'My hero is fat, funny and dances well' Satish Kaushik on Badhaai Ho Badhaai

What is common between Satish Kaushik's debut ventures --- his acting debut (Woh Saat Din), directorial debut (Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja), and debut as producer-director (Badhaai Ho Badhaai)?

The answer is the male protagonist of the above-mentioned films: Anil Kapoor.

The duo has known each other since Kaushik's entry into films and have been friends since. The first film from their joint production house Kapoor and Kaushik Entertainment Private Limited, Badhaai Ho Badhaai, releases June 14.

Bharati Dubey finds out what went into the duo's partnership:

Tell us about Badhaai Ho Badhaai.

It is a positive film, about spreading happiness and taking things in your stride, whether you win or lose. These qualities are manifested in the hero Anil Kapoor. I believe we need films like these today.

Is the film an adaptation of the Eddie Murphy starrer The Nutty Professor?

The only similarity between the two films is that the heroes are fat. Unlike The Nutty Professor, the hero of my film is romantic.

Badhaai Ho Badhaai is a family film, while The Nutty Professor had a lot of double-meaning dialogues. The general impression about fat people is that they are romantic, funny and good dancers. My film deals with this aspect.

How did Anil Kapoor react to the role?

When I narrated the script to Anil, he was quite eager to play the role. Frankly, we did not know how to go about it. We were uncertain how it would turn out. We went to Los Angeles and met Mathew Moogley of WF Creations, who did the special effects for Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List and Peter Segal's The Nutty Professor. He worked on Anil's makeup.

It was prosthetic makeup, which took about four to five hours to apply. Anil even put on about ten kilograms. He used to walk on the roads of Los Angeles in his getup for a few days, the footage of which I still have. Tara Smith (also of WF Creations) would then apply Anil's makeup in a special room we created at Mumbai's Maurya Sheraton Hotel.

We even built a special makeup van so Anil could fit into it.

It is essential to create a character that will be remembered by people. A film works if the characters become a hit. Whenever the protagonist of the film becomes bigger than the hero of the film, the film is bound to become a hit. Take Jai and Viru (of Ramesh Sippy's Sholay), Mr India (of Shekhar Kapur's Mr India), Seeta and Geeta (of Ramesh Sippy's Seeta Aur Geeta), or Bhiku Matre (of Ram Gopal Varma's Satya).

People still remember Calender [Satish Kaushik in Mr India] and Pappu Pager [Kaushik in David Dhawan's Hum Kisise Kum Nahin].

Raja of Badhaai Ho Badhaai is unique, too, and I am certain he will become popular.

Amisha Patel and Karisma Kapoor walked out of this film...

Amisha did not want to play second fiddle to Shilpa [Shetty]. That is why she walked out of the project. There is no second or third fiddle in my film. They are all strong characters with a definite character. I told Amisha to have faith in me.

But whatever happened, happened for the best. Amisha looks experienced now and that old freshness is gone. I am glad she is not in the film anymore. Keerti [Reddy]'s face is more interesting. The feedback I am getting for Keerti after the promos [aired on Indian television] is fantastic.

I have worked with actresses like Tabu, Sridevi and Aishwarya Rai. I am interested in people who are interested in working with me.

Is Anil Kapoor the creative director of the film?

No. He is the producer of the film. As a producer, he is more experienced than I, and resolves problems easily. Remember, he also comes from a family of producers [his father Surinder was a producer; brother Boney is also a reputed producer].

The two of you have been friends for a long time...

Anil recommended me to producer D Rama Naidu, after the disastrous Prem [Kaushik directed this film starring Tabu and debutante Sanjay Kapoor]. He even told him that he would do the film if I directed it. He believed in me, so I had to prove him right.

Anil and I think alike and share a great rapport. I have been working with the Kapoor family for a long time. Films flop and relations deteriorate. That has not happened with me, in spite of giving the Kapoors Prem. I have been lucky with them, whether Surinder, Boney, Anil or Sanjay. I think I should change my surname to Satish Kapoor!

How was the experience of directing K Vishwanath?

Great! Vishwanath [a veteran actor-director in the Telugu film industry] performed well and looks so 'real' in the film. I needed a face which had depth and looked new. I saw him in a Telugu film and liked him. He was extremely cooperative.

Why aren't you directing Majnu?

There are three reasons: First, Subhashji [Ghai] wanted me to direct another project. Second, I was not ready at the time to direct it. Third, the viability of the project was not right. It was a small-scale film which had to be made within a particular time frame. Even a newcomer could direct it.

I will do a bigger film with Subhashji.