Cinema City

City-based entrepreneur-turned-film producer Shuja Ali hemmed and hawed when asked the question at the launch of his debut venture Kuch Log on Friday,but some members of the cast he introduced were more forthcoming in talking about the project,a lot because of their proud,individual body of work.

“I play the main lead in the film,which shows a group of Muslims saving a Hindu’s life around the same time when the world is watching so-called Islamic terrorists bombarding Mumbai,” says Ganesh Venkatraman,who’s done over six Tamil films,including the remake of A Wednesday.

“I have recently wrapped up a multi-lingual film Kandhar,which stars Amitabh Bachchan and Mohanlal.”

Arathi Thakur,who plays the female lead,is a TV commercial veteran,with a whopping 101 advertisements featuring her. “I am undergoing tuition in Urdu diction,” she said,explaining that her role requires a command on the language and the Lakhnavi dialect.

Music composer Shameer Tandon,who has composed for the National Award-winning Page 3 and all of Madhur Bhandarkar’s film signed the dotted line for this project because he found the concept of the film offbeat,the kind of cinema he enjoys being part of. His forthcoming projects include a film for Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shourie and a Govinda-starrer. “Most of the six songs I am composing here are romantic songs and there’s even a qawwali,” says Tandon,who has been as much a part of the mainstream,composing two songs for Bluffmaster. In Lucknow after nine years,Tandon has been here a number of times because this is where his grandparents lived.

Another member of the crew who had come back to “Naani ka ghar” was actor Aryan Babbar plays a militant in the movie.

“I fondly remember the days of piling on a rickshaw along with my cousins for a movie in Anand cinema—is it in business still,or,has it shut down?—and following it with a meal at Tunde. I jumped at the offer when I heard the film would be shot in Lucknow,” said Babbar,who is upbeat about his role in Farah Khan’s ambitious to be released film Tees Maar Khan. “I play a village cop and Farah is keeping it under wraps because it is a very special part of the film. It is my first shot at comedy,” says the actor,son of actors Raj and Nadira Babbar. “With (half brother) Pratiek,I am discussing everything except acting and movies. With mom,it is literature and with dad,politics. But dad does hand out a tip or two on acting too,his main advice being to perform like an employee and do exactly what the director and producer want,” said Babbar,who had to rush to Mumbai to take part in the shooting for Anees Bazmi’s Ready,which also stars Salman Khan.

Actor Razzaq Khan,plays a comic part in the film.