Debutant
director
Anand
Rai
whose
thriller
Strangers
releases
this
Friday,
has
an
interesting
story
to
tell.
"The
script
required
a
kissing
scene.
I
nervously
approached
my
leading
lady
Nandana
Sen
and
spent
some
time
convincing
her.
She
eventually
agreed.
How
was
I
to
know
the
objection
would
come
from
the
other
party?"
The
film's
leading
man
Jimmy
Sheirgill
refused
to
smooch
Nandana.
"He
was
adamant.
He
said
he
wouldn't
have
done
the
film
if
he
knew
about
the
kiss.
I
had
no
option
but
to
drop
it." Anand
is
all
praise
for
his
cast.
"Jimmy
is
among
our
most
underrated
actors.
For
the
other
leading
man's
role
I
needed
a
man
of
a
few
words.
K
.K
Menon
fitted
the
bill.
As
for
the
girl,
I
needed
someone
who
would
look
convincing
as
a
girl
who
has
spent
all
her
life
in
London.
Nandana
Sen
was
perfect."
Rai
is
quite
bewildered
by
reports
that
Strangers
is
based
in
Alfred
Hitcock's
Strangers
On
A
Train.
"I
really
don't
know
where
that
came
from.
Yes,
the
film
does
have
Strangers
as
its
title
and
there's
a
train
running
through
the
plot.
But
beyond
this,
my
film
is
as
close
to
Hitchcock
as
Jimmy
Shergill
is
to
Jimmy
Mistry.
Mine
is
an
original
story,"
the
debutant
director
brags.
Oh
yeah?
We
shall
see.
Anand
shot
the
film
entirely
in
London.
"And
not
as
touristic
city.
I've
gone
into
lanes
and
bylanes
of
London.
And
unlike
other
films
shot
abroad
I've
even
shot
the
interiors
in
London."
Yes,
but
Anand
couldn't
get
Jimmy
Sheirgil
to
kiss.
Story first published: Thursday, December 13, 2007, 12:23 [IST]