His home production, Kaun Bole, has been pushed back to 2010 and Arshad Warsi admits he’s disappointed. “I would have liked to come this year. But Kaminey got delayed and that pushed back Ishkiyan and my movie. No worries, Kaun Bole is sold, my investment is safe. And I believe in angels,” he smiles.
I Believe In Angels, that’s the title he’d like to go to the theatres with. “Kaun Bole is just the working title, I don’t like it much,” he admits. “When I wrote the first draft, the title was I Believe in Angels. It’s so apt for a sweet, romantic drama but may be a little too anglicized. Still, if it can convey an impression of the film, why not an angrezi title?
God’s favourite
The actor-producer goes on to inform that they have a statue of their guardian angel at home. He has another guardian angel in his mother. “I’m not a religious person but I believe that God is looking out for me. That’s why even when I’m low, I’m never worried,” he asserts.
The thought for the film came to him suddenly one day. They were shooting for Krazzy 4 at the time and between shots and during lunch break, Warsi would scribble away diligently. In six months, the script was done.
He agrees that he wanted to direct it myself. But since he was already writing, producing and acting, he didn’t want to take on one more responsibility. “So, after finalising the characters and their look, I left the execution to my director Kabir Kaushik. And despite rumours about differences, we got along fine,” he chuckles.
There were also rumours about how his leading lady, Dia Mirza, was giving his wife, Maria, grief and his once rock steady marriage was on the rocks? Warsi shrugs off the buzz saying, “Dia is a dear friend. I really like her, these rumours are sick. Maria was never theatrened by her. She was a little hassled, because while shooting the film I was out of the country for a very long time. It wasn’t
so bad during Ishkiyan because though I was cut off in Wai, I’d drive down every time there was a break,” he points out, adding that he lives in his own cave and can be happy anywhere. “During Kabul Express I was as much at home in Afghanistan as I am in my Versova apartment. That’s me!”
Production woes
As a producer though his problems were only just beginning. “When we started, global economy was thriving. Then, the price of pounds shot up and his budget escalated. The slowdown made it worse even though recession doesn’t really impact entertainment. If anything the sale of condoms goes up by 30 percent during such times. So, I won’t use that as an excuse though compared to sharp corporates, actors make poor businessman. Working on the film I’ve learnt not to trust everyone,” he maintains.
London’s fickle weather was another nightmare. But Warsi insists he’s become a pro at the job now. “Every challenge overcome was a personal triumph. I intend to make many more movies. I’m working on a couple of scripts, discussions are on. But I won’t start another film till I release this one.”
Production woes
As a producer though his problems were only just beginning. “When we started, global economy was thriving. Then, the price of pounds shot up and his budget escalated. The slowdown made it worse even though recession doesn’t really impact entertainment. If anything the sale of condoms goes up by 30 percent during such times. So, I won’t use that as an excuse though compared to sharp corporates, actors make poor businessman. Working on the film I’ve learnt not to trust everyone,” he maintains.
London’s fickle weather was another nightmare. But Warsi insists he’s become a pro at the job now. “Every challenge overcome was a personal triumph. I intend to make many more movies. I’m working on a couple of scripts, discussions are on. But I won’t start another film till I release this one.”