Actor confirms Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety sequel & that Pyaar Ka Punchnama will go into Part 3
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 3, 2020)

Ever since the trio of Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2—Kartik Aaryan, Nushrratt Bharuccha and Sunny Singh—reunited for another romcom, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, speculations have been rife about taking both the franchises forward. Sunny confirms this, saying, “Luv sir (Luv Ranjan who directed Pyaar Ka Punchnama 1 and 2 and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety) has something in mind, though the timelines have yet to be decided. But Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety will definitely have a sequel while Pyaar Ka Punchnama will have a part 3,” he asserts, admitting that Kartik and he have stayed connected throughout the pandemic via messages and phone calls. “I’m sure we will have a blast when we reunite for these films or any other. We stay close by and our families take walks together at a nearby garden. So, now we are family friends,” he chuckles.

After a brief stint on TV with shows like Kasautii Zindagi Kay and Shakuntala, Sunny made his Bollywood debut with the Ajay Devgn-fronted, Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji, followed by Luv Ranjan’s Akaash Vani, which featured Kartik in the lead. While the film failed commercially, it was the beginning of a successful partnership with Luv and Kartik. “I got into TV by chance, but even as a kid, I wanted to be a movie star. So, I groomed myself, took classes in acting, dancing and even action, met people and was rejected several times till I met Luv sir and things finally fell in place. Rejections are a part of every industry, but I was confident I’d live my dream one day. It takes time, but eventually talent speaks,” he points out.

He shot for an ad film recently and admits that it was hard to recognize anyone because everyone was masked and fitted out in PPE kits. “But this is the new normal,” he reasons, saying he’s looking forward to shooting a feature film in October-November but refuses to divulge details.

Buzz is, Sunny is teaming up with Fatima Sana Shaikh for a comedy to be directed by Sajid Samji. “It’s in the pipeline, but let’s see how things proceed in the post-Coronavirus days. Even I am waiting for clarity,” he says warily.

Having trained in action and dance, Sunny wants to do an action thriller. “The genre has always fascinated me because a lot of these films are inspired by real incidents,” he avers, admitting that he has been reading scripts during the lockdown and is looking to close the paperwork now that things are slowly opening up.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; January 13, 2020)

After starting his Bollywood journey as one of the three actors in the Pyaar Ka Punchnama (PKP) series, today, Sunny Singh is confident about leading the show as a solo hero. In a conversation with BT, the actor spoke about his upcoming film, Jai Mummy Di, his struggles to land where he is today and how his only focus is, “Meri agli picture kab aayegi.” Excerpts:

Your last release, Ujda Chaman, which was your first film as a solo hero, ran into controversy ahead of release. What were your takeaways from it?
I am calm person, and I never lose my composure. When I got to know of what had happened, I felt yeh to hona hi tha. Bala and Ujda Chaman were both about premature balding, which was a novel idea. I feel lucky that I was a part of Ujda Chaman, and today, I only want to cherish the experience of leading a film and the lessons that I learnt on the job. I had once met Ayushmann Khurrana before both the films had released. He seemed fairly unperturbed by what was going on, and that made me realise that one should just focus on their work. And controversies aside, I got the acknowledgement that I wanted as an actor. Today, I’m more prepared and confident to try out genres other than comedy. In this business, believing in your work, being patient and consistent always pays off.

You have tried your hand at comedy before, what was it about Jai Mummy Di that appealed to you?
Luv sir (filmmaker Luv Ranjan) called me to his office and introduced me to our director, Navjot Gulati. We discussed the film at length there, and he also asked me to read the script. I don’t question Luv sir’s decisions because I’m here, all thanks to him. Of course, I loved the story when I read it. I was not only playing the male lead, but I also had a chance to portray a character which is so relatable and real. Films like Jai Mummy Di connect well with the audience. When people recall me as Chauka (PKP) or Titu (Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety) on flights and other places, it feels like the hard work was all worth it.

Jai Mummy Di was shot before Ujda Chaman came your way and this will be your second release as the solo lead within six months. Doing more films as the leading actor — is that your plan now?
I have been through times when I would audition for roles and not make the cut. Today, I value the fact that I got these films in the first place. Aaj se kuch saal pehle tak, naye logon ko jaldi chance nahi milta tha. Along with hard work, you also need luck by your side. I was fortunate that Luv sir saw the potential in me and gave me films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Akaash Vani, and now, Jai Mummy Di. I have realised that it’s important to dedicate time to a film and role, no matter how big or small it is. Since childhood, I wanted to be a hero, but now, I want to be an actor. I spend time reading and preparing for a film. It’s important to do that. My father (Jai Singh Nijjar) is an action director. He has seen the industry from close quarters and he always told me that it is important to hone my acting skills. The reason for the long gaps between my previous films is that I focussed on one film at a time. I don’t feel the pressure to do multiple films in a year. Besides, I didn’t like the offers that I received in the interim. I don’t mind giving six months to a film if it demands that, but I am not in a hurry to sign projects.

Don’t you think that for a fairly new actor, having long gaps between films could be detrimental to your career?
I don’t think so. I know that a lot of newcomers have been introduced in recent times, but that doesn’t affect me. I also know a few of them personally, but I don’t know much about most of them because I don’t have the bandwidth to keep a tab. I am a homebody and I don’t socialise much. If it was left to me, I would also quit social media. My only concern is meri agli picture kab aayegi, paise aaye ya nahin and meri performance theek thi ya nahin. That’s it. I am not that person who puts himself out there all the time.

Once upon a time, social media profiles were private and that made sense because what we did with our buddies and where we chilled out was only for us to know. As far as this is concerned, my thoughts are a bit old-school.

Recently, on a chat show, actor Siddhant Chaturvedi said, ‘Hamare sapne jahan poore hote hain, wahan se inka (industry kids) struggle shuru hota hai,’ while referring to nepotism in the business. Do you agree with his statement?
Yes, I do, but to some extent. For people whose parents have been in the business, landing the first meeting and probably the first film is easier than it is for an outsider. But after that, it is talent that sooner or later takes you to your destination. I have observed that actors who get films through auditions have a different sort of confidence in what they’re doing. Maybe several rejections at auditions and continuous toil makes them strong. On the other hand, actors from families within the business have to work doubly hard and struggle to find their space. The pressure is higher and most of them have to live up to a big name. If they don’t do that in their first few films, work is hard to come by. So, yeh mat dekho kaun kidhar se aaya hai, but yeh dekho ki woh kya kar raha hai aur kya kar sakta hai.

Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; November 2, 2019)

After producing films, Abhishek Pathak turned director with Ujda Chaman, which released this Friday. The movie stars Sunny Singh in the role of a 30-year-old man who is dealing with the issue of premature balding. When asked about how difficult or different it was to wear the director’s hat, he replies, “The only hindrance I faced was when we had to shoot in the high temperatures of North India. It was really hot and sweaty, and I was worried about how my actors will perform in such weather, especially Sunny, who wore prosthetic makeup for his role of a partially bald man.” This is not the first time Abhishek is collaborating with Sunny. He had produced Akaash Vani (2013) and Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015), which featured the actor. Interestingly, Abhishek is Sunny’s childhood friend.

He said, “My father (film producer Kumar Mangat) and his father (action director Jai Singh Nijjar) have worked together before. That is why we know each other well.” He added, “The reason I cast him for the film was because Chaman (Sunny’s character in the film) is extremely coy and does not speak much. I felt Sunny was right for the part and would nail this role.”

Fortunately, the film released a week before Ayushmann Khurranastarrer Bala, which also deals with the same subject. Speaking about the similarities in both the films, Abhishek elaborates, “I bought the rights (of 2017’s Kannada release Ondu Motteya Kathe). Later, I got to know that they (producer Dinesh Vijan) are making Bala. In one of the interviews, I read that the film is about a person’s inner beauty. I realised that the premise of both films seemed similar, that’s when I sent out a friendly notice to the team of Bala. I also suggested that we sit across the table and discuss the content of our respective films. However, they told me that there was no need for a discussion as their content was different. Meanwhile, I had also released a public notice stating that we have the rights of the original. When the trailer of Bala released, I was shocked to see that it is similar to mine.”

There was a time when both the films were slated to release on the same weekend. However, a clash between the two, at the box office, was averted. Abhishek says, “Releasing two films based on the same subject on nearly the same date would have been disastrous.”

After Ujda Chaman, Abhishek is producing Khuda Hafiz, which is based on a news report published in The Times of India. “It is a romantic thriller inspired by a news report, which was published in 2007. It was actually the director of the film, Faruk Kabir (Allah Ke Banday fame), who had researched the article and came up with the idea,” said Abhishek. The film stars Vidyut Jammwal, and the shooting has commenced in Uzbekistan. Shedding more light on the story of the movie, the filmmaker shared, “It’s a real-life story based on a couple from Hyderabad. It’s a fabulous story that needs to be told.”

Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 30, 2019)

He began his journey in the entertainment world with television shows. Sunny Singh was a part of one of India’s longest-running daily soaps, Kasautii Zindagii Kay (2001-2008). He made his debut in Bollywood with Madhur Bhandarkar’s Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (2011). However, it was the 2015 release Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 that set the ball rolling for him. This year, the actor reaches a landmark in his career as he gears up for the release of his solo lead project, Ujda Chaman, directed by Abhishek Pathak. In a chat with BT, Sunny talks about his struggles, the mentors who have shown him the way and opens up about the averted clash of his film with the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer, Bala. Read on…

Ujda Chaman is your first film, which features you as the solo lead. How does it feel to carry the weight of a movie on your shoulders?
It feels really good, especially to see yourself featuring on the poster, solo (laughs!). I was waiting for such a project. I also wanted to do something different. I had faith and knew that one day, something like this will come along. When I was approached for this film, I got excited hearing the concept and details about my character.

Ayushmann Khurrana’s film Bala, based on a similar subject (premature balding), is releasing a week later. Amidst all that excitement, does this bother you?
When I saw the trailer of Bala, I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was like…what just happened? Later, when the feeling sank in, I was fine. Personally, I like Ayushmann and love his work. He is my senior and I am his fan. I had also met his wife Tahira and brother Apar (Aparshakti), they all are very sweet. They are like my family. I remember meeting Ayushmann at the screening of De De Pyaar De. I had a guest appearance in the film. He came to me and appreciated my work in the film. About the clash, I have no pressure, as such. I know that I have given this film my 100 per cent, and I am hoping it will connect with the audience.

Tell us all that went in to get the bald look right on screen?
It was a long, tedious procedure. On the first day, I thought it would be a cakewalk. However, when I sat through the look test, I realized that I had to go through this every day on set. The prosthetics team would use glue and a silicon cap to get the look. It would take three hours for me to get ready. I would arrive on the sets at 4 am and get ready only by about 6.30. Removing it would take another half an hour. During the three-hour process, I would watch movies on my phone. Shooting in Delhi and Ghaziabad was the toughest as it was very hot, leading to sweat getting accumulated under the silicon cap. It would be extremely uncomfortable.

From being a part of a TV show to bagging a solo lead film project, what have been your biggest hurdles along the way?
I have come a long way and reached here, I am truly happy for that. Well, the thing is that I have been extremely focused. I wanted to be an actor ever since I was five years old. I would tell my father (Jai Singh Nijjar, action director) that I wanted to be a hero. I used to enact scenes from the film Ram Lakhan (1989) at home. Seeing my enthusiasm, my father supported me, but also told me that it is going to be a very tough way ahead. He warned me that I would have to stand in long queues for auditions and he also said that he could approach people through his contacts, but eventually, I had to impress them with my talent. If didn’t, I had to ready to face failure. And I have faced it all. I would be very nervous during auditions. After waiting in long queues and then getting a chance to perform in front of casting agents, I would often get the response, ‘Aap mein yeh kami hai, woh kami hai.’ Finally, when I turned 18, a casting agent approached me and asked if I willing to do television shows. That is how Kasautii Zindagii Kay happened. I just took it up to get the experience of facing the camera. After a couple of TV shows, I quit doing that and focused only on movies. One day, I met Luv Ranjan through a casting agent. That was the best day of my life. After my family, he is the only person who I trust and have faith in.

The film industry is accustomed to seeing star kids make their way in showbiz. Lately, sons of fine technicians are also making their mark here, like Vicky Kaushal (whose father Sham Kaushal is an action director). It is interesting and remarkable…
Yes, it is interesting. I am good friends with Vicky Kaushal. In fact, he is from my hometown and our homes are just a kilometre apart. Our families get together during occasions and we know each other very well. He is a very sweet and simple guy. He has been so focused all these years and has worked really hard to reach where he is today. I have seen him go through the process. In fact, on three-four occasions we have gone for narrations together.

As a kid, would you accompany your father on film sets?
My father would tell me stories from what would happen on the sets. I would ask him to take me along, as I wanted to see the stunts live. I remember being on the sets of Vijaypath (1994), where Ajay Devgn was shooting a scene with a tiger. My father was training him, even Veeru Devgan (Ajay’s father, who was also an action director) was there. My father was lying down and the tiger was on his chest. They were demonstrating this to the actor and the duplicate. It was very scary to see my father doing that.

Which is that one actor you idolised while growing up?
I have been crazy about Akshay Kumar, probably because he gives me the Delhi vibes. While growing up, I would watch each and every movie of his. My father worked with him on Khiladi 786 (2012) and many other films.

Your upcoming film Pati Patni Aur Woh reunites you with your Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety co-actor actor Kartik Aaryan. What’s your equation with him?
I am doing a guest appearance in the movie. It was Kartik who called me and informed me about the cameo. Later, I met director Mudassar Aziz and came on board. It’s fun working with the entire team. Kartik has been a good friend. We know each other since 2011 and ever since, we have always hit it off well.

Sunny Singh in his next grapples with premature balding and its side effects
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 14, 2019)

Sunny Singh, who rose to fame as one of the central characters in the romcom Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, alongside Kartik Aaryan and Nushrat Bharucha, is back on the silver screen with his next, Ujda Chaman. The film shows him grappling with premature balding.

On Be Bald And Be Free Day today, a movement that celebrates baldness in India, the actor revisits the process of getting into the character of a man with a fast-receding hairline. “It took almost three hours every day to get into the look. I had to be the first one on set at 4 am, while others would join in around 7 am. There was no room for error as even the smallest mistake would mean doing it over. After the shoot, it took half an hour to remove the prosthetics,” the actor recalls, adding that during the Delhi schedule, a man approached him to say that he could relate to the actor’s character whenever faced with romantic failures. Then, there were times he invited weird looks when he ventured out in character.

Sunny goes on to add that he has a friend in the Navy who is also dealing with a receding hairline. “But, with the help of medical treatments, he takes care of himself. Moreover, baldness is fashionable now,” he points out, adding that in real life, he takes hair-care seriously. “But if I ever suffer from hair loss, I won’t be scared as I can undergo hair transplant, like many actors have. If that doesn’t work, I think I can carry off the bald look.”

Ask him for a favourite bald character and he picks Akshay Kumar’s Bala in Housefull 4 and Aamir Khan’s protagonist in the 2008 action-thriller, Ghajini, for their “macho look and standout personalities.”

Akshay in Housefull 4 and Ayushmann Khurrana in Bala also don bald avatars. Is he worried about being pitted against them? “I feel really lucky. I am a huge fan of Akshay sir. I have hundreds of his videos in my phone and whenever I meet him, it becomes the best day of my life. Ayushmann and he connect well with the audience but are grounded. Being compared to them feels good,” he asserts.

The release of Bala, which has a story similar to Ujda Chaman, was shifted a day prior to the latter’s. The director-producer, Abhishek Pathak, even decided to take legal action against the makers of Bala. “It is the producer’s call, I have nothing to do with it. Both teams have worked hard on their films, and people shouldn’t compare the two,” Sunny notes. Lastly, he doesn’t think his film’s box office performance will suffer. “The audience has seen both ours work. I don’t think anything bad will happen due to this clash.”

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 12, 2019)

After Kriti Sanon reunited with her Luka Chuppi co-star Kartik Aaryan for a special appearance in the Pati Patni Aur Woh remake, her role on the lines of Parveen Babi’s Neeta from the 1978 BR Chopra original, the 28-year-old actor is gearing up for another reunion. Mirror has learnt that director Mudassar Aziz has roped in Kartik’s Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety co-star Sunny Singh for a special appearance in the film.

Confirming the news, Mudassar says, “Sunny’s character is something he has never done before because of it’s setting, in the heartland Uttar Pradesh. We had a great time shooting with him.”

While speaking to Mirror earlier (April 9, 2018) Sunny had said that he has been friends with Kartik for a long time now: “He’s like a brother.” Mudassar adds, “Kartik and Sunny are friends and hence share a sense of humour and comic timing from before. What’s interesting though is that they can barely give a composite shot together because either one of them bursts out laughing.”

Like the original, the remake produced by Bhushan Kumar and Juno Chopra, revolves around the male lead’s character, a family man with a wife (Bhumi Pednekar) and child. Then, Kartik’s Chintu Tyagi is attracted to his glamorous secretary (Ananya Panday) and this leads to a game of hide-and-seek. Mudassar is quick to inform that Sunny is not playing a character from the original. “Our film is different from that one in both its screenplay and characterisation,” the director asserts.

Meanwhile, Sunny is gearing up for his next, Abhishek Pathak’s directorial debut, Ujda Chaman, about a man grappling with premature balding.

Kumar Mangat, Abhishek Pathak’s Ujda Chaman and Dinesh Vijan’s Bala, both films based on bald protagonists, locked in a legal tussle over copyright violation; Vijan advances his Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer’s release to a day before Pathak’s film, which features Sunny Singh
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 11, 2019)

On October 1, Abhishek Pathak unveiled the trailer of his directorial debut, Ujda Chaman, the story of a man (played by Sunny Singh) grappling with premature balding. The makers pitched it as “the first film with a bald protagonist” as it was scheduled to open on November 8, a week before the release of another film, Bala, featuring Ayushmann Khurrana as another bald protagonist. On Thursday, things took a surprising turn when producer Dinesh Vijan announced that Bala would arrive in the theatres on November 7, a day before Abhishek’s film. A few hours later, with his leading man, he unveiled the poster and trailer, and the striking similarities between the two films have left the Ujda Chaman makers fuming.

Abhishek points out that his directorial is the official remake of the 2017 Kannada film, Ondu Motteya Kathe. “I believe good stories need to be seen by maximum number of people. My company Panorama Studios always looks out for such gems... Alone and Drishyam are official remakes by us. We acquired Ondu Motteya Kathe in the last quarter of 2018, with a clear intention to release my version within a year. My team suggested November 8 for release and our campaign commenced. In contrast, the Bala team has been changing their release date, from November 22 to November 15 to November 7, which is a day before my film. Not sure how this will help, I think it harms both films and the industry at large,” he rages, grousing that Ayushmann is a saleable name today and their film wouldn’t have been affected by Ujda Chaman. “At least let it be healthy competition. In this case even their poster design is similar.”

He adds that apart from the basic concept, he’s spotted resemblances in several scenes and dialogue too. “In fact, going by the two trailers, their content looks similar to the original Kannada film and my film, including the closing dialogue and the way both characters flip their respective cap. It’s obvious where their inspiration came from, but while we have the official remake rights of Ondu Motteya Kathe, they have tried to maneuver the screenplay by flipping a few things, like in the original, there’s a girl selling a hair-growing product to bald people, in Bala you see Ayushmann selling products to dusky girls,” alleges Abhishek who is producing Ujda Chaman with his father Kumar Mangat Pathak.

Is he planning to take action? “We are discussing it with our legal team and will take action in a few days. This is a clear case of copyright violation. I can understand two films around a bald character releasing within a short span of time, but in this case, there are striking similarities with my film and the original whose rights are with me,” he reiterates.

When Mirror reached out to Dinesh Vijan with Abhishek Pathak’s allegations, the official statement issued by his production house, Maddock Films, said, “Bala has been in the works for several months now as it has been widely reported in the press. The film is very close to our hearts as a project because we want to meaningfully contribute to the conversation on challenging social themes of our times, like the widespread stigmatisation of baldness and dark skin.

If there are multiple films which deal with one of these themes, it’s all the more variety for the viewers to choose from which can never be a bad thing. It’s quite unfortunate if someone, especially a fellow filmmaker, sees this as anything but a positive for audiences. Maddock stands firmly by the originality of its film, and will back it’s project all the way, including through legal recourse if need be”.

Mirror had earlier reported (September 14) that National Award-winning filmmaker, Praveen Morchhale, has filed a case against Maddock Films and writer Niren Bhatt in the Bombay High Court under the Copyright Act, 1957, alleging that the story of Bala sounds similar to the screenplay he has written and narrated to several people within the industry. No injunction has been passed and the matter is sub-judice.
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Furious about glaring similarities, Ujda Chaman director Abhishek Pathak rebukes Bala makers for advancing film's release to ensure it hits screens before Sunny Singh-starrer
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 11, 2019)

Social media users may be lauding the trailer of Ayushmann Khurrana's Bala that dropped online yesterday, but Ujda Chaman filmmaker Abhishek Pathak is far from amused. With both stories revolving around men grappling with premature balding, the trailers and posters have glaring similarities. Not just that, the makers of Bala have now advanced the comedy's release from November 15 to November 7, a day before the Sunny Singh starrer hits screens.

"It is unethical on Dinesh's [Vijan, producer] part to advance the release so that the film can release a day before our offering," asserts Pathak, who had pitched his offering as 'Takle ki pehli aur asli film'. "Are they scared of my film when they have a big star like Ayushmann Khurrana [fronting their movie]? While I think they have an upper hand, it appears that they feel they are on shaky ground and hence, are resorting to such things."

Pathak's film is an official remake of Malayalam film Ondu Motteya Kathe (2017). He claims that his production house had sent a public notice to Vijan in April when he learnt of the similarity between the two stories. "They assured us that their film is different, and I took their word for it. But we can all see that there is a blatant resemblance in the [treatment of the] lead characters. We may take legal recourse."

When mid-day reached out to Maddock Films, the spokesperson said, "Bala has been in the works for several months. If there are multiple films which deal with one of the themes [shown in Bala], it's all the more variety for the viewers to choose from, which can never be a bad thing. It's unfortunate if a fellow filmmaker sees this as anything but a positive for audiences. Maddock stands firmly by the originality of its film, and will back its project all the way, including through legal recourse if need be."

3 actors have lost their hair while working on their respective new films… but in a good way
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 9, 2019)

Akshay Kumar
The actor’s fourth turn in the Housefull franchise sees him in a double role. While he plays a barber in present-day portions, his Bala Dev Singh from the flashback is a 15th century warrior-king. For the portion, which has been termed the ‘Bahubali era’, the Khiladi Kumar underwent prosthetic sessions for two and a half hours every day. A source close to the development had previously informed Mirror that the look was chosen after creating 3D models for prototypes. Preetisheel G Singh, who had done the makeup for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat, was hired to design it.

Ayushmann Khurrana
After impersonating as Pooja for his last screen outing, Ayushmann has jumped on the bald-wagon for Bala, in which he plays the titular character of a man grappling with premature balding, while his co-star Bhumi Pednekar will feature as a dusky girl obsessed with fair skin. As per director Amar Kaushik, “the film presents a take on the fact that most of us are usually attracted to outer beauty and don’t go beyond that to know the real person”. The film also marks a reunion for Ayush and Yami Gautam, who debuted alongside him in Shoojit Sircar’s Vicky Donor in 2012.

Sunny Singh
Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety actor Sunny Singh is also keeping a clear head, for Ujda Chaman, which is a remake of the 2017 Kannada movie Ondu Motteya Kathe. The comedy-drama tells the story of a young man who suffers from hair loss and subsequently struggles in his quest for love. The film also features Maanvi Gagroo, Saurabh Shukla and Karishma Sharma. There’s still time for the audience to give a verdict but the film has Sunny’s fellow Pyaar Ka Punchnama alumnus, Kartik Aaryan’s approval.

The ensemble comedy will roll by the year-end
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 27, 2019)

Mirror was the first to report (March 14) that after co-directing Entertainment and Housefull 3 with brother Farhad, Sajid Samji is gearing up for his debut as a solo director. Back then, the film was still in the scripting stage and was said to be on the lines of the 2013 comic caper, the David Dhawan directorial, Chashme Baddoor. Now, we have learnt that the director has locked his script. Titled Chashme Baddoor 2, the romcom features Sunny Singh of Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety fame, and possibly Fatima Sana Shaikh.

According to a source close to the development, Sajid was initially in talks with Jacqueline Fernandez for the female lead but things didn’t work out. “The idea was to have a fresh pairing, and after Sunny who is being appreciated for his special appearance in the recently released De De Pyaar De came on board, the makers are now in talks with Fatima and hopeful of getting her nod,” informed the source.

The ensemble comedy is expected to go on the floors by the year-end and will be produced by Zee Studios. “It is currently in prep with the team zeroing in on the locations and getting the logistics in place,” the source added. Apart from Sunny and Fatima, the makers are looking to cast a couple of more actors.

Chashme Baddoor was a remake of Sai Paranjpye’s yesteryear classic Chashme Buddoor which revolved around three roomies, Farooque Shaikh, Ravi Baswani and Rakesh Bedi, and Miss Chamko (Deepti Naval) who moves into the neighbourhood. Featuring Ali Zafar, Taapsee Pannu, Rishi Kapoor, Divyendu Sharma and Siddharth, it opened in 2013, 32 years after Chashme Buddoor which re-released on the same Friday. The sequel though an original subject will stay true to the franchise. 

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 22, 2019)

Sunny Leone recently shot a special appearance number for the Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Singh and Omkar Kapoor-starrer, Jhootha Kahin Ka. The actress plays a mermaid in the song.

Honey Singh and Sunny, who last teamed up for “Chaar Botal Vodka” in Ragini MMS 2, have reunited for the song, which they filmed in Thailand, along with Sunny and Omkar. A source from the set informed Mirror that it takes off on the popular nursery rhyme “Machli Jal Ki Rani Hai.” “And in keeping with the tune and the theme, a mermaid costume was specially created for Sunny,” added the source.

The actress, when contacted, admitted that it had been a lot of fun shooting with Omkar and Sunny. “They are easy to work with and great co-actors. Honey, as always, has done a fabulous job and I’m sure everyone will love the song when it comes out. Playing a mermaid was something that I had never done before and so I’m really excited to know what my fans have to say about this new look,” she signed off with a swish of her fishy tail.

Jhootha Kahin Ka is directed by Smeep Kang and also features Jimmy Sheirgill. The film releases on February 8.