Imtiaz Ali furious

Courtesy: Mid-Day
Saturday, September 01, 2007

The director of Shahid Kapur-Kareena Kapoor starrer Jab We Met, Imtiaz Ali is furious with rumours that their break-up was a publicity stunt.

A source from Ashtavinayak (producers) says, “It"s ridiculous that people feel Shahid-Kareena split is a publicity stunt. We had a huge promotional scheme to be launched at the Taj Mahal, a historic monument meant for eternal lovers.

A few days ago, when we went to Kareena to discuss the promotional schemes she was aloof and showed no interest."

Imtiaz Ali says such rumours are to be ignored. ““If the breakup was a publicity stunt I myself would have initiated it. Shahid and Kareena don"t have to stoop so low because they are well known in the industry and established stars.

Though I have been in touch with Shahid and Kareena after the rumours broke out, I haven"t asked them about the break up as I don"t like intruding on their personal issues."

Imtiaz explains his decision to cast the couple in his film. “Apart from both being suitable for the characters, what was more interesting was that they hadn"t played these characters before.

It was a challenge for Kareena to play the fiery, feisty Sikhni Geet Dhillon from Bhatinda and Shahid to play the dapper corporate Aditya Kashyap who is at loose end."

Imtiaz also feels that the interesting, endearing, sparky and spunky chemistry between the couple was never tapped in their earlier films. “They both have a spark between them. Jab We Met would be the first story to showcase that. Their obvious chemistry is interesting, endearing, sparky and spunky," says Ali.

According to him, the film"s USP is “the chemistry of these two young people set against a north Indian travel adventure."