Hit or flop, Govind Menon roots for Mallika

The average response to "Bachke Rehna Re Baba" does not seem to have upset director Govind Menon.

The average response to "Bachke Rehna Re Baba" does not seem to have upset director Govind Menon, who is content that the film has at least had a better opening than the star-studded "Silsiilay", reports Bollywood Trade.

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"I don't deny that the film started off on a very average note, but it picked up over the weekend despite the fact that it has no stars. The response has been any day better than the star-studded 'Silsiilay', which did not even get one-tenth of the opening of 'Bachke Rehna Re Baba'," Menon claimed.

Asked if he was disillusioned because Mallika Sherawat's presence and the pre-release hype had not paid off, Menon said: "On the contrary, it's the other way round. I would say the 60 percent the film managed initially is solely due to Mallika's presence."

Menon shrugged off the poor reviews of the movie. "I don't think poor critical reviews are a limitation to box-office success. Even 'Kyaa Kool Hai Hum' wasn't a critically acclaimed film.

"In a commercial comedy, the elite people may not identify with the film, but there's a section of the audience that definitely wants to see such films."

The director was not irked either by his former producer Vivek Nayak's outburst in the media.

"I am surprised he chose to make the comments when my film was scheduled for release considering that the issue is eight months old. I see no point in raking it up again.

"I had said that poor marketing for 'Kis Kiski Kismat' badly affected its opening and I maintain it. The marketing strategy directly impacts the opening response to a film," Menon said.

Deepal Shaw still the lead in 'Blue Film'

Deepal Shaw has been having a tough time denying reports that she is no longer playing the lead role in Mohit Suri's "Blue Film".

The reports, according to Shaw, started surfacing after Suri's sister Smiley was signed for the film, reports Bollywood Trade. Shaw claimed certain vested interests were spreading rumours that she is no longer the main lead.

Apparently, Shaw got an assurance from producer Mahesh Bhatt that her role had not been scaled down. "I am very much playing the central character - that of a victim of human trafficking - and I am looking forward to the film," she said.

Even Suri confirmed that Shaw was playing the female lead. "I have spoken to Deepal, and she knows as much as I do that her role is very much the same as I had narrated at the outset.

"But the whole film has newcomers. So there is no question of anyone being slotted in the second or third lead. Each character has its own relevance."

Seema Biswas bags meaty roles

Actress Seema Biswas may not be loaded with offers, but she continues to get roles of substance, including one in a Deepa Mehta film, reports Bollywood Trade.

In Mehta's "Water", she plays a widow. "It's a role with a multitude of emotions, and I really found it a challenge," Biswas said.

The planning and research for each role impressed her. "Each of us was made aware of the characters in utmost detail, including the psyche and background. It was a meticulous and well-planned effort," Biswas said.

Another film that Biswas is looking forward to is Deepak Balraj's "Bombay Godfather", in which she plays an 'encounter specialist' in the police.

To help her get a feel of the role, Balraj got Biswas to meet a few police officers.

"I observed that one of the qualities that make women successful in traditionally male-dominated professions is discipline and conviction about work, which I tried to portray in the role," she said.

"It is unlike the loud roles that one would associate a female police officer with; neither is it about displaying physical strength."

According to Biswas, it is rare to get to play characters like the ones she got in "Ek Haseena Thi", "Bhoot" and "Khamoshi".

"There is a dearth of strong woman-oriented roles. That's why I do very few films rather than play indiscriminate character roles, which make little difference in the long run," she said.

"I also have theatre for creative satisfaction until directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ram Gopal Varma have something interesting for me."