Filmmaker Anees Bazmee returns with another comedy with Bhool Bhulaiya 2, but this time, his comedy, starring Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani and Tabu, is full of horror. The director’s last outing was the fiasco, Pagalpanti (2019). In this interview, the veteran writer-director talks about why he made Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, why Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan aren’t in his film, and also provides an update on the No Entry sequel tentatively called No Entry Mein Entry.
Has Anees, who is mostly known for her family entertainers, experimented with a horror comedy for the first time? So why Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2? “To survive!” she honestly says, “If I don’t do movies, what am I going to do? One needs to work today to continue doing something different”.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is still a popular movie among moviegoers, so how challenging was its sequel? Anees believes that since the original film is ‘so brilliant’, the story is worth retelling. “Bhool Bhulaiyaa is a beautiful film. When someone makes a movie based on an original, it’s because the original movie has received a lot of love and has a good reputation. Our Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is made in the Bhool Bhulaiyaa universe but it is completely independent even as a sequel. Why do we call it Bhool Bhulaiyaa? Hearing the title of the movie, people will want to see it. When it comes to the story, (Bhool Bhulaiyaa) was a completely different story and ours is totally different from that, we haven’t started the movie where Bhool Bhulaiyaa ended. We don’t even have the same characters. It’s a totally new story.”
On retaining some elements of Bhool Bhulaiyaa that made it iconic, Anees shared, “Of course we have brought back some things from Bhool Bhulaiyaa. I not only got Monjolika back, I also got the two songs back: Aami Je Tomar and Teri Aankhein Bhool Bhulaiyaa. I also have the ghungroo sound and of course the haveli and Rajpal Yadav. And I won’t call it copy, these things have inspired us and we wanted to adapt it in our film in our own way. We have tried, so when you see our film, you will remember the film but also feel that it is a new and fresh film.”
While Bhool Bhulaiyaa was loved for its story and psychological suspense, it was also loved for the performances of its cast, including Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan. So why are Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan not in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2? There were also rumors that Akshay had demanded a very high fee for the film.
Bazmee says, “Akshay is too big for these little things. Akshay Kumar cannot be replaced and he knows that he is not replaced in this movie. Akshay has a great work of more than 25 years. Akshay does comedy, he dances, he does action, he does everything, they offer him the kind of movies he wants. So it’s a very small thing for him to do or not do Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. But of course, if he was in our movie, and if our story would have allowed it, then I’m sure (he would have). We share a great relationship and friendship. I had directed Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Welcome and Singh Is King with him. We share a great relationship and I would love to work with him again.”
Anees also confessed that making Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 was a challenging task due to the standards set by the original film and the comparison its sequel invites.
He says, “It was very difficult to make this movie, and I’m going to be very honest about it. Bhool Bhulaiyaa was a huge success, so when I was asked to do this movie, I started feeling stress. Since it was such a beautiful film, people’s expectations of our film are much higher, and there will also be comparison. So, I was very sure what things I wanted to keep from the movie and what definitely won’t be a part of our movie. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is not a psychological thriller, unlike the original.”
Anees is on a writing and directing wave. The No Entry sequel script is ready and Salman Khan will appear in it. He gives an update saying, “Inshallah, work on that movie will start too! I guess every movie takes its own time and this will start soon.”
While Anees has a great filmography in her kitty, she also confessed that she’s had some misses, including her latest film, Pagalpanti, with John Abraham. He says, “There have been times when I feel like I don’t have as much as I deserved even after working so hard. And, sometimes I feel like I got what I deserved. So, I leave it to the almighty at the end of the day.”
“I’ve done so many movies in my career that I have a lot of respect and success for, but then a few years ago I also did some movies, without naming them, that didn’t go well. It was all ‘pagalpanti’ (laughs). We did a lot of hard work there, but it didn’t pay off that we thought it would. But I’m in a place where success and failure don’t affect me personally, from the inside. When you go to a party, if your photos are a hit, you get a certain kind of warm response; a flop has a similar effect. I see it all but it doesn’t affect me,” concludes Bazmee.
Reference-indianexpress.com