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Anees Bazmee may be best known for directing comedies like No Entry (2005), Welcome (2007), Singh Is Kinng (2008), and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022) and 3 (2024). But his journey began much earlier, as an Assistant Director to the legendary Raj Kapoor on the 1982 romantic drama Prem Rog. Over the years, he has also worked as a writer for David Dhawan, back when the filmmaker wasn’t yet associated with the comedies he’s known for today.
As No Entry hits the 20-year mark today, Bazmee speaks to SCREEN about his first encounters with comedy, his creative calls on the Anil Kapoor and Salman Khan-starrer, and not casting the two actors in the upcoming sequel, No Entry Mein Entry, which stars Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, and Diljit Dosanjh.
Before making No Entry, I’d written all kinds of movies — comedy, love stories, drama. I’d written some 35-40 films, from an emotional drama like Swarg (1990) to an action film like Shola Aur Shabnam (1992) to a comedy like Aankhen (1993). When you start writing a story, the story itself gradually informs the genre. I normally work on three or four subjects together, before finalizing on which one I’m enjoying the most. That’s also what happened with No Entry.
But you’ve been making only comedies since No Entry. For the filmmaker in you, is this a genre that keeps on giving?
No, there’s nothing like that. I’m very comfortable with all the genres. When I made the love story Pyar To Hona Hi Tha (1998), people told me I should only make love stories. But the next time I sat down to write a story, a suspense thriller came to me instead of a love story. That was Deewangee (2002). And after that, people said I make that genre the best. But I got into a comedy then (laughs). Similarly, I hadn’t watched too many horror films. It didn’t excite me as a filmmaker either. When Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022) was offered to me, I realized I hadn’t enjoyed that much ever. That was maybe because I got out of my comfort zone. I just wanted my horror film to not be A-rated which kids can’t watch. So that’s how it became a horror comedy.
No Entry was also quite a clean film, given that it released a year after Indra Kumar’s 2004 hit sex comedy Masti. Did you fear any comparison back then?
Sometimes, the stories can be similar, but how you treat it as a writer and director makes all the difference. I’m a writer first. So, when I can write, I don’t need to rely on double meaning dialogues. I’ve never got any cuts in my films by the CBFC. Even they feel very happy and have a chat with me after the screening. I was just worried about Bipasha Basu’s character because she was quite on the edge. I always make films for the family — where I can watch it with my mother, daughter, and sister. So I delicately handled her character so that no one feels uncomfortable. So, I added a scene towards the end when she reveals her husband has cancer so she needs Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 every day. So the character, who comes across as calculating and manipulative throughout the film, she also turns out to be positive at the end. So you feel sympathy for her.
Bipasha had done horror films like Raaz (2002) and erotic thrillers like Jism (2003) before that. How did you think of her for a comedy?
An actor’s past work isn’t a concern for me. Like I cast Nana Patekar, who was known for his intense roles, for a comedy like Welcome. If the actor is good, he can do anything. When I offered No Entry to Fardeen Khan, he very honestly told me he hadn’t done a comedy so he was not very comfortable. But I told him he doesn’t have to do comedy because I write my films like situational comedies. I just tell my actors one thing: Please don’t do comedy. Because if you try to do comedy, it comes across as buffoonery. Slapping and pulling another person’s hair are like shortcuts.
Similarly, Lara Dutta was a beauty queen known for her glamorous roles before No Entry. And there she was, playing a domesticated, suspicious wife to Anil Kapoor. How did you think of casting her?
It was a very difficult role. Aamir Khan had reached out to me then and said he really liked Lara’s role. I also enjoyed writing that part because I personally know quite a few women who are like that. There are also those who have blind faith in their husbands, like Esha Deol’s character. She herself informs her husband (Salman) that some girls had called him up (laughs). While Salman’s character was mischievous, the one who’s being doubted is in fact a gareeb aadmi.
Did the character name of Prem come after Salman came onboard, given it’s a subversion of the Prems he’s played in Sooraj Barjatya’s movies?
Yes, we named him Prem after he came onboard. Because some actors are synonymous with certain character names, like Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay. Prem suits Salman too because he’s a very lovable guy, and also loves very fondly. His role was quite a departure from the Barjatya films though.
Anil Kapoor also dialled up his role as a hen-pecked husband. How did you crack that tone with him?
I’ve known Anil since I was an Assistant Director with Raj Kapoor. He’s a very old friend and a damn good actor. I’ve also done Welcome with him. His enthusiasm is so infectious on set. When other actors question anything, you don’t need to do anything. Anil only takes over and asks everyone to trust the director blindly. He’s such a senior actor that everyone listens to him. He put chaar chaand on the character I wrote for him in No Entry.
No Entry producer Boney Kapoor mentioned that Anil Kapoor was disappointed that he wasn’t cast in No Entry Mein Entry. Did he share his disappointment with you too?
I keep thinking how I can make No Entry without Anil Kapoor or Salman Khan. In fact, I also wanted Fardeen Khan. I’d called him up too. He asked me to give him three to four months and then sent me a picture of his physique. I was quite impressed. But when a film happens, it comes with its own kundali. No matter how much you plan, destiny plays a huge role. The pain of not having Anil, Salman, Fardeen, Lara and everyone in the sequel will remain. But the circumstances are such that whatever the best we could do in these times, we’ve tried to do that.
Besides the cast, how different will No Entry Mein Entry be from the first part?
I often laugh or cry while writing a film. When I was writing No Entry, if anyone entered my room, they’d think I’ve gone mad because I was laughing uncontrollably while staring at a paper. I laughed even more while writing No Entry Mein Entry. Naturally, in the last 20 years, my thinking has also evolved and matured. I’ve started understanding relationships even more since it’s been a lot of years since my marriage too. So, I hope I make a bigger, better, and more enjoyable film than part 1.
Speaking of relationships, No Entry wasn’t just about marriages, but also about friendships — of Anil-Fardeen and Anil-Salman. Since Varun Dhawan and Arjun Kapoor have been the best of friends since childhood, do you think that’ll make your job of directing them much easier?
The camera catches the truth and lies very promptly. Luckily, Arjun and Varun are very good friends. And I met Diljit Dosanjh recently. He’s a very cool guy. So, they all have a great tuning with each other.
No Entry Mein Entry won’t be the first sequel of your film. You also helmed Welcome Back (2015), which wasn’t received as well as the first part? Why do you think that was the case?
Sometimes, you maintain your intent, but people have taller expectations. Welcome Back did beautiful business. I remember it earned Rs 52 crore in the first three days at that time! But since the first one is a cult film, the sequel wouldn’t have fared as well. It’s like a dream you envisioned, but the 200-300 people working on the film would imagine it differently. Since it’s my imagination, I have to take everyone along. Sometimes, there’s a gap in that coordination. It also depends on your personal life and your frame of mind at that time. I can proudly say Welcome Back was a very nice film. All of them — Anil, Nana, John Abraham, and Naseeruddin Shah — did a great job. Yes, maybe if it wasn’t “written and directed by Anees Bazmee,” the audience would’ve liked it even more.
Why are you not directing the threequel, Welcome to the Jungle?
The main reason is I was a little busy directing Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. But my best wishes are with them because who knows, I may direct Welcome 4 or Welcome 5. It’s a great franchise with Anil as Majnu Bhai and Nana as Uday Shetty. There are so many memes from that film even till today.
But Anil and Nana have also backed out of the film, just like you have. Then how is it Welcome anymore then?
That, I don’t know. I’m not the director. It’s very, very fortunate that Anil and Nana aren’t there in Welcome 3. Without them, it’s a tough, tough task. I wouldn’t have made a Welcome without them. But I have a different equation with them. If I was directing it, I would’ve made sure they’re a part of the film, by hook or by crook.
Were you also offered to direct Hera Pheri 3?
Yes, the producer Firoz Nadiadwala is my friend. He respects me a lot. We made Welcome together. But I do one film at a time. I need money but the most important for me is the producer. He’s invested a lot in the film so if he suffers losses, it causes me a great deal of pain. So it’s better if I work selectively so that I can work more productively. I just want to make the films that when I go to parties, they laugh first before even greeting me.
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