Mallika's theatrical workshop

Writer turned filmmaker Sanjay Chhel's directorial venture a comic caper Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam is ready for the roll. The film has Rahul Bose and Mallika Sherawat in the lead. Mallika plays a character from a theatre group in the movie and Sanjay being a perfectionist and hailing from a theater background is making Mallika get into the nuances of theater artistes, to incorporate it in her character. And that's why he recently took Mallika to the ongoing Prithvi theatre festival to have a first hand feel of the theater environment. Says Sanjay, "The story revolves around a theatre group which performs a play titled Mughal-e-Azam which has nothing to do with the epic. The film is a complete comic-thriller. Paresh and Mallika both work in the theatre group and act in the play, whereas Rahul Bose is a CBI officer and K.K. Menon plays the role of a Ghazal singer in the film. And since all the other actors have a theater background, I felt it will add on to Mallika's performance if she picks up few theatrical tricks."

The film, Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam will hit the screens by April next year. The movie is being shot in an extensive 40-day schedule in the locales of Mumbai and Pondicherry. Sanjay who is known in the industry as the king of one-liners and with his recent success with of Partner as a lyricist cum dialogue writer is upbeat about his latest film.

"I have already shot 30% of the movie in Mumbai and we will be leaving for Pondicherry shortly for the next schedule. This is the first time any movie is based on a theatre plot. The movie will have a theatre story within the main line story. Finally the audience will get to see something other than the normal love stories or action movies or usual comedies," he informs.

While Mallika is happy that the film reunites her with her hit Pyaar Ka Side Effect co-star Rahul Bose. "We are a good pair on the screen and I'm happy to be working with Rahul again," she says.

Gautam Buragohain, Indiatimes Movies