By Hindustan Times
Vidhu Vinod Chopra is peeved over speculation that he approached Vidya Balan for a different appearance in Ferrari Ki Sawaari (FKS) so as to add star power to his movie. “I’ve done three films — Parineeta (2005), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006) and Eklavya (2007) — with Vidya when she was still a newcomer, but we haven’t worked since. I approached her for one more film last December, before Kahaani (2012) and even The Dirty Picture (2011) released,” he says.
Is it for Munnabhai Ki Aatma Katha or Peekay with Aamir Khan? Vinod isn’t telling: “Very few people within the film industry like me, and that i love to hold directly to folks that do. Vidya is one in all them. It’s an advantage that she’s a ravishing actor.”
He’s pretty categorical that he didn’t rope her in for a ‘lavani’ song in FKS because she is a celeb. “In fact, it’s not an item number as is being said. It's an authentic song and was always part of the script. We had got dancers from Kolhapur for it and while they were rehearsing, Raju (writer-director Rajesh Mapuskar) told me that Vidya desired to do a ‘lavani’. I messaged her and she or he admitted she’d been looking forward to it. Before I knew it, she was rehearsing with the dancers and after a fortnight’s practice, was ready. It was a flawless performance and never in any respect filmi.”
He points out that once 3 Idiots (2009), he can have had the pick of stars and did have Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan in mind for FKS. But Sharman Joshi had also auditioned for the lead, and when in Los Angeles, Vinod got a decision informing him that Sharman was on his way. “I was certain that I wouldn’t go together with him but I BELIEVED I should a minimum of see his screen test before he came. It blew me over! He was my Rusy (Rustam). I told Raju we needed to cast him even supposing I knew as a producer that it was a risk,” he says.
Today, he’s happy he took the gamble. When his daughter, Zooni, saw the film, she told him, “I’m glad you cast this man.” Vinod understands what she meant, saying, “Sharman lives the role. When he cries your heart goes out to him, when he smiles, you celebrate with him.”
