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Malamaal is realistic: Priyan

Diganta Guha chats up Priyadarshan on Malamaal Weekly. Film preview

Updated on: Feb 28, 2006, 14:39:00 IST
None | By , Kolkata
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Filmmaker Priyadarshan speaks to HT City on his forthcoming film, MalamaalWeekly, starring Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Riteish Deshmukh, Reema Sen and others. Excerpts.

HT Image
HT Image

Malamaal Weekly has no star value as such. Haven’t you been adventurous?
Yes I have. I have written this film in Hindi itself unlike my earlier films. I have never worked on a star system. If you cast the wrong person, it will spoil everything.

How different is it from your other films?
This film is very close to reality. In all my other films I tend to exaggerate the scenes to make them more humorous but here the story itself is very realistic.

Is it difficult to accommodate so many actors in one film?
Not really. All my actors are wonderful. They all were very supportive and I never faced any problem with any one. If the screenplay is written well and the characters are sketched well, there isn’t any problem even if you have 15 actors.

Priyadarshan says that Malamaal Weekly is close to reality. "In all my other films I tend to exaggerate the scenes to make them more humorous but here the story itself is very realistic," he says.

Tell us about the plot a bit.


It’s basically about money, greed. In the film everyone wants to steal money that doesn’t belong to them.

How was it working with Riteish Deshmukh?
Besides being a good actor Riteish is a very sweet person. Sweet is a very small word for him. He is very obedient and is always ready to learn.

Do you think Paresh Rawal was not utilised in Garam Masala?
Paresh is a great actor. I will never call him a comedian. To make someone laugh you have to be good at acting first. He is such good actor that I end up casting him every time. He has tremendous sensibility that comes across well on screen. I thought Paresh suited the character in Garam Masala very well and people appreciated him too.

Do you think such a film will hold ground at the box office?
I am optimistic. The film is looking good. It will make you laugh. If people enjoy something, they won’t bother about who the star is. Anyway, I have got the best of actors.

What next?
Chup Chup Ke with Shahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor and then I will make a film on anti-piracy. It will be the first anti-piracy film in India.

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