided that I was not going to let anyone mess with the film and conveyed that to them in so many words,“ he says. In fact, the situation turned so ugly, Arvind and Saahil are said to have almost come to blows during a meeting.

What worsened the crisis was that when Abraham and Arvind left for India, they allegedly tried to take back with them some members of the technical crew. “They probably wanted to make the situation even worse for us, but that made me even more determined," Saahil says.

Having assisted Vipul Shah on Namastey London, he then took this film forward. And if the industry is to be believed, the young actor-director has done a decent job, too!

Compared to the older generation of actors, who would kick up a fuss every time they split from their co-stars - right from refusing to work with each other and abandoning projects midway to looking through each other publicly - the younger bunch of actors are, thankfully, easy and relaxed, and more professional about such things.

Amrit Maghera and Saahil Prem, the lead pair of Mad About Dance, were seriously involved with each other for a long time. But despite breaking up, the couple seemed to be extremely friendly at their promotional photo session together. They were probably meeting for the first time after their split, but there was no sign of bitterness or discomfort from either side. “I don't understand how people can suddenly become uncouth and hostile towards someone they have genuinely cared for," says Saahil, adding, “Amrit and I are good friends and will continue to be so. If the respect and care is genuine, it doesn't go anywhere, it remains."

The duo will be promoting their film extensively in the coming weeks, travelling together to various cities.
Whether the close proximity will rekindle old feelings, we don't know.

However, when asked about the reason for break-up, they are both unwilling to go there. “Why not let the past be when there's so much new to look forward to?“ Saahil asks. Right now, the two youngsters insist, they have all their energies focussed on the most important event of their lives, the release of their film. “It's very special for all of us. There were so many challenges and setbacks, and yet, we kept rising back, especially Saahil, who was also directing the film. So much hard work, sweat and resilience has gone into it, it's truly a trial by fire for all of us. Our team deserves to win," says Amrit.

Mad About Dance (MAD) was con ceived four years ago by Saahil Prem, who was a student in UK then and Shah Rukh Khan was completing his film Ra.One in London. Back then, SRK had given an open offer to the tall, curly-haired youngster - he could pick up any equipment that he might require for his film, from his production team. As Saahil left for the first schedule of MAD, in which he also plays the lead, SRK wrote to him on a social networking site, “Honesty, hard work and generosity of heart will take you a long way."

It's this advice that saw him through the many ups and downs of putting his debut project together. The superstar, on his part, supported Saahil by taking time out last week to do this photo session with him despite being in the midst of hectic post-production for his film, Happy New Year. As he kick-started the promotions of MAD, the superstar said, “This is the first time I'm supporting the film in this manner. I'll be a part of the promotions whenever I can."

With a month to go for the film's release, guess we'll be seeing much more of SRK and Saahil together.

Mad About Dance releases August 22.