20 Years of Boom EXCLUSIVE: “Amitabh Bachchan played the part perfectly. Unfortunately, his own fans didn’t accept him in the role! It was too twisted and crazy for them” – Kaizad Gustad

By Fenil Seta -

September 22, 2023 - 2:10 PM IST

The crazy adult entertainer Boom (2003) completed 20 years on September 19. This also means that Katrina Kaif completed 20 years as an actor. Directed by Kaizad Gustad, the film had an ensemble cast, co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Gulshan Grover, Seema Biswas and even Zeenat Aman. The song 'Mundian Tu Bach Ke' is popular even today.

20 Years of Boom EXCLUSIVE: “Amitabh Bachchan played the part perfectly. Unfortunately, his own fans didn’t accept him in the role! It was too twisted and crazy for them” – Kaizad Gustad

On Boom’s 20th anniversary, director Kaizad Gustad spoke exclusively to Bollywood Hungama about his experience and a lot more.

How did you convince Amitabh Bachchan to play such a different role? He had never been in this space before…
We sent Mr Bachchan the screenplay. That’s it. There was no convincing as such. Yes, it was a very different role to what he had played before (or since) but he got the dark humour and played it perfectly. Unfortunately, his own fans didn’t accept him in the role! It was too twisted and crazy for them.

How did Katrina Kaif bag the part?
I met her in London and offered it to her.

Was it tough to get Zeenat Aman on board?
No. I just sent her the screenplay.

How did you get the idea to have Zeenat ji dance to ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’?
I had to doff my hat to legacy. Getting Zeenat Aman and Amitabh Bachchan in the same frame together after so many years was a coup in itself. So, we wanted to add to that by respecting the legacy that brought us here. The song ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ was one of her earliest favourites and most popular tracks.

The film was full of style and hence doesn’t look dated. What was your process behind the novel treatment of the film?
Thank You. Yeah, I've been told by many people over the years that it should have been released today and not two decades ago! The look was the result of our excellent DoP Himman Dhamija’s talent, along with a dedicated crew and some crazy locations. Having a different set of eyes that looks at things differently to most people also helps. It makes the film not look dated.

The song 'Mundian Tu Bach Ke' was a big hit. However, it wasn’t there in the film. What was the reason?
I discovered the track when it was a rough underground mix in London. Not many people had heard of Punjabi MC or the track back then. I knew it would suit our OST very well and so, we picked up the track. It was always intended for the OST and not the film. The Boom OST was a big hit as we had excellent musicians working for us - Talvin Singh, Punjabi MC, Ila Arun, Nitin Sawhney and Sandeep Chowta, among others.

How much did the piracy before release affect the film?
It affected the film very badly. Just a week before release, the pirated copies were out. It destroyed the market and caused a financial loss as the distributors all reneged on their previous commitments, citing piracy.

How was your experience of working with Katrina Kaif?
It was fine.

Have you ever planned a remake? In today’s times, audiences are more receptive to such films. If yes, who would you like to cast?
The film didn’t work 20 years ago. Why would I think of remaking something that didn’t work? Even if it was ahead of its time, I have to find new stuff to do, not rehash old stories.