“Sanjay Dutt is larger than life and all heart”- Suniel Shetty
With the stock markets crashing, the world economy in a mess and a global recession taking place, there is one man who comes as a saviour - Suneil Shetty. In the times when money is termed sexier than sex, EMI (Easy Monthly Installments) comes with all the solutions to it. Produced by Anna, as he is fondly called, EMI is a laugh riot with a message. It would be something of an understatement to say that Suneil Shetty, Bollywood star of almost two decades now, has not had the best of years. Yet as the businessman turned actor turned producer chats with me, he talks straight and makes sense and clearly anxious to put behind him, what he calls "all that other crap" that took place in the media about him and his co-star friend Sanjay Dutt. Suniel is trying to look forward, concentrating on promoting his second film as a producer, EMI, referring to the recent above events as "just peripheral stuff that happens to people". We spoke to the busy man where he gave us a lowdown on his film, the underlying message to the readers, his intentions on becoming a director and why the Hindi Film Industry is going through its worst phase ever.
Is
it
right
for
me
to
say
that
in
the
world
economic
crisis,
EMI
is
the
only
way
out
this
year
end?
(laughs)
Definitely
yes.
But
on
the
serious
side,
I'd
say
unfortunate
because
the
scenario
is
pretty
much
dead
the
world
over.
From
a
producer
and
the
film's
point
of
view,
there
couldn't
have
been
a
better
time
for
EMI
to
release.
So
what
made
you
produce
EMI?
The
new
director,
the
story
or
your
close
friend
Sanjay
Dutt?
It
will
always
be
the
story
of
EMI
which
impressed
me
because
it
covered
people
from
all
walks
of
life.
The
story
has
a
problem
that
I
always
saw
rising
in
India.
We
have
a
tendency
to
follow
the
western
culture
and
with
the
credit
card
companies
coming
in,
people
didn't
forecast
the
impact
of
what
would
happen
if
they
tried
using
their
credit
cards.
It
was
this
subject
that
really
inspired
me
the
most.
EMI
also
made
a
great
commercial
sense
because
it
had
a
character
called
Sattarbhai
who
works
as
the
recovery
agent
for
the
bank
which
was
very
interesting.
That's
when
I
thought
and
decided
that
if
Sanju
could
hear
and
liked
it,
we'd
probably
go
ahead
with
the
film.
Sanju
loved
the
script
instantly
and
we
started
shooting
ten
days
after
he
heard
the
script.
EMI,
Easy
Monthly
Installments
is
a
serious
issue
off
screen.
Do
you
think
the
film
is
looking
at
it
not
so
seriously?
No
it's
not.
The
promos
the
film
might
look
not
so
serious
and
the
viewer
might
think
there
is
a
lot
of
humour
to
it.
Sanju
plays
Sattarbhai
who
initially
tries
to
recover
the
money
by
bashing
up
people
but
slowly
understands
that
there
is
a
whole
lot
of
a
serious
issue
to
it
than
what
it
looks
from
the
outside.
When
you
get
into
the
house,
you
realise
the
problems
that
a
particular
family
is
having
and
if
there
could
be
a
solution
offered
to
their
problem
it
could
help
them.
So
more
than
the
bank,
it
is
Sattarbhai
who
understands
them
and
comes
out
with
an
answer
to
it.
The
film
has
a
very
happy
ending
too.
So
there
is
an
underlying
message
to
the
film.
Absolutely
yes
and
that's
why
I
am
producing
this
film.
I
want
to
say
that
the
penultimate
fifteen
minutes
of
the
film
will
make
people
appreciate
EMI.
But
why
Sanjay
Dutt
for
Sattarbhai?
When
Saurabh
Kabra,
the
director,
narrated
me
the
character
called
Sattarbhai,
the
only
image
in
my
head
going
through
was
that
of
Sanjay
Dutt
who
is
larger
than
life
and
all
heart.
There
was
nobody
I
could've
thought
of
except
him
when
it
came
to
Sattarbhai.
After
Munnbhai,
Sanju's
soft
side
was
loved
by
people.
So
I
hope
people
love
him
in
EMI
too.
You've
always
been
the
most
successful
businessman
cum
actor
in
the
industry.
Does
that
make
you
the
jack
of
all
trades?
If
you
say
so,
Yes
(laughs).
But
an
actor
first,
then
a
producer
and
then
a
businessman.
It's
purely
because
of
my
branding
as
an
actor
that
people
know
me,
believe
in
me
and
do
business
with
me.
Fortunately
for
me,
I
did
my
B.Com,
then
my
Hotel
Management.
So
somewhere
down
the
line,
it
has
only
helped
me.
That's
why
I
also
strongly
believe
that
whatever
profession
you
end
up
with,
it
is
very
crucial
to
educate
yourself
and
you'll
see
the
world
open
in
front
of
you.
Then
why
aren't
we
going
to
see
Suneil
Shetty
act
in
EMI?
I've
been
wanting
to
keep
production
and
acting
completely
separate
from
each
other.
I
share
a
very
good
rapport
with
a
lot
of
my
co-actors
and
I
don't
want
them
to
feel
that
I
take
care
of
my
role
more
and
my
promotion
more
than
them
if
it's
my
own
production
house.
It's
very
difficult
to
juggle
between
two
roles.
It's
easy
when
I'm
a
producer
where
I
can
go
spend
more
time
on
the
sets
and
on
the
edit
table
and
can
be
more
creative.
With
so
many
feathers
in
your
cap,
is
direction
looking
likely
in
the
years
to
come?
I
would
love
to
direct
a
film
one
day.
But
because
there
are
so
many
tracks
running
simultaneously
with
me,
I
feel
it
is
easier
to
sit
with
a
director
and
work
on
the
film
rather
than
make
one
myself
for
the
time
being.
Tell
a
bit
more
about
the
different
characters
in
EMI.
Ashish
Chowdhary
and
Neha
Uberoi
represent
the
young
couple
who
are
in
love
and
want
to
get
married
because
they
believe
that
the
world
is
a
beautiful
place
where
both
of
them
are
making
money.
They
now
want
a
house
on
EMI,
car
on
EMI
and
everything
on
the
credit
card.
It
gets
difficult
after
a
while
and
that's
what
they
both
go
through.
Then
there
is
a
story
of
a
new
boy,
Pushkar,
who
wants
to
go
to
London
to
study
and
the
father
does
not
have
money
but
also
believes
that
if
he
does
not
do
it
now,
his
son
will
blame
him
for
the
rest
of
his
life.
And
when
he
does
manage
to
come
back
from
the
lush
green
outskirts
of
London,
he
wants
to
then
become
a
photographer.
So
how
will
the
EMI
be
paid?
Then
there
is
Urmila's
character
who
has
a
high
flying
husband
who
thinks
that
he
can
conquer
the
world.
But
when
he
can't
match
up
the
pressure,
he
ends
up
killing
himself
and
how
she
as
a
widow
takes
care
of
her
daughter
and
the
EMI.
And
lastly,
there
is
Arjun
Rampal
and
Mallaika
Arora
who
get
hooked
on
by
the
EMI.
So
there
is
a
lot
of
diversity
in
this
film.
Is
it
an
intentional
move
on
your
part
to
release
the
film
after
Diwali,
just
the
right
time
when
people
start
paying
off
their
EMI's
after
the
Diwali
expenses?
Yes.
That's
the
period
when
people
flash
their
credit
cards
and
use
it
more.
Diwali
is
the
time
of
buying,
spending
and
after
it's
over
the
people
don't
realise
that
how
will
they
pay
their
monthly
credit
card
statements.
This
film
will
also
teach
them
the
right
use
of
the
credit
card
and
the
wrong
use
of
it.
Have
you
ever
misused
your
credit
card?
Not
really.
I've
lived
within
my
means
but
the
thing
is
that
you've
always
got
a
sword
of
EMI
hanging
on
top
of
you
whether
it's
for
your
tax
benefits
or
taking
money
on
interest.
You
do
get
stuck
in
situations
like
that
but
so
far
I've
managed
it.
I
come
from
a
simple
background
and
even
from
a
company
point
of
view;
I
know
that
there
is
recession
world
wide.
I
know
the
industry
is
going
through
a
lot
but
somewhere
down
the
line
I
know
what
my
role
is,
that
of
the
content
provider.
So
I
didn't
jump
the
gun
and
played
it
safe.
What
makes
you
say
that
the
Hindi
Film
Industry
is
going
through
a
dull
phase
right
now?
Because
majority
of
the
films
aren't
doing
well.
There
is
no
buying
in
the
market
and
there
are
only
three
or
four
companies
that
are
buying.
So
each
one
has
to
pull
up
their
socks
and
believe
that
if
they
deliver
the
right
script,
then
only
will
it
work
for
them.
I
think
the
next
six
months
is
definitely
going
to
prove
what
I'm
saying
right
now.
These
so
called
figures
like
eighty,
ninety
and
hundred
crores
won't
exist.
Somewhere
there'll
be
a
reality
check.
There
will
be
smaller
risks
taken
for
the
next
two
to
three
years
till
things
get
stable.
But
yes,
if
the
share
market
picks
up,
there
will
be
money.
After
coming
out
of
the
prison,
Sanjay
Dutt
first
shot
for
EMI.
Did
his
personal
grievances
come
in
play
while
filming?
As
a
matter
of
fact,
I
got
to
know
the
real
Sanjay
Dutt
only
during
that
period
when
he
was
going
through
a
low
phase
and
then
when
he
was
arrested.
When
the
first
letter
that
came
to
me
from
Sanju
said,
'I'm
sorry
Anna.
I
wanted
to
start
and
complete
the
film
but
I
don't
think
I
have
kept
my
word.
I
don't
know
when
I'll
be
out.
If
you
believe
you
need
to
take
someone
else,
go
ahead
and
complete
the
film.
I
don't
want
Popcorn
to
suffer."
That
was
one
of
the
most
touching
letters
sent
to
me
ever.
That's
why
I
believe
that
the
industry
calls
him
'baba' only
because
he
is
all
heart.
He
does
first
and
then
thinks,
which
has
also
got
him
in
a
lot
of
mess.
Sanju
has
such
a
huge
fan
following
only
because
of
the
way
his
well
wishers
feel
for
him
and
how
much
they
love
and
miss
him.
So
what's
next
in
the
pipeline
for
you
Anna?
After
EMI,
from
Popcorn,
I've
got
a
film
called
A
little
Godfather
which
is
about
the
Mumbai
train
blasts
that
took
place
and
what
happened
to
the
kids
who
do
their
daily
business
in
and
out
of
the
train
selling
things.
It's
a
very
emotional
film.
Then
I've
got
Mumbai
Chak-a-Chak
which
is
a
story
about
a
man's
obsession
about
cleanliness
and
how
he
wants
to
see
his
Mumbai
clean.
As
an
actor
I've
got
this
lovely
film
by
Indra
Kumar
and
Ashok
Thakeria's
next
called
Daddy
Cool.
Any
message
you
want
to
give
to
those
who
are
or
are
not
in
an
EMI
mess
after
Diwali?
Watch
EMI
very
closely
because
somewhere
down
the
line
each
and
everyone
of
us
will
relate
to
the
eight
or
ten
characters
we
have
in
the
film.
So
rather
than
getting
depressed,
if
we
realise
our
mistakes
through
this
film
and
get
the
message
right,
you'll
enjoy
the
film.