Ready to tickle your funny bone 
By Taran Adarsh, February 19, 2009 - 09:27 IST
Not many are aware that DHOONDTE REH JAOGE was to be produced by Sanjay Khan's daughter Farah Khan initially, with ad film-maker Prahlad Kakkar making his directorial debut. Also, the movie was called FLOP [yeah, that was the title at that point of time]. "I was merely the writer of the film then," Umesh Shukla, director of DHOONDTE REH JAOGE, reveals.
However, things didn't work out for some reason and Umesh, who was so charged with the script, decided to direct it himself. UTV decided to produce the film eventually. Was roping the two super funsters - Paresh Rawal and Johny Lever - tough, since he was a fresher as far as direction was concerned [although he had penned the script of FOOL N FINAL and BACHKE REHNA RE BABA]? "It wasn't tough! Pareshbhai is my friend, philosopher and guide. I continue to pen and direct his plays to this date. It was easy convincing Johnybhai too. We had grown up watching his plays at Bhaidas Hall and we connected instantly," Umesh says.
DHOONDTE REH JAOGE is set within the film industry. There's a producer [Paresh Rawal], writer plus actor [Johny Lever], superstar going through a rough patch [Sonu Sood], aspiring actress [Soha Ali Khan] and director [Kunal Khemu]. Is it similar to LUCK BY CHANCE? "No, it isn't! That film depicted the struggle of two aspiring actors. Mine talks of this producer who is keen to make a flop film. His film is called 'Sholay Se Lagaan Tak'. Plus, it's loaded with humour," Umesh says.
Incidentally, Zayed Khan was signed to enact the role that Sonu Sood has eventually portrayed in the film, but Zayed opted out because in the ad issued by UTV in the trade mags, Kunal Khemu's name figured over Zayed's. True? "Yes, he was upset. We did tell him that it was a mistake and we would rectify it in the next ad, but he was upset," Umesh states. For those who're unaware, Sonu will be seen in as many as eleven different roles in the film.
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Sonu Sood as a dwarf in Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge
